
Australian Alps Walking Track - pgreenwood
https://markoates.exposure.co/australian-alps-walking-track
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saiya-jin
Glad to see even down there they use modern low-tech ski touring bindings.
Never understood why people would take big heavy ones (apart from price, but
basic Dynafit low tech ones that guys have are actually among the best and
widely used in Europe).

Have been on Kosciuszko but it was cca May, reminded me of some lower mountain
ranges back home in central Europe. Met a guy finishing his 2 week hike up
there, in fierce winds and clouds, very nice encounter.

It looked like they get their share of snow up there, but these pictures bring
much more - never thought you can actually die in avalanche in Australia!
Couldn't find any victims by quick googling so hopefully noone yet.

Good to remind me to start packing for the weekend snow camping in similar
conditions, forecasts say up to 60cm of fresh snow so better be careful.

~~~
pgreenwood
I use the similar AT bindings in Australia for all types of skiing. Pattern
base skis work very well in Australian conditions too.

There is occasional avalanche incidents in Australia and sadly there were a
couple of deaths on Mt Bogong a few years ago. Since then there has been a lot
more awareness of the danger here.

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abcd_f
For anyone in the same boat with me - these are Austr-AL-ian Alps.

~~~
dkersten
I didn't even know they existed.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Alps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Alps)

~~~
rstuart4133
They are quintessentially Australian. Barren, dry, low (Alps is a very
generous description), spread out.

A few years ago very hot dry and windy conditions created by north westerly
desert air precipitated major bush fires ripping through the area, killing a
few people. Fire fighting in these area is very hard, so they were essentially
unstoppable.

They were stopped though - by a snow dump from an Antarctic blizzard coming in
from the south.

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keyle
Wow I knew there was a bit of snow in Australia but I didn't expect that!
Definitely on my list to visit one day.

Calling them "Alps" is a stretch though, an upward stretch.

~~~
microtherion
As a Swiss, I'd say that the Australians are grading their mountains on a bit
of a curve there.

But other than altitude, this seems to be pretty serious wilderness.

~~~
dragonsky
Don't worry, I'm Australian and I had to look at the wikipedia page to find
out what they were talking about. We normally call the area the Victorian High
Country, a far more accurate description.

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tzfld
Not something I would expect to be an Australian landscape:
[https://markoates.exposure.co/australian-alps-walking-
track/...](https://markoates.exposure.co/australian-alps-walking-
track/photos/5695892)

~~~
ceejayoz
People forget Australia's the size of the continental US, with basically the
same sort of climate and ecosystem variance as you'd see between Maine and
Florida.

~~~
jessriedel
The parent links to a snowy mountain ridge. The tallest mountain in Australia
is 7,300 feet (2,200 m), which is lower than foothills of the Rocky Mountains
for a thousand-mile stretch. Snowy mountain vistas really are much rarer in
Australia than the US, despite the similar land area.

I'd also guess that, due to the extreme arid interior, Australia has less
climate and ecological variation overall than the continental US, but I don't
know how to quantify that to check.

~~~
ceejayoz
If you're going "variation per square mile", the Outback is gonna throw things
way off. Travel from Darwin to Hobart - especially in the winter - and you'll
get quite a bit of difference in climate, wildlife, views etc.

The Adirondacks in the US get plenty of snow, incidentally, only being in the
4000s of feet. Height isn't the only parameter. I learned to ski at the "Big
D" at Mt. Hotham. :-D

~~~
jessriedel
Hobart as in Tazmania, more than 2,000 miles away from Darwin? I'm willing to
bet I can pick a 2k-mile straight line through the continental US that has
more variation, but we would need a way to quantify it.

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schappim
I am half Swiss, half Australian and am always amused that we call what are
glorified hills, “Alps”.

That’s[1] not an Alp, that’s[2] an Alp... [3]

[1]
[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kosciuszko](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kosciuszko)

[2]
[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiger](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiger)

[3] [https://youtu.be/WWl8EbNN8NM](https://youtu.be/WWl8EbNN8NM)

~~~
ceejayoz
Yeah, my parents took me up Mount Kosciuszko as a kid in a stroller. It's a
little bump on a plateau.

Australia has more mountain-y mountains, of course, but nothing like
Switzerland.

My favorites are the Hazards, down in Tasmania. They
([https://www.flickr.com/photos/ceejayoz/44492848854/](https://www.flickr.com/photos/ceejayoz/44492848854/))
and the surrounding Freycinet National Park are absolutely stunning.

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zunzun
Interestingly, there are flush toilets and septic systems installed along the
entire length of the walking track.

~~~
askvictor
Source? I doubt they're flush toilets; many national parks in Australia have
composting toilets though (I haven't walked these particular areas for a long
time). The remoteness and freezing conditions mean plumbing is just too prone
to failure.

~~~
zunzun
There are quite comfortable warm-seated Western flush toilets roughly every 10
to 15 meters along the entire trail. These are powered by wind generators,
solar panels, and Australian poop-eating mountain gnomes stationed
approximately every 1500 meters or so. As you say, it has been some time since
you have walked the trail.

