At Trail Rescue Australia, we’ve seen the same pattern play out repeatedly in the Victorian Alps and across Australian alpine walking routes: a small issue (a weather delay, a wrong spur, a sore foot) compounds into exposure, immobilisation, and an expanding search area. Multi-day hiking here isn’t just “bushwalking with nicer views.” It’s an operating environment defined by ridgelines, rapid weather shifts, cold-wet wind exposure, limited exit options, and unreliable commun