Australian Alps Walking Track (Dead Horse Gap to Kiandra) |
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Climbing Dead Horse Spur through the forest burnt in 2003 |
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Karen heading off on the grey brick road |
A cluster of everlasting daisies |
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Lake Cootapatamba with cloud hiding Kosciuszko's southern spur |
Just beneath the cloud layer near Rawson's Pass |
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The extremely fragile windswept feldmark plant community |
Main range ridgeline - Mt Northcote (2131m) |
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Club Lake beneath cloud covered Carruthers Peak (2150m) |
Jim heading up the icy route to Carruthers |
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Rob crossing the frosted grasslands on the climb up to Twynam |
A field of ice daisies high above Blue Lake |
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The blue on blue of ridges fading into the distance | Late afternoon sun on our campsite beneath Twynam | |
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Day 2 - Twynam to White's River Hut (15 km - 420m ascent - 820m descent)
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Pre-dawn at the campsite below Twynam |
All ready to set out into the fog, wind and snow |
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Rob leading us across the Main Range |
Below 1900m the snow cleared ... |
... only to reappear as we climbed 2050m Mount Tate |
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Heading across the so-called "featureless" Rolling Grounds |
The sun emerges to reveal the colours of The Rolling Grounds |
Looking toward Dicky Cooper Bogong |
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White's River Hut |
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Ghostly snow gum trunks |
In the thick scrub above White's River |
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Relaxing in the comfort of White's River Hut |
View over the fire-damaged landscapes of Munyang |
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Early morning push up to Schlink Pass |
The sadness of burnt forest |
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While I was musing away, a light drizzle had begun to fall. We headed off into it, rock-hopping across the Valentine River before climbing steeply up into the mists of the higher ranges to the north. The track led us across this wide spur before dropping steeply to the Geehi River. Another tricky bit of rock-hopping and we were across to the other bank, only to be greeted by an equally steep climb up and over the next ridge to descend once more to the grassy plains of Back Flat Creek. To our left in the distance the impressive 120m Valentine Falls plunged out of a cleft in the mountains, the water rushing on to join the Geehi. |
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View over the grasslands of Back Flat |
Looking for a place to cross Back Flat Creek |
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The sun chases the dark clouds from The Big Plain |
The brooding profile of 2061m Jagungal (aka The Big Bogong) |
Arriving at Dershko's Hut |
High Country sunset |
Evening alpenglow on Jagungal |
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Sunrise over the frosted grasslands |
Jagungal surveys its burnt domain |
Regeneration of snow gums burnt in the 2003 fires |
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Doubtful Creek (or is it?) |
At last some unburnt snow gums |
Everyone was out on a sunny day |
Table Mountain - our new focal point |
Lunch stop at Mackey's Hut |
The long and winding fire trail |
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Distant Jagungal across Happy Jack's Plain |
Contrails in the evening sky |
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Early morning cloud above Happy Jack's Plain |
Heading up Arsenic Ridge |
Navigating the trackless dense regrowth of the ridge |
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Table Mountain - not so impressive up close |
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An unexpectedly white morning greeting |
The sun breaks through briefly |
Four Mile Hut the morning after |
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Leaving Four Mile Hut .... |
... to climb up through a monochrome forest ... |
... and trudge on through the soft dry snow of Narnia |
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The remnants of Kiandra's goldrush |
We had arrived at the rendez-vous point an hour early and were obliged to squat behind the walls of the toilet block to shelter from the icy gusts (can anyone in National Parks and Wildlife tell me why there is not even the simplest shelter in this crossroads of bushwalkers and skitourers?). A bit after 11am, the car and trailer of our rendez-vous team pulled in, bringing food for the next week, fresh socks and underwear, plus luxuries such as chocolate milk, fresh fruit and homemade cakes. It was also an opportunity to reevaluate the contents and weight of my pack and I ended up sending back almost as much as I had received (I could picture the fair Nello's face when she found the plastic bag of used socks and underwear). |
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