feathertop nightfall...
This is the sight just past the summit, looking towards Mt Feathertop (on the left) with Mt Bogong and Mt McKay in the far field. The sky swiftly dissolved as we moved past Australia Drift and on to Rambo's Revenge where the PistenBully's controls (of MechWarrior reminiscence) were demonstrated and explained. We talked at length about the grooming process, what the job is really like (both the good and the bad), how one lands such an esoteric position and so many other curiosities. Enlightening and candid, my personable guide provided answers to all of the things I'd wondered about.
After a half hour of grooming and chatter it was time to caterpillar back to the base of the summit chair to end the tour. Forgetting I'd changed lenses (and no longer had my camera strap around my neck) I heaved the door open against the wind and started to climb down from the cabin to the steel tracks. I now know that the sound a photo enthusiast never wants to hear is that which his camera makes impacting said steel tracks.
Thankfully SLRs are built tough and all the gear is insured anyway. After checking that the attached lens had survived, its cap having ricocheted away into the snow, I wasn't concerned. That particular lens and the 11 precision glass elements it contains are worth more than the camera body anyway. When I got back to my apartment I took a few shots and the camera still worked - phew! I would have been disheartened if it'd been dead and I couldn't take any further photos of the trip!
Only recently I discovered that some damage was done and a sensor in the onboard flash is inoperable, so currently the camera is being looked at by Nikon to see if it can be repaired.