Awoke early, the noise of a busy campground and the desire to see if the office was open to get a toilet key.
Our plan for the day, to summit Australia’s highest mountain. I travelled here as a boy with my neighbour and his son, in their EH Holden wagon, camping along the way. I recall we drive to within a very easy walk of the summit, but now, with the National Parks Service and the fear surrounding the protection of our environment to the degree to exclude us, so in the end, no-one will ever know what we are protecting, since no-one will be able to see it, it turns out it is now an 18k return trip to the summit of a mountain that I could drive up in my 4x4.
Anyway, off my pulpit, we headed off up through Charlotte Pass to the start. It took us 7 hours with lots of photo opportunities and rest breaks. My wife made it to Seamans Hut, about 3k short of the summit and rested there. The rest of us took our time, played in the large ice patches periodically placed beside the track and successfully summitted.
We returned to camp, very exhausted, enjoyed wonderful long hot showers and a meal. Sleep came very fast, after telling one of our youthful neighbours to pull their noisy heads in, which they did, thank goodness. Busy camp grounds, not my style.
Camp: Kosciouszko Mountain Retreat
Wildlife: Wedgetail Eagle
Camp: Kosciuszko Mountain Resort, Cost: Expensive - $16/car/day, camping $55/night per family - We obtained a summer offer, 5 day park pass for cost of 4 = $64, then $110 for the two night camping. Will not stay in this camp ground again.
Weather: Quite cool at the top of Australia, with a wind chill factor, about 5 degrees, the evening was cool again, about 7 degrees.
Elevation: 1215m
GPS: 36 20'50.95"SWeather: Quite cool at the top of Australia, with a wind chill factor, about 5 degrees, the evening was cool again, about 7 degrees.
Elevation: 1215m
146 34'06.34"E
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