Thursday 10th December

"Yes I know, another late start - but Mum it's cold and we don't want to get up and get dressed. Oh alright don't start yelling, we are getting up."

We wander down and catch the shuttle. We miss the first one and catch the next one - really they are not quite up to the demand.

The day is looking good, 75% cloud cover but maybe no rain today

We ride through to Dove Lake again but this time take the path upo ay.

to Cradle Lake via the Wombat Pool. It is a great walk. Mal takes off his shoes and photographs one of the bent pines from the lake. The water is cold and about 300mm deep at that point.

The Currawongs are desperate for food and snatch part of a ladies ham and salad roll out of her hand. We trudge up the hill, lots of steps, some in good order, others are just large rocks sort of in some sort of step like order. As we near the ridge below Marion's Lookout the cold wind howls up the valley from Crater Lake. We quickly drop down into some shelter low forest and Sue starts getting into the flowers and Mal scurries down to the old boatshed. Unfortunately the location of the boatshed is not as well positioned for photos as on Dove Lake so his hurry is really wasted.

From Crater Lake back to Ronny creek, the path follows the creek that flows from the lake. It tumbles and dashes down the hillside. It hides in deeply wooded gullies and the through a series of waterfalls and giant and gnarled trees out to the plain. The plain is dotted with large clumps of button grass, which is like an alpine version of spinafex.

On the plain we spot some wombats and the last small one allows Sue to give him a pat before he works his way through some pretty tasty grass. Their eyes are small and their legs would never allow them to be a super model.

At the bus stop we got talking to a couple with two younger children (about 8 to 10 years old maybe). They told us about Montezuma Falls and how they had camped there and we told them that Hellyer Gorge seemed like a good camp if they were heading towards Stanley. The lass had natural red hair and was the live wire of the two, the boy was quiet and did not have a lot to say (guess his sister was pretty dominant).

We rode back to the caravan park and walked up the hill to our site - it was raining lightly.

Mal was cold and we had hot showers and settled for the night. Mal watched some of a Monty Python DVD but only watched a bit and Sue was already asleep.

Friday 11th December

The weather was more cold, more wet more threatening of snow. We did not get away smartly as the rain kept on coming in squalls. We finally toughened up and walked down in the rain to catch the shuttle.

Mal wanted to revisit Lake Lilla, so we planned to walk from Dove Lake to Ronny Creek via Lake Lilla.

The sleet beat down upon us as Mal tried to get the drawing mapped out that he had planned. We hid under our umbrella as the sleet bashed away at the umbrella. Finally we made a start and wandered away down a gravel path, where the seepage from the hillsides often made the track into a shallow watery path. The Dolomite rocks that are mostly a light colour are here and there infused with subtle washed of ochre or sienna. The vegetation is lush but tough and many plants had small flower clusters to attract and attentive viewer.

We finally break cover onto the button grass plains where the wombats can often be seen grazing. The path leads down in a winding pattern further into the plain, a couple we pass say they are excited about the prospect of snow, we are too.

When we reach the river at the valley floor we take the alternate track via the old Wolverheim Chalet which opened in around 1910. We walked through a recent reconstruction of the original chalet (which had not been built to last). It is a touching story of hardship and loss and post humourous success.

We sat in a small day cabin and looked down over the sleet swept hills and across to the larger mountains beyond. Then we walked down the hill towards Ronny Creek bus station. As we walked we discussed the possibility of walking the 3k back to Snake Hill and catching the shuttle from there. The sleet was a little heavier so we sheltered behind a large tree to avoid the blast from a squall which we could see approaching. After the initial buffeting we started to walk into the storm and then the snow started swirling around us. Sue was very excited, Mal was very cold. We made the shelter shed and Sue was able to photograph and video our first experience of a snow fall.

We ditched the 3k walk option and rode back in the bus. Back at camp tiny snow flakes were falling but melting as soon as they landed.

We had tea and watch the DVD on Monty Python Mal had stated the night before. When the movie was over it was late dusk and when Mal opened the door to get something out of the car, bingo the campground was frosted with fallen snow. The trees and ground we dusted with white so we took some photos but the light was very poor.

Saturday 12th December

We freeze our fingers off making a snow man, using the snow off the car. It is fun but we are ill prepared for weather this cold.

We drive up to Dove Lake and are early enough to see lots of snow which is melted by mid morning. The mountains are frosted and it changes the landscape.

We drive up to little cabin we saw yesterday and Mal has time for a quick sketch.

It is a morning of bits and pieces and we do not do any serious walks. We go back to the Ranger Station / Interpretive Centre and look at the DVDs on the area. Then before we leave the park we drop into the visitor centre, grab some warm gloves and then head off.