Rain is a State of Mind

Are you tired of sitting indoors dreaming of clear skies and summer fun? Have you been fantasising about all the outdoor activities you’ll be able to do when the weather clears up a bit?

Well Mira and I have the trip for you! We will be going waterfall hunting this Sunday in the Blue Mountains with the aim to embrace the weather and realise that it isn’t just rainy weather, but a rainy outlook that stops us all from getting outdoors.

On the surface we will be sopping wet, but in our hearts we will be bone dry as we trundle through the beautiful landscape. There will be fantastic views of (wet) sandstone cliffs, walking through amazing (wet) natural bushland and spectacular (very very wet) waterfalls.

I cannot emphasise enough how soaking wet anyone who comes on this trip will get. There is currently 78 mm of rain forecast. If you think this sounds like fun, then sign up!

The current plan is to walk from Pierces Pass to Mt Victoria Falls lookout. This may be subject to change depending on how crossable the Gross River is. This is a 10 km walk with ~700 m elevation gain, so anyone attending must have a decent level of fitness. Please give us an indication of how fit you are when you sign up.

We will be meeting in Mt Victoria at 10 am on Sunday. Please let us know if you have a car and are willing to drive.

Packing list for the trip:

• rain jacket (obviously)
• warm jacket (fleece or synthetic down)
• thermals
• complete change of clothes to leave in the car
• dry bag for warm clothing/electronics
• backpack with a waist belt
• sturdy, comfortable shoes or hiking boots
• Woollen socks to hike in
• lunch and snacks
• 2 L of water (unfortunately there is substantial contamination in the Gross River so we cannot refill water bottles despite the copious amounts of water everywhere)
• emergency blanket (can be purchased from the club at gear night)

It will be a great day, and certainly a memorable hike! Make sure to message Mira Bug or myself (Ash Brennan) if you would like to sign up, and give us an indication of how keen you are, how much you love being sodden and any hikes you might have done before.