Avid bushwalker Erin Hext set out on her 76th hike expecting a challenging track, but she did not think she would be making the return journey in a helicopter.

Key points: An experienced bushwalker had to be rescued by helicopter half an hour's drive from Hobart

An experienced bushwalker had to be rescued by helicopter half an hour's drive from Hobart Erin Hext became lost due to overgrown tracks and confusing route markers

Erin Hext became lost due to overgrown tracks and confusing route markers Wellington Park Management Trust praised her for being well prepared, and pledged to improve the tracks

Her story illustrates how quickly things can go wrong in the bush, even just half an hour's drive from the city, and when to make the call to seek help.

The 40-year-old set out on Saturday to walk from the back of Hobart's Mount Wellington/kunanyi to Mount Montagu, a six-hour return walk.

On the way back, she became completely lost.

"It was like I was trapped; I couldn't go any further," she told Leon Compton on ABC Radio Hobart.

Mount Montagu from Montagu Thumbs. ( Supplied: Erin Hext )

Overgrown tracks and confusing cairns and markers saw her climb the summit of a different mountain known as Montagu Thumbs, before eventually finding her way across to Mount Montagu.

By the time she started making her way back, she had been walking for five hours and was rapidly losing daylight and becoming exhausted and dehydrated.

"I felt like I was starting to become disoriented and before long I had a feeling I was no longer headed in the right direction when I started to come upon unbroken cobwebs across the trail," she said.

"I tried to retrace my steps a little bit but ended up somewhere where I had no idea where I was.

"I was up to my chest in really thick scrub and big rocks and I pushed through it for an hour."

The Wellington Park Management Trust, responsible for the tracks, has described Ms Hext as a "poster" bushwalker who took all the right precautions.

The trust will start track improvements within weeks.

The Mount Montagu track was overgrown, but Wellington Park Management Trust has promised to maintain them. ( Supplied: Erin Hext )

'I wasn't getting out of this'

Lost in thick, rocky bush, Ms Hext was feeling nauseous and lethargic — her body was defeated.

"The more I pushed on, the sicker I started to feel and my energy levels were depleting rapidly," she said.

"My head was pounding, my skin was tingling and my body was beginning to get shaky due to exhaustion.

"I wasn't getting out of this and knew there was about an hour left of daylight before night was going to start closing in."

She had taken three litres of water on the walk, and was down to about a cup.

She decided to make the call to ask for help around 7:00pm, before it got dark, knowing it would be harder for rescuers after sunset.

Among the items in her day pack was a head torch, battery pack for her phone, maps and track notes and a bright orange emergency sleeping bag.

The rescue helicopter took 40 minutes to reach her, and she waved the sleeping bag to get its attention.

"I thought I'd never have to use it," she said.

Wellington Park Management Trust says Mount Montagu is a challenging track even for experienced walkers. ( Supplied: Erin Hext )

'If your life is in danger you make the call'

Unable to land, the helicopter winched a rescuer down who waded through the scrub to find Ms Hext who blew her whistle to guide them.

"I felt quite embarrassed," she said.

"But I thought about it later, and I don't think I should be embarrassed because I do take all the safety precautions I can."

She said "keyboard warriors" often criticised rescued walkers, arguing it was a waste of taxpayers' money.

"If your life is in danger, you make that call," she said.

Ms Hext said she chose to take a solo walk for some "me time", but said in future she would only go on familiar tracks when hiking by herself.

"As soon as I got back my mum said 'You're never going on a solo walk again'.

"You could be the most experienced of hikers, but it's so important to make sure you have the right gear.

"Because if you're out there overnight and rescuers can't get to you, you need to know you're going to be warm and dry and have water and food."

Erin Hext is an experienced walker but says she will only do familiar tracks when hiking by herself in the future. ( Supplied: Erin Hext )

Tracks 'rugged and remote'

Wellington Park Management Trust ranger Ben Masterman said the organisation made efforts to warn walkers that tracks like Mount Montagu were challenging.

"Those tracks out the back there are rugged and remote," he said.

"They are often steep and require a special level of experience and fitness.

"We try to warn people accordingly."

While Mount Wellington has many heavily used and well maintained tracks, other tracks are less used and only subtly advertised.

Mr Masterman said the trust was "already on the case" and would improve the Mount Montagu track.

He said there would be brushcutting undertaken over the next few weeks, and three new sign posts installed at key junctions.

He commended Ms Hext on her preparedness.

"Erin is a poster person on how to walk in this area," he said.

"She packed perfectly."

Mr Masterman recommended walkers install the phone application Emergency Plus and learnt how to use it.