How to decide on a hike

16 ideas that can assist you select a hike that’s best for you

One of the commonest causes that search and rescue callouts occur is as a result of hikers have underestimated one thing. Either the terrain, the time, their capabilities or the weather.

Here’s a number of questions you possibly can ask your self to assist choose should you’re going to have a ball or be in waaaay over your head. 

Feeling a stable exercise is one factor, having an epic you may not return from, is one other.

Once you’ve labored out the solutions for a possible hike, merely examine them in opposition to journeys you’ve executed previously. How do they examine?

1. What’s the standard of the monitor? Is there signage? Is it effectively outlined and straightforward to comply with?
2. What’s the type of the monitor or route? Firetrail, single monitor, tough foot pad? Is it comparatively clear or does it contain tough, uneven floor, scrambling, climbing, rock-hopping, scree, thick scrub (what some folks may name bush-bashing)?
3. What’s the quantity of ascent and descent in vertical metres (and over what distance do these ascents/descents happen – ie. how steep is it?)
4. Am I strolling in a bunch or solo?
5. What’s the climate forecast and temps?
6. Is there entry to dependable water or will I want to hold all of it?
7. What’s the space?
8. How heavy is my pack going to be?
9. What’s my present stage of health, particularly when carrying a pack?
10. How distant and/or fashionable is it? Am I more likely to meet different folks on the market?
11. Is there cell phone protection?
12. Are there alternatives to pull-out alongside the best way?
13. What’s the historical past and popularity? (is there a historical past of individuals coming to grief on the market? Have others received misplaced?)
14. How correct is the knowledge and monitor notes I’ve received?
15. Do I’ve all the fitting gear and expertise for this kind of escapade?
16. Am I going to take pleasure in or endure this?

Lessons Learned from a Kanangra to Katoomba Rescue

Unfortunately, not each callout ends effectively, so after I acquired an SMS alert* late one sizzling Summer’s afternoon for a PLB activation within the distant Kanangra-Boyd National Park, I feared the worst for this solo walker. 

However, not like different callouts to this identical route (two I’ve been concerned in didn’t finish effectively), fortunately, this one did. It was resolved with what I name the ‘first sweep’ of help from Polair and Police Rescue wrapping the whole lot up in good time. Nice one.

When issues go mistaken within the bush, I believe probably the most invaluable issues we are able to do is be taught as a lot as we are able to about what occurred, to attempt to forestall it from taking place once more. 

In the previous, there’s been a effectively researched Australian on-line accident register, with balanced experiences and hyperlinks to coroners findings. However, because of the time and sources wanted to place it collectively, it’s sadly not obtainable. (I’d like to see this kind of public file obtainable once more, so if anybody has any concepts (or funding!) there’s a niche there! Check out the International Canyon Accident dbase for some inspiration!).

So, again to that Sunday night time… aside from being relieved once we had been stood-down within the data that the lacking individual was protected and effectively, I used to be delighted after I noticed them posting some particulars about their expertise on social media. Huge due to Chini for being courageous sufficient to share her story and for answering a number of of my questions, that she’s comfortable for me to share with you right here.

Caro: How did you hear concerning the Kanangra to Katoomba stroll? 

I first heard concerning the stroll on some on-line bushwalking boards. Also, after I was out climbing within the neighborhood of the Wild Dog Mountains (round Dunphy’s Campsite, Tarros Ladder and Medlow Gap) I noticed point out of the stroll on some signposts. I used to be chatting with some skilled aged hikers on the market who beneficial the stroll to me and a few associates I used to be with. However, I don’t assume they anticipated me to stroll it alone, or in the midst of summer season. 

Caro: How did you determine that you just had been as much as this difficult hike?

I knew that the terrain of the K2K can be worlds aside from that of the Six Foot Track and would require a variety of time spent navigating. This is why I selected to finish it over 3 days, though I’ve simply walked the Six Foot Track alone over a single day. 

I believed that I’d have the ability to full the K2K since I’ve gone on quite a few solo day hikes and solo in a single day hikes within the Blue Mountains which traverse rugged terrain and require a bit extra navigational ability (eg: Mount Solitary and quite a few hikes descending/ascending into the Grose Valley like Pierces Pass, Perrys Lookdown, Govetts Leap, and Lockleys Pylon**). I additionally not too long ago completed the Everest base camp hike so I believed I’d have the endurance to have the ability to full the K2K and felt as if my health had elevated after spending time at altitude.

I knew that the terrain of the K2K can be extra rugged than another hike I’ve ever executed.

However, I vastly underestimated simply how rugged it might be. 

Caro: Where did you supply your route and monitor info from?

I received a lot of the info I wanted from an internet site and had additionally learn quite a few journey experiences from different websites. I used to be planning on following the itinerary specified on the web site the place the journey is accomplished over three days. 

Caro: What kind of navigation gear did you’ve with you?

I used to be carrying the sketch maps and journey notes from the web site, in addition to my very own topographic map, compass and GPS. 

