Photo: Andrew Meares
The steel grey clouds squeeze together and giant drops begin to tumble out of the sky. It's coming down hard but I reluctantly continue organising my overnight pack for the Kosciuszko alpine guided walk.
Our guide, Nick, smiles, reassuring me that we will not be trekking and sleeping in the wet as the rain looks to be passing.
All I know is that for the previous two days at the Novotel Lake Crackenback Resort in the New South Wales high country, it had been absolutely stunning weather, so I hope it will clear as camping in the rain is not my idea of fun. Despite Nick's optimism, he insists that we bring all-weather gear, beanies and gloves (which the resort provided) since winter conditions can sneak up - and it could even snow - at a moment's notice in the Snowy Mountains.
We all check our equipment - binoculars, gaiters, waterproof tops and pants - plus undergarments and lots of layers since the temperature could drop to zero by nightfall, despite it being end of summer.
Our route takes us up a dirt road from Charlotte Pass towards Mt Kosciuszko or "Kosi"- the gran dame of the national park.
The Kosciuszko National Park is unique to the world's geographic alpine terrain and is internationally recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The park covers nearly 675,000 hectares and is home to nine wilderness areas, endangered animals like the mountain pygmy possum, more than 200 species of birds and the highest glacial lakes in Australia.
The 13 kilometre return walk to the top of Mt Kosi is most popular with tourists since it is Australia's highest peak standing at 2,228 metres above sea level.
We turn off the dirt road and begin to tramp, walking in a fanned formation so as to leave as little damage as possible to the sensitive grass and plant life.
We are a bit late in the season to observe the full array of wildflowers in bloom, but the upside is the usual inundation of flies is over as autumn rolls around. If you are keen to see the hillsides of wildflowers in full bloom the best month is November, but the flies will be here too.
Our easy 2.5 kilometre walk into camp is greeted by hot drinks and hors d'ouvres. Our tents are pitched spread out along the plateau, and sleeping bags rolled out. Our sleeping mats are cleverly made into chairs.
The kitchen tent is abuzz with the camp cook manning a small stove and there is even a loo tent up the hill to comply with the park's stringent codes of leave no trace.
Talk about a loo with a view!
We scramble to get our overnight clothes since they were hauled in by porters. I look, but my dry bag is not there. So I'm without layers and a toothbrush - a partial disaster - but Nick offers up his wool long underwear and another journalist gives me his (unused) toothbrush.
Soon a hot dinner comes along followed by killer chocolate brownies. We also hauled in a few bottles of red, which keeps us warm while we share tall wilderness tales as the stars came out.
Atop the plateau, we are exposed to the elements from the west, but tonight it's still and dry.
As I crawl into my one man tent, where it is warm and soft with our modern luxuries of subzero goose down sleeping bags, it is hard to believe that for thousands of years the Aboriginal people of the Monaro Plains and the coast would also camp here on their annual pilgrimage to feast on the Bogong moths.
Before I know it, it's sunrise and Nick is giving a wake-up call. The tents are covered in a thin sheet of ice. I look left out of my tent and it seems as though we have entered the fantasy land of JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
Below the mountain's ridge sits a layer of fairy floss cloud with an orange backdrop as the morning sun begins to needle through.
The air is crisp. The bush is still. The only sound is a trickle of water from a stream below camp.
Nick hoists a freshly brewed cup of coffee into my hand as I stand on a huge boulder like a mountain goat looking out to the horizon.
A private guide, porters, a cook, red wine, breathtaking landscapes and no rain - this is camping in style.
IF YOU GO
Novotel Lake Crackenback Resort is a two hour drive from Canberra, a five hour drive from Sydney and a seven hour from Melbourne.
Autumn special - You can stay three nights for the price of two. $280 pp twin share, including breakfast and use of all facilities including archery, trampolines, indoor pool and golf course.
http://www.novotellakecrackenback.com.au
Kosciuszko Alpine Guided Walks offers day trips and overnights for the novice to expert hiker. The two day/one night fully catered walk is $475 pp.
OTHER ADVENTURES
Kosciuszko Express Chairlift from Thredbo
Raw NRG Mountain Bike at Thredbo has tours in the national park using the Express Chairlift where you can hurl down Cannonball Run. http://www.rawnrg.com.au
Wild Brumby Schnapps Distillery at Jindabyne has tours and a cafe. You can taste schnapps made from locally grown fruit and wonder through the 20 acre property. http://www.wildbrumby.com
Snowy River Horseback Adventure takes 2, 3 and 5 day horse treks through the high country. Guests sleep at the "Old Ingebirah" homestead. http://www.snowyriverhorsebackadventure.com.au
Take a scenic helicopter flight at sunrise or sunset over the Snowy Mountains. http://www.helisurveys.com.au
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thredbo Jazz Festival, May
http://www.thredbo.com.au
Batlow Apple Blossom Festival, October
http://www.batlowfestival.org
The writer was a guest of Tourism New South Wales.
AAP
