4-6 day loops near Mt Koz

[andrewbish]

I am considering doing a mid-winter snow-shoe in the Mt K region. Before I start forking out on guide books I was hoping to get some ideas for good 4-6 day walks in the region.

My preference is for loops, but I am open to return walks too.

Suggestions?

[Solohike74]

Start by getting topographic map for the area, Kosciuszko national park forest activities map Jindabyne-Khancoban does from Kiandra to Thredbo.

For around a week consider:

Kiandra to Thredbo
Kiandra to Charlotte Pass
Dead Horse Gap-Kosi-Main Range-Guthega/Perisher

There are also good overnighters, 2 nighters and plenty of flexibility once you read the topo maps.

An excellent guidebook is Australian Alps Walking Track by John Chapman.

[north-north-west]

On the Main Range, you just climb straight up from Dead Horse Gap (the real Gap, not the track across from the carpark) to South Ramshead and then wander around the Western side as far as Twynam, drop down Crummer Spur to Hedley, back towards the river crossing, up to Stilwell, along Kangaroo Ridge and back. Two very long days or three - four shorter ones. To extend it you can keep following the AAWT (or the ridge, it's easy enough with good snow cover) out to Tate and then back either beside the Snowy River after dropping down via Tate East Ridge, or over the top via Guthega, Blue Cow, Perisher etc.
Or go the other way from the Gap, Dead Horse Ridge, Bobs Ridge, drop down to the head of the Big Boggy, up to the Chimneys, along Chimneys Ridge to Terrible, maybe a sidetrip out to Moonba, down the ridge from Terrible to the saddle near Ted's, sidetrip out to Drift Hill, then up Paddy Rush's and back via the Brindle Bull. It's great snowshoeing country, beautiful and very easy navigation in the main.
Or start at GPS (Guthega Power Station), scrub bash up Disappointment Ridge, sidetrip out to Gungartan, down to the Schlink Hilton, across the creek and up Dicky Cooper's, through the Granite Peaks and the Rolling Grounds, Anderson, Tate, Mann Bluff, Anton, Twynam, right around the western side of the Main Range to Kosciuszko, back either via Rawson Creek , to Hedley Tarn and Illawong, or Kangaroo Ridge & Stilwell, the Pralyser, Perisher, etc. That then means a road walk back down to the power station unless you want to try to sidle the hillsides above the river (hard work).

[skibug]

Hey andrewbish,

And of course, it almost goes without saying that what you are proposing is potentially very dangerous, arduous and requiring specialised skills and equipment. It is definitely not just a bushwalk + snowshoes.

You´ll find lots of resources for snow camping and snow skills on the net. The 'backcountry' forum at ski.com.au has a ton of info, as does the Confederation of Australian Bushwalking faq.

In answer to your question, most trips like this will start at Thredbo, Dead Horse gap, Perisher, Guthega, Guthega power station, Charlotte 's Pass (with expensive transport getting there), or in the north of the park around Kiandra/Round Mountain. The possibilities of doing a loop are almost endless, because once above the tree line you can follow just about any route you like - depending, of course on where you plan to stay/camp.

Definitely, if you are new to this, only consider going with others with reasonable/considerable experience, and you're probably best off making use of the hut system. Good luck.

Skibug

[andrewbish]

Thanks, guys. Great help. I look forward to scouring the maps of the area when I get back home in a couple of days.

[PiniPowPow]

The trip NNW mentions starting at Guthega Power Station would be my pick. I can give you a lift back to your car if required

[andrewbish]

Thanks, PPP

May well take you up on the offer!

First, I must do some planning!

Andrew

[north-north-west]

The trip NNW mentions starting at Guthega Power Station would be my pick. I can give you a lift back to your car if required

I did that one over four days early last spring. Had everything from a mini blizzard to a minor heatwave. It's a great trip, but you have to be pretty spot on with your navigation and if the weather goes off when you're in the Rolling Grounds you could be wandering around for the rest of your (very brief) life.

[andrewbish]

The trip NNW mentions starting at Guthega Power Station would be my pick. I can give you a lift back to your car if required

I did that one over four days early last spring. Had everything from a mini blizzard to a minor heatwave. It's a great trip, but you have to be pretty spot on with your navigation and if the weather goes off when you're in the Rolling Grounds you could be wandering around for the rest of your (very brief) life.

Mmmmmm risk of untimely death. Now you got my interest.

[north-north-west]

Just keep an eye on the weather and if it starts going off set up camp and bunker down rather than trying to push on. And make sure your gear can handle the weather conditions.
I know the area fairly well - been walking through there for ten to fifteen years - and I still managed to turn myself the wrong way around once in a whiteout during that trip. Fortunately I realised fairly quickly something was wrong and I had the trace from a previous walk through there in the GPS, so it only cost me half an hour or so. And that wasn't really bad weather, just fog and snow flurries, the wind from the previous day had died off.

[andrewbish]

Ok. Thanks, NNW

[kjbeath]

Popular walks in summer are starting from Guthega Power Station and heading north to Tin, Mawsons, Valentines Huts, and the cross country skiers do these in winter. The Kerries in a white-out would be rather scary.