Snowy Mountains - day three 

Mt Kosciuszko looks best when the spring snowlie emphasises its form with big deep cornices.

Or when seen from the distance of a neighbouring hill. This is such a good time to see the hills with the spring flower growth emerging as the snow shinks away.

It was good to walk freely over the mounatins, treading delicately across the gravel in a mountain stream. Aware not to even leave footprints. And pick up other peoples' litter.

Alpine flora are delicate and need our protetction. The first flowers were coming out, not long after the snow had melted. It is such a short growing season up there.

Buds were swelling on the heaths, like this plant spreading over a boulder to hug the sun's warmth trapped by the rock.

Lots of snow-melt had formed a moat around this castellated tor.

A fallen spire, split by its own force. But when did it fall? Probably in the last ice-age when these tors were formed. 10-12,000 years ago.  

A more recent annual fall of snow was now rapidly melting. 

The melt-water running down under the snow-patches and out of tunnels at their lower edge.

Water released by those snows with give so much life all the way down the Snowy River and beyond.

The snows are a precious resource.

 Snowy Mountains - Blue Lake walk

Day two in the Snowy Mountains. A walk to Blue Lake, high up on the main ridge.

There is a double river crossing at the beginning of the walk. OK when the water was low in the morning. A matter of balancing on wet stepping stones. At this time of year, when the snow is still melting, the water is always a bit high. By afternoons, as more snow melts during the day, the water rises.

The earliest alpine flowers were beginning to open, adding tiny flecks of colour to the winter-browned vegetation recently exposed by the melting snow.

Blue Lake never disappoints. It lies in a deep glacial hollow below the summit ridge and the snow lies late on the crags. The  morning sky was still mostly blue and the water reflected it clearly.

Although soon, the clouds built up, a warning of changing conditions.

And over behind the rdige, more clouds were forming, big heavy dark ones.

Within minutes, Mt Kosciuszko, the highest peak in Australia, was being drenched by a thunderstorm. So a quick dash back along the track to the rivers before the rainwater added depth to the crossing. 

A well timed trip.