It's winter in Australia, and although Australia is known more for its beaches and deserts, we do have our snowy regions too.
500km south of Sydney lie the Snowy Mountains, and the tallest peak in Australia, Mt Kosciuszko. Well, it isn't really a peak - it's more like a well-elevated hill, with mild slopes - but it still boasts some spectacular back-country winter wilderness. At an elevation of about 2,228 meters, Mt Kosciuszko is dwarved by mountains such as Mt Cook, Mt Denali, and Mt Everest. However, for the avid winter trekker, like myself, who lives in the heat of Australia, we have to make do with what we have, and I am indeed grateful to have Mt Kosciuszko in my own backyard to explore.
Mount Kosciuszko Summit in Winter
In summer, The walk to the Kosciuszko summit is an easy one, accessible by a well-marked trail. In winter it's more challenging. The plateau is icey, and it's best to travel with snow-shoes or cross-country skis. The snow covers the trail, making it more difficult to find one's bearings, and since there are no snow-markers, it's easy to get lost.
The Kosciuszko summit is marked by a stone landmark.
Australia's highest public toilet can be found here too, although during winter the entrance to this state-of-the-art facility will likely be snowed-over and inaccessible.
Rawson's Pass Public Toilet Buried by Snow
Nearby, a hut - Seaman's Hut - provides shelter for trekkers who find themselves stuck in inclement weather. The hut was constructed in 1929 in memory of two skiers who had died nearby from exposure to the elements.
Seaman's Hut
Tragedy reared its head on Kosciuszko again in the mid-1990s when four young men aged in their twenties died on the mountain due to a mishap with a snow-cave. The snow-cave the group had constructed to protect themselves from the elements proved to be their undoing - the entrance to the snow-cave became snowed-over during the evening while they slept. The poor young men became trapped, and suffocated to death.
Given this, although Kosciuszko is an easy trek, the weather conditions should not be underestimated. The temperature can get to -15 celsius, and up to -20 celsius with wind chill.
I'll be headed up in three weeks to spend a few days trekking and camping in the Main Range of the Snowy Mountains. I'll head to the summit of Kosciuszko, and will then spend the next few days exploring the wilderness behind the mountain. The area around Kosciuszko features a lake named Blue Lake, although during winter it will be frozen over, and obscured by snow-cover.
I think it's important to connect with nature every once-in-a-while. To get away from the modern world, and be a part of the wilderness, if only for a while, makes me feel like part of the earth again. I'll share the story, vids and pics with you guys here!
Snowy Mountains
Photo source credits:
Mount Kosciuszko Summit in Winter (source: Wikipedia)
Rawson's Pass Public Toilet Buried by Snow (source: https://geoffmallinson.files.wordpress.com)
Seaman's Hut (source: Wikipedia)
Snowy Mountains (source: NSW National Parks)