Has anyone travelled the Canning Stock Route in March-April?

Hello Gaynor,

Travelling early in the season is a bit hit and miss. If there has been a heavy wet season the top end of the CSR could be a no go area - just too boggy.

Some years back a group going north got caught up towards Lake Gregory they had to do a huge cross country detour something like 50 kms (others may remember better) around the lake system just to get out.

Other problems can be localised boggy areas in low lying areas near some of the northern wells and off course Savory Creek could be high as well.

If however little rain has fallen during the wet the trip would be straight forward except for the ferociously hot weather in the top half in particular.

See here for weather details
http://www.exploroz.com/Places/49/WA/Kunawarritji_Community.aspx#rqc_tabs=3
and
http://www.exploroz.com/Places/69/WA/Billiluna__Mindibungu__Community.aspx#rqc_tabs=3

cheers

Hi Gaynor, here's a few points which may be of use.

1. In 2013 the forum had a report from a party from the USA who were first through going N to S. Search threads from April. I recall them getting bogged but with two or more rigs and young backs to push and shove and Maxtrax they got through.

2. Outback Spirit are running trips starting April this year - their ads are in the Travel sections of the Sunday paper. Check with them in October.

3. My wife and I did Wells 5 to 22 in May. See pix of each Well in Places here on Ex Oz for my comments and pix about the track. Thanks to Cyclone Rusty in early March the section we did had the best rains in 30 years so the wildflowers were fantastic. This explains the Yanks getting bogged. 2 months later we arrived and the track was dry. But a half inch of rain in mid May turned the claypans into grease. Too sticky to walk and drive through but easy to walk/drive around the edge for only 500m extra.

4. The desert climate is too variable to say how wet or dry it will be. With 2013 having a cyclonic wet event the odds are that 2014 will be dry but it could be just as wet. It's the punt you have to take. Later in June there was unseasonal rain on the northern half of the track and many were bogged.

5. Use Newman weather details as it is near the middle of the CSR. But Wiluna for the S end and Halls Ck for the N are needed too.

6. By leaving in April it will be very hot for the first month. Check Wiluna temps for April and May 2013 to see how it is much cooler if you wait a month til May 1st......W

Gaynor
Another Gaynor has walked the CSR last year and has a great webpage with
loads of detail, history,food planning,etc etc

"2013. Gaynor Schoeman completed the first solo walk of the Canning Stock Route in 66 days with the aid of pre-positioned supply drops, 21km apart. Walking alone, carrying a backpack of 30kg Gaynor started her walk from Billiluna on 31 May and finished in Wiluna 05 August 2013."

http://www.canningwalker.com/

Two cyclists also succeeded last year going Sth to North