Day 4, Sunday 29/12/2013, Cradle Mountain

It was a wild night! Less than 0 degrees celsius, colder with the wind chill factor. Blowing a gale and raining all night. The kid's tent leaked. Jack, Jordan and Jess had their mattresses floating in puddles. We dressed warm with jackets, raincoats and beanies. Williams and Parkes headed off to hike the summit, while Morgans headed out much later to do part of the Dove Lake walk.

After walking to the info centre we caught a bus partway up the mountain to Ronnie's creek boardwalk and did the Overland Track. We found a wombat near the start with a cute little baby. Jordan hiked out to get a photo while the rest of us called out that they are like Monty Python rabbits!

We hiked along Alpine grassland with Yakka trees along creeks, then headed up through rainforest and waterfalls. Very long steep incline. Could feel rhabdomyolysis happening (I have metabolic myopathy). Shouldn’t have brought my heavy camera backpack.

  

We came out at Crater Lake at a cute little cabin. It’s a small lake with a steep rock wall surrounding it, yet there were white caps. A howling gale and sleet. This was the first taste of our blizzard. Next was to hike up again to the rim surrounding this lake. We found an Asian man alone up there and he was nice enough to get a group photo over Dove Lake. Then it was up even further which included some chain assistance up steep rock to Mereen Lookout. From here you get a great (the first) view of Cradle Mountain. More photos with our new friend doing another group shot before heading back down. 

It was now a full blizzard with sleet and snow shooting horizontally. All beanies that had come off were well and truly back on and the hike across the ridge to Kitchen Hut (at the base of Cradle Mountain peaks) was a freezing, hypothermia battle with Jordan crying from aching hands (she had gloves on). I found this the most exciting part with clumps of snow everywhere. It was pretty wild for December (summer) in Australia. 

We gratefully huddled in the hut with 4 other hikers and had a break from the cold, thawing out a little and having snacks and drinks. It was way too cold and dangerous to do the peak. Strong winds, icy wet rock. Numb hands that didn’t work and mostly no visibility, so we walked the track level with the saddle of Cradle, then a steep decent to Wallace lake (also using the chain provided), then the walk along Dove Lake back to the carpark.

A very steep and cold 12km all up. I was stuffed. I had jelly legs and could barely make it back, lagging far behind everyone. Fiona was hanging back quite a bit though to chat about the scenery and keep me company which was lovely. Took my mind off how much I was struggling.
We found Morgans in the carpark and all caught the shuttle down together. My camera, which had stopped working, was ok again in the warm bus. I guess it was frozen. First was a hot shower and huge drink. Then a sandwich. Jordan put their linen in the dryer while Jack and I mopped out the tent. There was enough sun and wind to dry the mattress on the car. Then it was social hour and dinner in the warmth of the kitchen, complete with fireplace. It was an amazing and beautiful day. Not quite to the peak, but close enough and an entirely different summer experience. J
I had planned to take Jordan canyoning tomorrow as she was pretty keen (so was I, we were the only 2), but I’m wrecked after the mountain climb today (my muscles have died again) and Jordan can’t imagine jumping in icy water now that she froze on the mountain top. Next time!