Sunrise 12 - KOSCIUSZKO NP
Thus far we’d managed to avoid any news of the outside world, but overnight thought it best to check the weather conditions having moved closer to the coast and the continuing La Nina system. Over night the expected clouds had rolled in over the mountains but thankfully no rain eventuated.
Thredbo Diggings is truly one of the best campsites either of us have visited, and as the morning sun fought for sky supremacy with the fast moving clouds, we savoured our breakfast and fresh coffee with the plan of ascending Mt Kosciuszko before the rains did eventuate.
Thredbo Diggings Campground, Kosciuszko NP
Thredbo village has pivoted brilliantly for the summer months and over the years developed a well patronised mountain biking community. The village was lively with bikers, but not a single resort attendant selling tickets for the chair lift up to Eagles Nest lookout. The automated self service ticketing machine proudly boasted that in only “4 easy steps a ticket could be produced”.
Now, we’re not sure who wrote the ticketing instructions, but it must have been a torturous dungeons and dragons fanatic. If downloading the app, registering your name and address, completing your parties information, designating a party leader, subscribing to their webnews, paying $5 for a plastic card, awaiting email confirmation, ordering and paying for tickets online via credit card, receiving an email confirmation code, then putting that in the machine is 4 easy steps, then perhaps we are growing increasingly intolerant of stupidity. Regardless, we managed to secure the required pass and quickly joined the procession of chairs heading up to the mountain peak.
Having rode this chair many times during the winter months, it was a little unnerving to not see snow below our feet but green rolling slopes etched with snaking dirt tracks for mountain bike riders to decent. Nearing the top, thick patches of snow remained from the recent falls as the temperature plummeted and the winds increased. Having only 72hrs ago endured 38 degree days, this was a significant, if not delightful change. We thought it only wise to settle into Australia’s highest restaurant for a quick coffee before re-layering for the conditions outside.
That may, or may not have proved fatal. For after our cappuccinos, the weather closed in significantly and we resigned our ventures more locally and headed off track to explore the many rocky outcrops, unique alpine vegetation, snow drifts and flowing creeks in lieu of heading further skyward.
The decision was in fact a blessing. This ecosystem is unique to the Kosciuszko region and normally hidden when skiing 2 metres above it. Despite the wind and cold, the hours spent rambling through the untamed wilderness was very rewarding.
If Derek had thought the Hay Plains tough going, Kosciuszko and her unpredictable squalls shut him up for good. An uncontrolled crash into the largest grouping of Quartzite boulders on the mountain broke all 4 propellers grounding him until Fatpap could replace them back at camp.
On that note, we returned by chairlift to slightly warmer lower ground for a late lunch and the view of exploring the National Park surrounding our camp. By late afternoon the rains did come, and although not heavy, enough to encourage us inside after dinner for the third instalment of the Mad Max festival.
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