Basic Gear For A Day Walk

BASIC GEAR FOR A DAY WALK

BLUE MOUNTAINS

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Studies in the US have shown that day hikers are the most at risk when hiking in National Parks or Wilderness.
Meanwhile in the Blue Mountains, about 130 people get lost or injured every year (source: NSW Police).

The number one mistake people make is lack of preparation!

LOOK THE PART

Shorts and t-shirts might look good but they will not protect you from the sun, rain and wind, the vegetation, and critters like leeches and ants…

    • Wear hiking shoes or trail runners with a good grip because the tracks are uneven and can be slippery.
    • Slip on a shirt with long sleeves for sun and insect protection and to avoid being scratched.
    • Slop on sunscreen for sun protection: those UV pass through the foliage!
    • Slip on a hat for sun protection.
    • Slide on sunnies.
    • Wear long pants if you do not want to get scratched.
    • Carry a backpack and fill it with some essentials…

SOME ESSENTIALS TO CARRY

At a bare minimum, carry a small backpack and fill it with:

    • Enough water for your needs: drinking from the streams in the Blue Mountains is not a good idea unless you want to be a host for Giardia and Cryptosporidium.
    • Food: you will work up an appetite! Don’t forget to take some carbs – jelly snakes are a favorite or dried fruits for the health conscious – to power you up the cliff at the end of the day when you are tired!
    • Rain jacket: storms and rain can happen anytime especially in summer! Say hello to hypothermia if you are soaked and the temperature drops as it always does after a storm.
    • Fleece or down jacket. If you have a rain jacket, you could forego these but they will keep you warm and dry!
    • PLB: if you need help, your mobile phone will likely have no reception: your only recourse will be to climb out to get mobile reception.
      You can borrow a PLB free of charge from the Katoomba and Springwood Police Stations and the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre in Blackheath
    • Basic First Aid. At a bare minimum, carry a snake bandage (long enough to bandage an adult leg), assorted band aids, a space blanket aka emergency blanket for warmth, crepe bandages and some pain relief medicine for yourself.
    • Torch/Headlamp and batteries: it gets dark early when you are at the bottom of the escarpment!
    • Whistle: is you need to attract attention!
    • Matches: you may have to light a small fire to get warm or to attract attention!
    • Sunscreen/Insect repellent as you need to re-apply every two hours or so.
    • Toilet paper, trowel and ziplock bag: I believe in “Leave no trace” but a lot of people don’t! That is also a good reason not too drink water from the creeks!
    • Large garbage bag to use as shelter should you be benighted! The large orange garden plastic bag are great and can be used for signalling!

This will weigh between 4 and 5 kg. The heaviest item in the list is water (and food). However as you drink (and eat) during the day, the weight will go down.
If you are walking with someone you can share some items among yourselves!

THINK BEFORE YOUR TREK

This a bush safety initiative between the NSW Police and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

BLUE MOUNTAINS CLASSIC BUSHWALKS