Spot Satellite Messenger

We are excited to be an authorised retailer of Spot Satellite Messenger, the world's first satellite messenger. These are available for purchase through our website.

Spots are an amazing life saving device and if you head outdoors, or for that matter go anywhere remote, even if it's out of cell phone range in the car, you really should have a SPOT.

SPOTS do a few things really, really well.

1. They allow you to send an OK message via SMS or email to anyone on your pre-prepared contacts list ( up to 10 contacts). You hit OK and SPOT sends its message via satellite to your contacts, also sending them your GPS position and a link to where you are in Google Maps.

2. If you need non urgent HELP you hit the HELP button and this sends a pre-prepared message to your contacts telling them where you are (again GPS position and a link to Google Maps) and that you're OK but need their help. This lets you keep it 'in the family' so to speak. Nice.

3. IN EMERGENCIES: This is where SPOT really shines. If you really need to be rescued, you can hit the EMERGENCY button and this sends a message via email and SMS to the local authorities telling them you need HELP urgently. Of course the SPOT also sends them your position (GPS coordinates) and link to where you are right now in Google Maps and your SPOT keeps on sending this message every 5 minutes and till you hit cancel.

4. Live Satellite Tracking. SPOT allows your family and friends or business to follow your progress live, in real time, via satellite. Once you have set it up, your SPOT keeps sending out your location (GPS coordinates) and your position in Google Maps, allowing your contacts to follow your progress and see where you are, right now.

This feature is incredibly useful, which is why SPOTS have proven so popular - not just with recreational users, but with schools, mining companies, fishermen, search and rescue services, farmers and any company who has workers working in remote areas.

Many companies now use SPOTS to fulfill their Remote Area Policy obligations as part of their OHS risk management strategy.

Soulfree Adventures has SPOTS availble RIGHT NOW at the LOW LOW price of AUD229.00.*

Furthermore, if you order one now & register before Nov 15, we will include 12 months free live satellite tracking (normally USD49.99 per year).

orders: sales@soulfreeadventures.com.au

*registration fees apply

Cactus Climbing Equipment Clothing & Gear

A HUGE THANK YOU to our Kiwi friends at Cactus for allowing us to distribute & sell their awesome clothing and equipment through our website. We are huge Cactus fans and use their gear for all our guiding.

We're only too happy to sell the gear we use because we have no problems recommending it. We doubt if you can treat it any tougher than we do!

Cactus make rugged purpose built clothing & equipment for most outdoors pursuits.

Check out their range on the Soulfree Adventures website.

We proudly support Cactus ethical construction.

30 August Last Snowshoe Tour for the Season

My apologies for taking so long to get around to posting this!

This was our last tour for the 09 season and couldn't have been with a nice group.

The young couple arrived with their Moms to scope out the area for their wedding in 2 years' time, which will be in Dinner Plain.

We had lots of fun despite the weather and found plenty of good spots for wedding photos in amongst the gnarled Australian snow gums.

We would be happy to take the bridal party out for a complementary snowshoe on the big day!

All the best for your wedding guys!

Soulfree Spring eBrochure Now Available

Soulfree Adventures' Spring eBrochure is now available!!!

For your copy email Andy: andy@soulfree.com.au

In this eBrochure:

- new Assisted walks
- new walking venues: Victorian High Country, Mount Hotham & Dinner Plain, Falls Creek & the Bogong High Plains
- walk from Mount Hotham to Falls Creek in a day!
- Spring 'wildflowers in the high country' walks
- Group Socials
- advance notice for winter 2010: Challenge Week Snow Treks five days of snowshoeing in the mountains, including ascents of Victoria's Five Highest Peaks. Challenge yourself like never before on one of our Snow Treks!!!

Andy on Feathertop Search for Missing Minister

Returned Tuesday afternoon from search deployment on Mount Feathertop to assist in the search for Victoria's Minister for Water and Tourism, the Hon. Tim Holding. I went as an Alpine Search & Rescue member (AlpineSAR) of the volunteer group BSAR (Bush Search & Rescue). Big thank you to the Hotham Lift Company for flying us searchers back by helicopter from Federation Hut to Harrietville. Our group searched Monday and Tuesday and were high on the ridge line of North West Spur above MUMC Hut looking on as Minister Holding was located and winched out by chopper. SES team members from Bright also spotted the minister signalling with his reflective space blanket.

Was good to be searching in my 'backyard' and ironic that we held Alpine Search & Rescue training in this same location three years ago, camping in the gully where the search efforts were concentrated.

29 August Calorie Burning in the Rain!!!

Guess who had the most fun at Hotham this morning? We did!

Yes though the weather gods definitely were not smiling this morning, three very keen and lovely ladies and good friends, Ruth, Leanne and Fiona, joined Sean and I on a calorie-burning snowshoe sojourn to Dinner Plain. This fearless group refused to be daunted by wind, rain, thunder and lightning and we boarded our trusty troopy intent to get amongst the snowgums for several kms of fitness snowshoeing.

Down Dinner Plain way it was much more sheltered that up at windy Hotham. And really not that bad, though we had to pull our hoods up over our heads occasionally and sought shelter in a cattlemen's hut for a few minutes, it's surprising how little we noticed the weather once we got going, started gasbagging and hit our stride. We did stop a few times, listening to thunder and commenting on some lightning we had sworn we saw; we did speculate as to whether Hotham would close its lifts due to lightning; but apart from that, undaunted we trudged onward and before you could say quantum physics (well that was Sean), we had covered a lazy 6km.

When we returned to Hotham Central, guests were definitely not happy Jan, several having been left below in the valley when the lifts were put on wind and lightning hold and we did think we heard some grumbling about refunds. Which just goes to show: when the weather turns sour and you want to put a smile on your dial, come snowshoeing!!!

Unfortunately we all left our cameras in our packs today so the only pic I have to share is one I snapped on my return. This shows just what the weather was like at Hotham this morning.

Thank you Ruth, Fiona, Leanne and Sean for being such good sports and having such a good spirit this morning!