Day 11 hiking the Australian Alps Walking Track solo

Australian Alps Walking Trail, Hiking, Trail Journal

Last day of section one: summited Mt Kosciuszko, raced to Dead Horse Gap, and was met by Jane — hugs, kisses, and a perfect zero day ahead.

Muellers Pass to Dead Horse Gap (13.3km) | TOTAL – 247.9km

I woke on the Main Range to a cool but still morning just after 5am. I had a good sleep, only waking a few times during the night.

As I put the pot on to boil for a cuppa, the sun began to rise, casting a pink and yellow glow over the misty clouds below. The ground had all but disappeared under this thick white blanket.

It felt like a spectacular way to spend my final morning on track, before two nights off the trail with my wife in Jindabyne.

At 6.30am I rejoined the trail, making my way up to Mount Kosciusko (2,228m) – Australia’s highest peak, reaching the summit at around 7am, without the typical crowds (just a lone jogger).

From here, I made my way to the chairlift terminal then down the 4km Dead Horse Gap trail, which wound its way through gum trees to the bitumen Alpine Way.

The further I descended, the more vegetation and trees surrounded me. It was a beautiful setting.

The four kilometre trail felt like 10, as I raced down it as quickly as I could to greet my waiting wife and start our zero day (and a half) together.

As I stopped to take a photo, I heard a very familiar “Hello” from a beaming face – Jane had met me at the one-kilometre point.

Man, it was so good to see her. We kissed and cuddled, then made our way to the end of the trail where we held each other in a long embrace before climbing into the Hilux and making our way to Jindabyne.

It felt weird to be moving in a car, and be journeying away from the trail, which had become the centre of my universe for the past 11 days.

After a scenic 30 minute drive, we arrived in Jindabyne, grabbed an amazing chai latte and almond croissant from a buzzing coffee shop – me still in my 11-day old smelly clothes, and satellite phone swinging from my hip. I felt a bit like an alien.

After stocking up on a few fresh food items at Woolies, we headed to our accommodation in East Jindabyne – the Siesta Villa.

The signage and building exterior had seen better days, but as soon as we swung open the doors, tears tumbled as I caught glimpses of the lush king-size bed, deep spa bath and stunning view from our private balcony.

Wow, my Trail Angel, Jane, went above and beyond the typical AAWT YHA hostel room.

We spent the remainder of the day swapping tails from my time on the trail and her wanderings in Canberra, enjoying yummy fresh food, a bubble bath, the comfort of a lounge, a glass of wine, and each other. Perfection!