This was the second navigation weekend in the spring 2024 season, and this time it was a small group of 3 clients who joined on this weekend. As is often the case in the mountains, it was quite windy all weekend but it was unseasonably warm for the time of year and there was virtually no rain. So it was a great weekend to learn navigation and for going hiking in a very special area. There were lots of other groups hiking in the area on the weekend, some quite large, but many of these were day trippers and in the end we had a very sheltered campsite out of the wind all to ourselves for the evening. And so a very nice evening and good night’s sleep was had despite the wind blowing on the ridges above us. Some early wildflowers were out, heralding the fact that spring is just around the corner, and a mouse spider was found on the march on one of the ridges. The 3 clients had a great time and learned a heap of new navigation skills that they will use to find their way safely and with confidence on their future hiking adventures.

Despite forecasts of high winds on Saturday morning, the wind had already dropped by early morning and this navigation turned out to be one of the best in terms of weather so far in 2024. Saturday in particular was a beautiful day, and Sunday, although a bit cloudy and windy, had almost no rain at all. It was a great group of 5 people who joined this navigation weekend and all had a great time. Two ladies had travelled up from Melbourne the day before and it was their first time bushwalking in the Blue Mountains. And with the good weather and early spring wildflowers in abundance, not to mention the beautiful wild scenery, they absolutely loved the experience. It wasn’t just an opportunity to explore the wonder that is the Blue Mountains in spring. It was also a great learning opportunity, and everyone learned an abundance of practical bush navigation skills that they all put immediately into practise in a real off-trail wilderness environment. So with it being a great 2 day hike, a wonderful campsite, and a weekend packed with learning of new skills and a great group of people, this was a great weekend enjoyed by all!

A full house of 10 people for the navigation weekend this weekend. And despite forecasts of snow and an apocalyptic cold blast from Antarctica on Sunday, we enjoyed mostly sunny weather the whole weekend, not too much wind, and just a cold morning on Sunday and a cold but mostly sunny day. Nothing that a fleece and a beanie can’t fix. Saturday was a day packed with learning the skills of navigation in fine weather and putting them into practice immediately in varied terrain. By the end of this very full day we established our camp on a lovely cool afternoon in a beautifully peaceful spot. Unfortunately due to a minor slip just before reaching camp, Vee Jin had a sore knee upon arriving at camp, but she was still very mobile and very positive. In the end it was decided that on Sunday the group would split, with one group very capably led by Leanne and George would walk back the way we came, and the other group led by me would continue the normal nav weekend route which was longer and steeper. The two groups remained constantly in touch with 2-way radios. This way, everyone was able to enjoy the weekend at a pace and distance suited to them. And everyone had the opportunity to put into practise everything learned on the previous day and in the morning at camp before we parted. The group who walked back the short way completed their walk in time to enjoy a lunch together at the pub in Mt Victoria. The group who went the longer way arrived at Bell about an hour and a half later, after having crossed the river gorge in a steep but scenic spot. All up another fantastic navigation weekend in beautiful weather enjoyed by all.

Although the route we take is usually the same, every MountainSphere navigation weekend is different. Different people, different weather, different wildflowers. This weekend one of the most striking differences was that the cicadas were out! It seems like this year is going to be a big cicada year and they are out early this year, bringing life and noise to the bush! Another major difference this time was a fine day! Sunday was a day of glorious weather with warm temperatures, dazzling sunshine and not much wind – perfect! And a nice change from what has been a pretty ordinary year as far as weather on navigation weekends goes. Some light rain during the afternoon on Saturday did not detract from the experience. With a great group of people, lovely weather, sun filtering through morning mist, the cicadas chirping and the opportunity to hike in a beautiful area whilst learning the critical skills of bush navigation in a real wilderness environment, this weekend was hard to beat. Thanks to everyone who came for a great trip.

Have you ever wanted to know how to use a hand line when bushwalking? That is, if you are hiking in remote and rough terrain, and all you are carrying is one light rope and one carabiner, how do you safely get up or down a steep rocky obstacle where a rope is needed? How to anchor yourself at the top, belay someone down, pass packs, and get down yourself? These are not the skills of a rock climber or an abseiler, who would have access to all the required equipment. These are the skills of the bushwalker, who just has one rope and one carabiner, and needs to get their group safely past an exposed or steep rock that is below the threshold of rock climbing but still a challenge for a bushwalker who encounters an unexpected obstacle in remote terrain. This was the first rope skills day of this type to be operated by MountainSphere Adventures and the 3 girls who joined this day had an amazingly fun time. After learning a range of useful knots and hitches, the girls rigged a hand line with belay and anchor. It was a nice day and there was time left after lunch so for some additional fun the girls learned prussiking and abseiling. The skills will equip the girls with skills to improvise and make safer a potentially hazardous obstacle in remote terrain when very limited equipment is available. Vital skills for the bushwalker and leader.

Once or twice per year, MountainSphere Adventures runs a 3 day version of my ever popular 2 day navigation weekend. The 3 day navigation hike is for people who have previously attended a 2 day navigation weekend who want to refresh their navigation skills and practise it in varied terrain, including long stretches of off-track wilderness hiking where there is no track or trail at all. There was just one 3 day navigation hike this year, on 25-27 October. The weather was absolutely perfect for the whole 3 days. Not a drop of rain, no wind, and clear skies. The clients enjoyed long stretches that they could each lead, at least half a day each, and varied terrain. The campsites were idyllic, we discovered a small canyon and hidden Jurassic fern cavern, we hiked remote untracked ridges with sweeping views of the wilderness. We did compass sightings, compass navigation, landscape interpretation and the full suite of navigation skills throughout the weekend. On the last day we found a lovely stream with small beach and rock slab, a perfect spot for a swim and our final lunch at the end of a wonderful 3 days.