Bushwalk Australia

Or Quasi-Supernormal Incremental Precipitation Inducers like Rob McKenna? (This was too long to be accepted as a topic title, though).

I have cancelled/postponed at least 6 bushwalks over the past 12 months. I mean, I'm OK with walking in the rain (if I wasn't, I'd never get out at all). But the forecasts for my proposed walks over the past year or so have mostly ranged from dangerous to deadly.

Over many years, I have developed a reputation for being followed by rain whenever I go walking, and I have even considered hiring myself out to governments in drought-stricken regions. I have literally had friends call me up to check my walking schedule before they set a date for their next BBQ. Yes, maybe they just wanted to check that I could come to their BBQ, but they said they were making sure it wasn't going to rain.

I once did a walk on which it rained on 11 out of the 12 days. This despite the forecast being for fine and sunny for that entire period (according to the people back home).

About 8 weeks ago, I postponed my August RDO to this coming Monday so that I could spend 3 days in the Traveller Range area. Late August is usually a great month for weather in Tasmania. Cold, but stable.

Now they are forecasting rain and snow (and strong winds) for most of the three days that I'm planning to be out bush this weekend. There is even an official bushwalkers alert for tomorrow.

Looks like it's going to be more snow than rain, which is good, but it might be windy enough to be rather painful blizzard conditions. It is a fairly exposed area and all above 1000m. But I am so sick and tired of cancelling bushwalks that I think I'm going to go anyhow.

Does anyone else out there suffer from this affliction? Are there any other 'Rob McKennas' out there?

(Anybody want to join me for three cold/wet/windy days out bush?)

Not being a local, I have normally tried to have a sufficient time over there to rearrange things on the go so as to pick weather windows.
eg hang around for a month!
In more recent years though - it has basically been "stick to the schedule".
The classic was a tight schedule for a party into the Eastern Arthurs - in which we had one sunny day out of 8 and a summit day that was very overcast but at least it did not rain.
But even then - I look for at least a few days where I think the BOM has given reasonable prospects - as in my last 8 day offering which had 2 great days in the middle of the wet.

With a fixed booking I do try to think about contingencies.
A few years back we packed for 8 days to go to Pine Valley area and the Traveller Range, but after lots of rain and predicted snow coming on we headed back out after 5 days and went with the contingency.
This is where Tassie can provide a different weather zone, in this case Freycinet on the east coast.
So while the snows were descending on the Reserve, our 8 days finished with wonderful weather on a 3 day circuit at Freycinet.
So rather than cancelling the days off - is there a more weather proof or protected walk available? Tasman Peninsula perhaps?

PS - NNW did just suggest something of your phenomenon when she has been in the Flinders Ranges in SA.

All good points. Before getting my first full time job, I only ever walked in full on sunshine. I was that flexible, that I would plan a walk to every detail except for the date, and then just watch the forecast and wait. As soon as good weather was forecast, I would go. I didn't need to arrange child care, or check with my wife, and had very few other commitments. These days, everything has to be booked in weeks (or months) in advance, which drives me nuts. Initially after those (good old) days came to an end, I detested rain on bushwalks and hated those days. Eventually I got used to it, and I don't mind walking in rain so much any more.

You're right on the money - there are plenty of options in Tasmania, and perhaps I should consider them. I have already thought about going into Lake Meston instead - at least there is a hut there for shelter, and being that it rained most of the time last time I was there, at least I'd feel at home. However, an epic snow trip up in the highlands can also be a lot of fun, so long as you're well prepared. I may change the plan to skip Mt Ida, and just visit a few of the other lakes instead (or possibly make it a two day trip instead of three days - but that would be a waste of an RDO!).

I've been to the Tasman Peninsula only a few weeks ago (with the family) and its a very long drive from here. I love Freycinet, but more in the Summer just outside of school holidays.

Part of the reason for planning a walk now is in the hope of getting a bit of snow on the ground, and ice on the lakes. It's fantastic like that. But I was hoping for some better weather as well. Actually, the rain and snow don't bother me so much... it's the wind that really gets me (especially combined with rain or snow).

I'm really just venting my frustration.

Yes, come to think of it, I think NNW has mentioned similar issues for a few different places. So maybe it's not just me.

Argh! I've officially postponed walking this weekend. Since this was a postponed RDO, the next one is already scheduled two weeks later, so I will try again then (although in my experience, September is generally very changeable and unstable in Tasmania).

The forecast for Lake St Clair (and Overland Track area) tomorrow has deteriorated even more. Looks like it will be a near-blizzard up there. Significant snow falls from about 1pm Saturday, continuing all night and parts of Sunday and Monday, with 22 knot winds tomorrow. Not a nice day to be on top of an exposed range and attempting to climb a mountain.

eggs wrote:PS - NNW did just suggest something of your phenomenon when she has been in the Flinders Ranges in SA.

And the Centre. I was stuck in a camp at Windy Saddle while doing the Larapinta; thick low cloud, rain, wind, lightning . . . despite the forecast being for clear sunny days the whole time I was out.

I figure it's just karma. We're paying for some really bad *&%$#! we did back in another life.

north-north-west wrote:And the Centre. I was stuck in a camp at Windy Saddle while doing the Larapinta; thick low cloud, rain, wind, lightning . . . despite the forecast being for clear sunny days the whole time I was out.

