Day 14 - Australian Alps Walking Track

2am, still cold and the fire has died off.  I get it going again but I still feel really average.  I have a headache from dehydration!  It just goes to show that even when it is cold and raining you need to drink.  Especially when you are working as hard as I did yesterday.

6am comes around so quick.  Its decision time.  Do I stay or do I go?  Well anyone who knows me know the answer.  Regardless of how I feel, I AM GOING!

So the climb down and everything about today is pretty easy going.  I'm just dragging my feet as I know I don't have a lot of distance to cover.  The scenery in this area, the Mt Bogong area, is great.  I have been here in the winter only, having camped near Mt Bogong summit a couple years back.  This is a real eye feast.  Navigation is not necessary as its easy to follow the trail.  Even with going slow I am absolutely cooked by the time I get to the track junction to Cleve Cole Hut.  Its only about 1.5 kms off the main trail but I am just dying to get off my feet.

Stone facade of Cleve Cole Hut

The solar panels on the exterior are for the members area which gives this hut electricity as well as gas powered hot water.  Would love to be a member just about now.  

Love the stone work

Spent most of the afternoon walking between the hut and the toilets.  I tried to take care of myself as much as I could based on the supplies I had.  I also can now start accessing how much food I need to get to Mt Hotham.  Although some difficult climbs are ahead i know its an easy 2 days hiking.  So I ditch about 3 days worth of food late in the day.  My appetite is up and down so I try to eat and drink as much as possible when I feel okay.   

The best amenity this hut has is no doubt the mobile phone booster.  There is a cradle on the wall near the beds which fits smartphones.  Its connected to a booster antenna on the roof.  I spend about 2 hours on the phone this afternoon talking to family and a couple friends.  While I am leaning on the bunk beds I notice a couple healthy sized mice racing around the building!  Great!  I take a couple photos of the valley in front of me and recognise some of the landscapes from photos I saw when I was at Thredbo by Jochen Spencer.  Tonight I will snore, I am exhausted.