Elise Marcianti reflects on a 300 km solo journey from Kosci to Bright along the Australian Alps Walking Track (AAWT). Her journey – done as a fund raiser for mental health campaign Moving For The Mind –   started with an ultra in Kosciuszko then hiking down to Bright, drawing illustrations of the mountain huts along the way.

I ventured off into the mountains the day after running an ultramarathon in Kosciuszko, undertaking a 16-day journey along the Australian Alps Walking track solo.

Wallaces (1)
My legs were still achy as I nestled up in the hut hiding away from the rain and breathed a breath of relief into the still air that surrounded, and I felt at home. From the contagious buzz of an ultra-event to the silence amongst these vast plains I was struck by the space so quiet yet so full of vibrancy.

Feathertop (4)A mark of my progress was shown by each hut I passed, and I couldn’t help but pull out my sketchbook capturing the marks left from the people who have trotted before me and appreciating the homeliness it will provide for the people still to come.

As I traversed through the trails heaving my pack up hills and hauling through hail and the heat, I grew fond of the solitude. Having not seen anyone for over 100 hours at a time I found a comfort within myself. It was challenging, and I’d never hiked that far before but was comforted by the ever changing yet familiar landscape and pepped up when I reached a food drop where chocolates, soup and fresh clothes were awaiting. Once I reached the summit of Mount Bogong, I knew I was on the home stretch and got to finish the hike along the backbone of Mount Feathertop soaking in the last sunset of the hike.

There was something truly transformative about a solo journey and something remarkable about being immersed in the trails of the Australian Alps Track-  it brought me back to my true self in a world that’s so easy to feel lost and disconnected.

Feathertop (1)
“I let nature hold me when my feet couldn’t hold me any longer, I let it bathe me when I needed the past to be washed clean. I let it take me to the highest peaks to give me a new perspective and I let it take me into the valley to face life’s lows. I let nature shape me like time shapes mountains and transform me like rivers do to rocks.”

The hike was done to raise awareness for mental health with a campaign called Moving For The Mind raising awareness and funds for Eating Disorders Families Australia.

To support the cause you can donation at https://moving-for-the-mind.raisely.com/
https://weareexplorers.co/moving-the-mind/

Photo credit to Max Reilly

AAWT