I figure it's just karma. We're paying for some really bad *&%$#! we did back in another life.

I almost dobbed you in, nnw, but I figured you'd do it yourself!

Yep, I admit I have obviously pissed the Gods off somewhere. My friends have named me Storm Goddess... Sounds great, but want to schedule a walk with me. You best pack not only your wet weather gear but a snow shovel will help. So my last two scheduled attempts to ice climb at Blue Lake this month produced avalanche warnings. Sigh, the skiers loved it though. I feel your pain, or at least the dismal feeling of cold, wet soggy clothing and watching the latest piece of Tyvek getting blown to kingdom come.

G'day SoaB,
I do feel for you - especially regarding trying to get away when you have family. I do remember you saying about your( South Coast Trip ?) when it rained constantly.
I have had a mixed bag of luck with the weather over the years, but our last walk as a family into Frenchmans in July was pure luck as far as weather goes. Tracy had 4 wks off from Uni, and the boys had 2wks off from school. There was 1 week that coincided. We planned Frenchmans, and had a window of awesome weather.
It does get easier mate, as your family gets older

Looking outside today, there is literally not a cloud in the sky that I can see. No wind. Just luverly out there. Makes it very frustrating that I stayed home.

But the BOM says that where I would have been walking, there is snow, wind, hail and thunderstorms. It's so hard to imagine when the weather here, just a couple of hundred km away, is perfect.

PS. My next door neighbour has a reputation of taking fine sunny weather with her wherever she goes. We did a six day walk with them into the Arthur's once and there was much discussion as to whose weather powers would be stronger.

I was pleased that she won, and in that instance we had six days of clear sunny weather. (Just as well, because in my four trips to Lake Oberon, that was the only one on which it didn't rain).

Son of a Beach wrote:Looking outside today, there is literally not a cloud in the sky that I can see. No wind. Just luverly out there. Makes it very frustrating that I stayed home.

But the BOM says that where I would have been walking, there is snow, wind, hail and thunderstorms. It's so hard to imagine when the weather here, just a couple of hundred km away, is perfect.

A very rough Frederick Henry is constantly disappearing under cloud and rain/hail squalls. In between the blue sky bits. kunanyi and Faulkner have not been visible all morning.
Trust me, you do not want to be out in that.

Thanks for the confirmation. It's been sunny all day here at the other end of the island.

Hi SOB,
Yes I've brought wind& rain with me when planning cycle touring or walking.
Previous to 2014 postponing a trip was more likely due to family or work. I still have my family, the kids are now adults but my work is no more:)
If being with your family and being employed are partly the reason you walk less then that is a valuable choice.
Having said that, my wife& I had some memorable trips introducing our kids to cycling, bushwalking etc.
Did you manage to take your family camping this year before Tassie became too cold?
Is your Franklin River walk still yet to be completed?

Son of a Beach wrote:
Over many years, I have developed a reputation for being followed by rain whenever I go walking, and I have even considered hiring myself out to governments in drought-stricken regions.
(Anybody want to join me for three cold/wet/windy days out bush?)

1. come to townsville, the weather's great...go walking around the dam

as for rain, there is a higher likelihood of rain occuring when I'm driving outside of a rain shadow

Since posting this topic, I've now postponed this particular walk THREE times due to unfavourable weather forecasts. And I'm not terribly fussy about weather. It doesn't have to be perfect. However, in this case, it does need to be reasonably good, as it's all off track, and high altitude.

I once cycled Northern-most to Southern-most points of the Australian mainland. It absolutely poured rained on 22 of 31 days across NSW, yet this precipitation occurred in many drought-declared regions. Go figure.

Wollemi wrote:I once cycled Northern-most to Southern-most points of the Australian mainland. It absolutely poured rained on 22 of 31 days across NSW, yet this precipitation occurred in many drought-declared regions. Go figure.

You could, of course, had 40 C heat most of the time.

Cheers
Roger

Our walking gp seems to enjoy the opposite. Early days with the missus, I joked she had the favour of the weather gods, now if I need clear skies I drag her along. Even at sea, mill pond conditions. Pity she doesn't do multidays anymore.

Every time I have been to the English lakes district it has rained. Not that English rain that sits in the air and lets you walk into to it but good solid rain. I have given up on it, unless I have a month to spare waiting for a patch of sun I'll just have to muck on.

Every walker or photographer thinks bad weather follows him. During my American road trip in California, Utah and Arizona, I had storms in May, highly unusual. Locals said I was lucky to see Utah that way, as it's always sunny usually. It made for interesting pictures, and a great snowy Bryce Canyon. Bad weather happens, a year in the Alps we had a whole July where there was maybe one or two days when it didn't rain. Even in the sunniest town in France, Briançon. Another year it was the opposite : sunny skies for weeks. It's just a part of the current screwed up climate. Droughts are more frequent, so are spells of continuous bad weather. That's part of the reason I don't do long multi day walks, unpredictable weather. I try to give myself options, and when I'm out there on vacations, I look up what to do on a grey day (museums, waterfalls, woodlands).