Snowy Mountains (Easter 2009)

Without doubt, the most memorable Easter – the one we’re going to remember and talk about for years and years to come.

Judging by our great before-the-storm group photo, Fred, Karen and Lauryn came down, The Hines family were back, and Madeleine brought her niece, Lauren. Rebecca was also back. Matt brought Thao.Nathan and I were wildly entertained by Ben and his various tall tales on the drive down.Side-splitting stuff.

On Saturday, we did one of my favourite hikes: Dead Horse Gap. From the top of the chairlift at Thredbo, you walk out to your left off the Kosciusko track and along the ridge before a steep descent down to Dead Horse Gap on the Alpine Way, where you meet the Thredbo River and follow it back to Thredbo village. As you can tell from the photos below, it was a spectacular day, and we were all acting the clown. Well, at least Benny and I were.

100_2254 — What is Ben holding onto here?

100_2263 — Dad and I rocking very similar flannelette patterning

It was a pretty standard Easter until we decided to go on the Rainbow Lake walk on Saturday afternoon. If you know the mountains, you probably know the track. It starts on the Perisher road just up the hill from Sponar’s Chalet and is a pretty easy walk mostly along a vehicle access track to the spectacular lake. The weather was so good that we decided to take a group photo – which you’ll see when you scroll down – and that’s when things went south in a big way…

100_2269 — Off we go on the Rainbow Lake track.

100_2271 — Shadows kill this shot of Nath, Matt and I.

The above photo is one dad took on a timer. When Paul did the same thing, disaster struck: he managed to get his foot stuck in a rock crevice on his way back to be in the photo. He went one way and, unfortunately, his foot went the other. Multiple breaks. Some of us had to run back to the road to get mobile reception to call the ambulance, who arrived some time later…

100_2283 — Poor old Paul is in dire straits here. His face went white as a sheet.

100_2284 — Holding the fluid bag, and indecently cheerful here!

100_2292 — Got him on the stretcher. No available rescue helicopters, so we had to carry him out to the ambulance.

100_2294 — Pretty sweet 4X4’s the ambulance guys brought their gear in on.

100_2298 — Ambulance waiting at the top of the hill. We had to form a line and lift the stretcher up the hill. Not easy.

100_2302 — Ready for transport to Cooma Hospital.

A rather memorable day – the story that keeps on giving! Paul’s parents arrived the next day, as Paul was facing a fairly lengthy stay in the hospital, which made for a very crowded campsite.