Granite stepping stones into the mist, Kosciuszko National Park, NSW Australia
I have an hour of daylight left, and as heavy fog sets in I can only see 10 metres in front of me. Panic gnaws at the edges. I set off sticking to a ridge that I know follows a line to a twin humped ridge above Lake Kootapatamba. One foot in front of the other, there's no defining objects, I can only work out the distant ridge by its Northward fall towards Etheridge rdge. After some time I see some boulders, shapes I remember and a hump of rock standing proud. Beyond this I should be able to see the lake and the Koscisuzko massif but all is grey nothingness. I'm only a stones throw from the tent, which way to go? Fog is everywhere and I have no bearings now, Panic gnaws again. I sit and think for a while straining to remember where it could be. Time tics on. I have to find it otherwise its spending a night outside in 0 degree conditions with the threat of hypothermia. There's only half an hour before sunset, veering left, I aim for a hill barely visible in the fog, and come to a steep slope with two humps. Its not here but something seems familiar about the place, I go to the further hump and see a rock cairn, elation sets in I know where I am. I continue walking past the cairn and over the hump, another hump is faint in the distance I keep walking and there it is. In a slight depression between two mounds sits the most welcome piece of aluminium and synthetic polymer I've ever seen. Megan's reading inside as I approach unaware of my navigational problems. I unzip the fly and am greeted by my lovely wife with a comment about it being cold and to hurry up and zip the fly closed. Alpa 12SWA, Schneider 24mmXL, Leaf 75s, f11@1/4sec
Size: 4857px × 6544px
Photo credit: © Matt Smith / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: alpine, australia, australian, boulders, bushwalking, fog, granite, head, kosciuszko, landscape, mist, moors, mountain, rams, range, scene, south, stepping, stones, wales, wild, wilderness