Caro: How did you determine to activate your PLB?

My most important cause for deploying the PLB was dehydration. I underestimated how tough the terrain can be and I underestimated simply how a lot water I’d want on that sizzling day. Towards the top of the day, it was my unquenchable thirst for water which prompted me to hurry down the slopes of Mount Cloudmaker to be able to discover the closest stream. It was this determined ‘rushing’ by the dense foliage, coupled with my chaotically negligent mind-set which prompted me to lose my GPS. I nonetheless trusted my potential to navigate with a map and compass, so I made a decision to proceed forth. 

Eventually, I reached a creek which linked to Dex Creek and located it utterly dry. At this level, since I felt as if I used to be on the verge of fainting, was involved that Dex Creek would even be dry and will see that the solar was setting, it was then that I made a decision to activate the PLB. I knew that though my navigational abilities had been most likely adequate for me to someway discover my approach again to Kanangra Walls, I wouldn’t be bodily capable of stroll again alone two ft except I discovered water.

Caro: Looking again, how do you are feeling about your expertise now?

I now see that I used to be positively not skilled sufficient to finish the hike alone. It was silly of me to go on such a sizzling day, it was silly of me to decide on to do it alone and I’m ashamed of my overly hubristic perspective in underestimating that wilderness. 

If my story can inform you on how you can forestall others from making the identical errors as me, then it’s all value it.

A couple of ideas on the Kanangra to Katoomba 

The difficult factor is, except you’ve had expertise in trackless, steep and troublesome terrain and have a great working data of topographic maps (and all these contours!), it may be straightforward to match distance of a monitor in the identical area and assume that the time wanted to finish it might be related. Whilst the Six Foot Track and the K2K are each round 45kms (and most accounts suggest 3 days for every), they’re like chalk and cheese relating to the bodily and navigational challenges concerned.

I do know of a number of search and rescue callouts from individuals who’ve received into bother and wanted assistance on the K2K, as a result of they’ve executed the Six Foot Track and located it fairly do-able. This led them to assume that the following logical step-up can be the K2K. Sadly, there’s a number of extra steps in between!

Relatively talking, the Six Foot Track is a effectively marked, 2-3 day hike, appropriate for match and effectively ready novices. Whilst it has a few huge hills (totally on hearth trails), they’ll’t be in contrast with the K2K. The K2K is a troublesome, difficult bushwalk for folks with superior pack health and skilled in wilderness navigation and bushcraft.

A few different factors concerning the K2K:

• The K2K isn’t the kind of journey to do within the warmth of summer season, no matter your health or expertise. Water is unreliable anytime of yr, particularly after dry durations. The dangers of dehydration are actual and may have an effect on your potential to clarify selections. Every litre weighs a kilo and it’s simply not doable to lug all you want over this kind of terrain.
• Importantly, the Kanangra to Katoomba route is in, “Declared Wilderness.” This is a legislated designation which states: 

“A wilderness space shall be managed in order:

(a)  to revive (if relevant) and to guard the unmodified state of the realm and its plant and animal communities,

(b)  to protect the capability of the realm to evolve within the absence of serious human interference, and

(c)  to allow alternatives for solitude and applicable self-reliant recreation (whether or not of a industrial nature or not).

NSW Wilderness Act 1987

That self-reliant recreation is vital. This signifies that the K2K doesn’t have any path markings or indicators. In many locations, there isn’t a monitor and you have to have the ability to navigate. If you’ve by no means walked and navigated off-track earlier than, this isn’t the journey for you.

Six Months Later…

I used to be delighted when Chini received again in contact with me six months later to report…

“Hello Caro! Just needed to let you realize that I nonetheless do a number of bushwalking and I’m nonetheless loving it! I’ve joined a membership now so I don’t stroll alone anymore. I went again to Kanangra final weekend to have a second go on the K2K! This time I efficiently completed the complete stroll with no dramas! I went with folks from my college’s mountaineering membership and had a extremely optimistic expertise doing it!!

On the primary day at Kanangra Walls we got here throughout a pair who had got down to try the stroll however appeared very unprepared. I talked to them and so they solely had round 1 litre of water every and so they additionally didn’t appear to be assured with navigation both. I advised them about what occurred to me and we performed a job in convincing them to show round and never proceed the stroll in order that they didn’t find yourself struggling what I endured earlier.”

Such a excellent news story and so fantastic that she was capable of share her experiences to assist others. Way to go Chini!

I’m so glad this story had a cheerful ending and that she now enjoys strolling (and now main) journeys along with her outside membership. She was clever to hold a PLB, which you’ll be able to purchase for round $300, lease for a small charge or borrow free of charge within the Blue Mountains from Katoomba and Springwood Police Stations and NPWS Visitors Centres in Blackheath. 

*as a volunteer with SES Bush Search and Rescue.

**these are fashionable walks, on effectively outlined single monitor, in an space with quite a lot of exit choices. Many of those could be accomplished as day hikes by match bushwalkers.