Thoughts/Advice on Mt Kosciuszko Main Range Walk w'kids

[Kainas]

Short Question:
Hubby has a week off around New Year's and I am thinking about a hike to the summit with my husband and kids (10, 8, 4).
Our competance/ability level is as follows:
We have navigation skills (keen orienteers and rogaining) as well as passable hiking skills and equipment (including bags, tents, proper clothing etc).
My kids experience is limited, my 10yo orienteers on her own (comfortably spending hours in the bush) and has begun endurance sports. Both my 10yo and 8yo are active (they walk the city-2-surf each year, including the km to the start and to the trains, they do parkruns etc - which is not to say I am comparing C2S to a 22km summit hike, just painting a picture of my kids). (This was the last big walking adventure that we did viewtopic.php?f=47&t=21290).
We have a great off road Thule trailer (which I have taken along some crazy places, including recently spending a day doing 22km of the GNW from Macquarie Park (ish) to Sydney. That was just me and my 3yo, and involved a whole heap of getting the trailer through places that it wouldn't actually fit.

Longer Explanation:
It has been a long time since I have posted on this forum. About four years ago my husband and I planned to go down and do the Kosciuszko Summit walk... but then I fell pregnant, so we took our kids on this adventure and called it a day. In the meantime we focused much more heavily on sports (orienteering, rogaining, ultras etc).

I could do with a bit of a family adventure, and I think the kids are capable of a long slow walk (and I am very capable of moving slowly for young legs). I was thinking of packing tents and making a 1-2 night hike out of it. We can share a tent (squashy, but that is fine), eat foods that don't require cooking, and the older two are capable of carrying a survival pack (warm clothes, emergency blanket, emergency food etc). I am confident that I could fit the gear into one pack for hubby to carry, and I have no worries carrying my 3yo (I occasionally run parkrun with him on my back... its a slow run, but its a run).

That is me selling why I think we could do it... but honestly I am still in research stage and am very open to guidance, particularly from parents who hike with kids.

I also have a question about the track width/quality. Is it something that my thule chariot ould be pushed up? It is a solid pram that handles off-road well, but when I take the pram out, I prefer for the bulk of the adventure to be on runnable terrain (rather than the sections in which I am dismantling and carrying it - I don't mind those, they add to the fun and crazy, but the fun diminishes if it is all I am doing).

[wildwanderer]

The biggest challenge would be managing kids in weather.

If your going to be exploring the main range for 3 days, the weather could change quite a bit in that time.

If you know at this stage where and at what altitude your planning to camp that will help people offer better advice.

If you're planning the 18km summit return walk in a day that would give you more control (but not absolute) of the weather.

If your planning to camp up on the tops then it's a more serious undertaking.

[Kainas]

I have been thinking a bit of the same as I look at the track more. I think we could do it in a day, if we started really early. Lighter packs mean faster travel etc. It would mean staying overnight somewhere and getting an early start.

[north-north-west]

I assume you mean the circuit walk from Charlotte Pass? No problem getting as far as Kosciuszko. I know the track over Northcote etc has been upgraded and rerouted a bit, but not sure how well it would cope with wheels between the main track and the Blue Lake junction.

Weather is the issue. You're going in summer, but you can get nasty conditions up there any time of year. I'd make the decision on whether it's a one, two or three day outing closer to the day itself, when you can get a reasonably reliable forecast.

You can always go up and base yourself near Guthega or somewhere similar for a few nights and do daytrips from there.

[Zapruda]

I’m not really sure what you are asking but I’ll try my best to help.

I’d be surprised if you would be allowed to take anything with a wheel between Rawsons Pass and the Snowy River below Charlotte Pass. If you are, the track above lake Albina could be tricky. Otherwise, the track is excellent and a mix of graded road, lifted metal walkways and rock path.

My suggestion would be to start around midday from Charlotte Pass and head clockwise, camping at either Seaman’s hut or Wilkinson Creek Valley. Enjoy a night watching the sunset and relaxing. Keep going the following day with a side trip to Blue Lake. If it’s your first time don’t rush it. It’s stunning up there.

