Do you remember the last time you did something for the first time? As adults, we experience less and less things for the first time, as kids we have many firsts.
This past weekend i experienced 3 new firsts.
It was our first family trip to the snow and my daughter loved it, especially the tobogganing! On the way up to the mountains, I also had to put snow chains on the car for the first time. I usually head to the mountains during the warmer mountains to go trail running or hiking, so no chains required.
The snow conditions this winter definitely meant chains for the car are a must, the chains were needed to be fitted 12km prior to the summit, so it was a slow trip for the remaining few kilometres to Mt Hotham Village. We arrived late Friday night.
On Saturday afternoon I took advantage of the great snow conditions and got my hiking boots and snow shoes on and headed out the door.
The Brabralung Trail goes from Mt Hotham Village to Dinner Plain and is approximately 13km one way. The start of the trail is from The General Store in Mt Hotham travels close by to the Great Alpine Road.
It was my first time snow shoeing and took a little bit of time to get into a rhythm of hiking with them attached to my boots.
It was so peaceful heading out through the alpine mountain snow gum trees and along the groomed trails. I encountered a couple of cross country skiers along the trail but otherwise it was just me and my snow shoes crunching along in the snow.
The trail has a few minor undulations but overall it a slight descent down towards Dinner Plain. The is slightly split in the trail whether you hiking in summer or in winter, but it was simply beautiful with the winter sun shining through the clouds.
It took about 3hrs to arrive at Dinner Plain and since I arrived late in the afternoon, i caught the shuttle bus back to Mt Hotham Village. Note you need to pre-purchase a smartcard and then activate your account prior to catching the bus.
I would love to head back and see the contrast of the Brabralung trail during the other seasons during the year, but it was a successful weekend of firsts.
Food tip
Enjoy a delicious pizza at The General in Mt Hotham, a great selection to choose from.
Related Reading
Hiking on the Trail – Mt Loch and Mt Hotham Summit
Hiking on the Trail - Mt Donna Buang via Mt Victoria