This image was captured at sunrise from Carruthers Peak, which is the seventh highest in Australia. It resides on the popular main range walking track that heads up to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko. Anyone ordering a wall sized print of this image will be able to see this trail winding along the ridgeline on the right-hand side, as it leads towards Kosciuszko summit and the peaks beyond. In the centre of this composition nestling in its glacial bowl, sits Club Lake, shinning like a jewel in the morning light.

In summer this trek is generally done as a loop starting and ending at Charlottes Pass, with a minor detour for Kosciuszko summit. Many people manage it as a long day walk, but you can also bush camp provided it is away from water sources. In winter the main range is covered in snow and far harder to reach, as the roads are closed. Options to access it include taking over-snow transport to Charlottes Pass, or entering via Thredbo and using the chair lifts. Both of these require money. Alternatively you can snow shoe or ski in from Guthega, which is longer, but free (other than your parks pass) and quite rewarding if you have the skills.

If you are considering walking this region, you will likely be sharing the path with many others. It can be quite touristy in peak season holiday periods. However, having walked here for several decades, I would offer a little advice. Be aware that popularity does not equate to safe and easy. The weather can turn into zero visibility or gale force winds more or less on a whim. The kind of wind that makes it hard to stand upright is not uncommon. The snowy river can also swell and become unpassable during storms. And let us not forget a snow blizzard can occur, even outside of the snow season and conversely the sun can burn you to a crisp, even though sunscreen.

On this particular outing I chose to do the loop clockwise, walking through the dark from Charlottes Pass and making the Kosciuszko summit turn off in good time. The summer night was bitterly cold, but the experience of being alone in the alpine air was exhilarating. The wind was up, so I decide to abandon the summit, and continue passed Albina Lake, finally arriving at Carruthers Peak about an hour before sunrise. Exhausted I wandered about looking for a good composition that was out of the wind and waited for the light. A new day burst into the valley with warm orange hues. I was able to capture the scene, and then complete the loop back to the carpark before most others were out of bed. A tiring but fun adventure.

This image is capable of being enlarged to enormous proportions while retaining fine details.



See More: Kosciuszko National Park (61)

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