The number of times I have seen people, particularly on the Western Arthurs Facebook Forum, espousing their ultra lightweight gear is to me, a worrying trend. Ultra lightweight is fine until conditions change and then suddenly that gossamer weight tent doesn’t look quite so attractive.
For a long time I have hoped I would one day (night) be able to catch a good display of the southern lights, the aurora australis,with one of Mont’s superb wilderness tents included in the view.
On my recent trip to Mongolia, I expected some pretty low temperatures, temperatures that I had not experienced before so I took a range of clothing and gear with me to protect me from the elements.
The sunrises, campfire stories, wondering if you are on route, and memories made with friends is what it is about. The Warrumbungles is certainly a special place to experience these things.
It’s that time of year again when Australia’s only native deciduous plant, Nothofagus Gunniior the Deciduous Beech, affectionately known as Fagus, or less affectionately....Tanglefoot, bursts into a mass of golden colour before the cold Tasmanian winter.
Last night half of Australia would have been witness to a spectacular event in the skies above. This was one of the strongest Auroras that we have seen for a very long time ( the most powerful storm since 1989, when the Quebec power grid was taken out by the solar storm).
Recently Tasmania has experienced an extended period of cold weather thanks to a strong blocking high pressure system sitting off our west coast. This has resulted in Liawenee, Australia’s coldest town, recording 4 nights in a row at -10°C with a minimum recorded of -13.5°C. Pretty cold for Tasmania. The record lowest temperature at Liawenee is -14.2°C recorded in August 2020.
This is a fascinating area in the Central Tasmania highlands with a superb amphitheatre of mountains surrounding a collection of alpine tarns, grasslands and forests.
Once again conditions were cool, around -14°C but once I started walking I was quite comfortable. It’s remarkable how little clothing suffices even in such low temperatures.
March in Mongolia is late winter and my destination was a lake in northern Mongolia called Lake Khovsgol. This lake stretches north 135kms from the village of Khatgal to within 25kms of the Russian border. In the savage Mongolian winter, where temperatures can drop below -50°C, the surface of the whole lake freezes to a depth of approximately 1.1 metres.
As we celebrate Earth Day 2024, let's celebrate this beautiful planet that we all love exploring. Whether you are attending local events, participating in activities from home or simply taking a moment in the great outdoors to appreciate nature, your actions matter. Together, we can protect and preserve this planet for generations to come.