Nav is really a non issue when you are on the track. Even in bad weather (gasp). Staying warm and comfortable in bad weather is the real concern. Keep an eye on this Iink closer to your walk - http://www.bom.gov.au/places/nsw/thredb ... /detailed/

If the weather looks bad, don’t go. You won’t be able to see anything and enjoy it.

Afternoon thunderstorms are common in January but pass quickly.

The horse flies will be horrible if there is no wind but generally disappear at night.

The sun can be brutal and burn you very quickly.

The Main Range loop is becoming a bit of a highway. Something to think about if this bothers you.

The kids will love it. It’s a giant playground and Wilkinsons creek is a lovely spot to hang out and have a splash If the weather suits.

Let me know if you want specifics or clarification on anything.

[Kainas]

They will be able to take a swim? I wasn't sure if there would be anywhere appropriate (I was assuming that most of it would be off limits due to the pristine nature of the park).

[Zapruda]

I love that park with all my being but you have to walk a long way to find anything remotely resembling pristine. The Main Range is so heavily visited and has been for many decades.

The creek in Wilkinsons valley is a lovely place to wade and sit in on a hot day. I often do it when passing through. The water is cold.

Filter or treat your water. There are worse things in that creek than sweaty me.

Please avoid swimming in the glacial lakes.

[Lizzy]

Or you could catch the chairlift up from Thredbo & walk in and out in a day or still camp at Wilkinson Valley or Seaman’s Hut if you didn’t want to do the full loop.
It’s still a fair slog with young ones... but you sound like you have lugged them around enough to know what you are getting yourself in for!

[Kainas]

Okay, I will take the Thule Trailer option off the cards.

Thank you for the advice about weather. I find it good, especially with kids, to always mental set myself up to take an early exit (or not even start!) so that I am not pushing us into anything stupid out of stubbornness.

I will have a look at Guthega, are there any recommended camping areas?

[johnw]

which is not to say I am comparing C2S to a 22km summit hike, just painting a picture of my kids

You and the older kids sound more than fit enough to take it on. I've run the C2S numerous times in the past as well as some full and half marathons. If they can run up Heartbreak hill and complete the pretty gruelling 14 km C2S I'd be surprised if they couldn't complete the 22 km Main Range/Lakes Circuit as a summer day hike - in good weather. But take your time, the early start idea is a good one. Also if starting at Charlotte Pass parking is along the road, limited, and can fill up quickly, which could mean an extra km or more of walking from the car if you turn up late. The walk is quite steep and strenuous in places, but the track is good and navigation is easy in good weather. As others have suggested weather is a primary consideration, and overnighting adds further considerations. Noting Zapruda's comments, I've often had a swim in the Snowy River off the Kosci Road below Seamans Hut. There are some nice pools if you go upstream a bit. If you walk the track anti-clockwise from CP the last section is basically all downhill on a dirt road from Rawson Pass, probably about 7 km.

[rcaffin]

I think your main hazard would be the flies. Big March flies which bite hard, and little black flies which also bite and get in everywhere. I would very seriously question taking kids there over summer for this reason. A lot of us simply don't go there during the summer for this reason.

The second hazard would be the weather. It can go from blue sky to hailstorm in under 1 hour - we have many memories of this. I dare say you and husband could cope, but I am not so sure about the kids. They can be a bit 'fragile' in the mountains when the weather goes bad.

I believe the 4WD road from Charlottes to Rawson Pass and the summit is open to bicycles, so your Thule should be OK. But don't try taking it beyond there - difficult and probably not legal. The Main Range Loop is NOT legal for bicycles, and the track is not designed for them. They caused far too much erosion and were a serious hazard to walkers, and so were rightly banned.

You would have to ask the Service about taking a Thule on the steel boardwalk from Thredbo top station to Rawsons Pass. I am fairly sure bicycles are NOT permitted on it due to the hazard to tourists walking it. Thousands of them per day.

You could walk the kids to Wilkinson Valley and camp there. Nice place. You could reasonably expect then to walk the Main Range - Blue lake loop back to Charlottes in a day with the kids - carrying the baby. The track is good. The kids would tire, and the altitude is high which will affect them, but chocolate is a wonderful thing. Beware UV! Big hats, WORN.

Cheers
Roger