Snowshoe Trek for Suicide Prevention

I have some bad news.

A major flaw in my planning for the snowshoe trek has recently been pointed out to me and taken out of my control forcing me to cancel (postpone) HAST. It makes complete sense and I feel a very foolish and selfish omitting this from my plans.

The personal risk involved was high but calculated and measures had been taken to prevent and reduce the potential for serious problems but the risk was still there never the less. If there was an emergency I would be putting the many lives of the search and rescue teams and the livelihoods of their families and dependants at risk too.

I have been unofficially warned not to proceed with the trek as I will be forcibly stopped if necessary. This warning is heeded and I am already making plans for a safer Spring/Summer/Autumn adventure.

I will be taking the first of 4 wet season breaks as I walk around Australia when I reach Exmouth in September 2014. I had originally planned to spend that time exploring Tasmania's tracks but that can wait.

But out of all this has come a good turn of events.

Another walker, Sarah Eagle of Walking Feat, is currently walking from Armidale to Melbourne (today she is in Swansea). Sarah will be, literally, handing over the baton "Every Step Counts" to continue walking for mental health awareness as I start the long, slow walk around Australia from Melbourne on World Suicide Prevention Day Sept 10th.

Sarah has been struggling to find volunteer drivers for her support vehicle so I think it is appropriate that The Happy Walk and Walking Feat can join forces. While I planned to be snowshoe trekking across the Alps I will now be taking care of Sarah as she raises awareness through her own personal campaign walk. You can read more about Sarah's amazing walks and why she is doing it at http://www.walkingfeat.com/ and she is still looking for support drivers to help her from Genoa to Melbourne if you would like to get involved.

Cheers
Terra