Too much weather for walking?

[SteveJ]

I was due to head of on a 3 day walk this week but the predictions of high 30's yesterday and 43oC today made me pull the pin as I view it as risky weather to bushwalk in for a bunch of reasons. How hot it too hot for walking, what makes you pull the pin on a trip, too much rain or snow, too windy ?

Steve

[Lizzy]

Yep those kind of conditions & especially sustained over a few days would be enough for me to change plans. But if locked in- say already on a trip in Tassie I would try to find another area or alternative.

[DarrenM]

Rain, wind and snow....No problem.

Anything over 30 deg and there'd wanna be beer involved.

[SteveJ]

[MickyB]

For me it depends on where I am going. Rain doesn't worry me except if there is going to be a lot of it and river crossing are involved. Heat doesn't worry me (up to about 35 degrees) as long as a water source is available. Wind doesn't worry me except when I am going through a forest.

[north-north-west]

38 and sunny yesterday. Grey, damp and barely into the teens today (or so it feels). Gotta love this island.

[Tortoise]

I was due to head of on a 3 day walk this week but the predictions of high 30's yesterday and 43oC today made me pull the pin as I view it as risky weather to bushwalk in for a bunch of reasons. How hot it too hot for walking, what makes you pull the pin on a trip, too much rain or snow, too windy ?

Steve

Once we changed a week's walk in 38+ deg total fire ban conditions. We did a last minute change to a walk that was less remote (more escape routes), and a fair bit of it was lakeside. These days I might pull the pin though.

A few times heavy snow has meant a change of route to friendlier climes. Now i've got snow shoes...

[Strider]

I called off a night in the Walls last week - not so much because the weather was bad but because it interrupted my plans. Woke to about 8cm of snow at Dixons Kingdom on Tuesday morning and decided no point climbing any of the peaks I'd planned, nor did I wish to spend the day in my tent or sitting around doing nothing. To finalise matters, I realised I had forgotten my tea bags. So I walked back to the car first thing and got home to Hobart nice and early

[SteveJ]

Well yes forgetting the tea is clear grounds for pulling the pin, running out of tea mid trip is almost a PLB button press

[Strider]

Well yes forgetting the tea is clear grounds for pulling the pin, running out of tea mid trip is almost a PLB button press

Well a day waiting out the weather is one thing. But waiting it out without a hot drink is pure madness! Wasn't much sense hanging around just to walk out the following morning anyway.

[puredingo]

My last couple of walks have been in the hot stuff. Last weekend along the Cox river temps must have been in the 30's but the relatively flat ground and constant water made it a pleasant stroll for the 20+ klms i did that day.

On the otherhand I did 2 days a few weeks ago in a mixture of mountain and exposed fire trail country and cooked myself. The mighty BOM threw me the dummy as usual and the weekend called for overcast skys and light rain...try mid 30's both days.

I'm with you Strider, i never hang around for the sake of completing my alotted time on a walk. Once I've done what i set out to do or it becomes clear the object of the walk won't be happening BOOM I'm outa there...

[climberman]

I was gunna do an overnight ride this weekend with a mate... but 35 degrees, headwinds and thunderstorms.... so we are doing the coast track tomorrow in Royal.

[stry]

Well yes forgetting the tea is clear grounds for pulling the pin, running out of tea mid trip is almost a PLB button press

PLB ? Perilously Light on Beverages

[headwerkn]

The wrong side of 35°C would have me throwing in the towel, though mostly because such weather usually corresponds with high fire dangers and Total Fire Bans - not the best time to be out bush.

Walking in snow and mild blizzards, on the other hand, can be quite fun so long as you've got the right gear.

Cheers, Ben.

[Hallu]

I got some dehydration scare in Croajingolong last Friday. It wasn't that hot (about 30°) and I started walking at 10 am (the Shipwreck creek to Little Rame Head walk) but as an idiot I thought 2 L of water would be enough for a 2h30 walk. And as it was a bladder, I didn't see I ran out after half that, once at the Little Rame Head (rubbish because of blocked views, despite what said the info panel), and I walked 6 km back with no water and under the scorching heat. Crackled lips, weird taste in my mouth and completely exhausted once I reached my car (with water in it luckily, as no one else was there). Certainly a big scare, I kept thinking about that guy last year who died in Hattah-Kulkyne after only a couple of hours in the sun with no water. I did many 35 ° walks back in France, but never got that dehydrated so quickly. The UV rays are 3 times as powerful here in Australia, so 25 or 35° it doesn't matter, what matters is whether you walk in the shade or the sun, it makes all the difference. Bottomline is, even with a half day walk, just bring 4 L, and check your water levels every km or so.

[SteveJ]

Hallu, Croajingolong is very dry and the walking track is in full sun along that section :-/ The walk I cancelled was around the corner heading north from Mallacoota.

[Hallu]

Yeah Croajingolong isn't very well managed as a park. It's one of the most beautiful in Australia, with a UNESCO Biosphere status, but the roads are appalling, and there's no water tank. You find water tanks in Wyperfeld or Murray-Sunset and yet those parks are in a less popular area than Croajingolong, it's a mystery to me. The most striking part is that when driving to Shipwreck Creek from Mallacoota the gravel road is fine until about the airport, and as soon as you reach the "Croajingolong NP" sign it's pothole after pothole...

Regarding the heat in Croajingolong, I did the Rame Head walk last year from Wingan Inlet, and it was much easier as it was mostly in the shade. But the Little Rame Head walk is much more exposed. I saw some ground parrots though, so it was worth it.