Mt. Kosciuszko

[Looney99]

I have been looking at the Main Range Track via Charlottes Pass and I have a few questions.

- What topo maps are good and detailed and where can I access these maps?

- Also do maps have Blue Lake, Wilkinsons Creek etc. marked because the ones I have looked at don't.

- I was looking at starting at Charlotte's Pass hiking the main range track with side trips to mt. twynam, blue lake and possibly townsend before reaching kosciuszko's summit. Then on the way back I was going to hike down the Summit track back to Charlottes Pass. Is this a good route or do you recommend something different?

- Is Wilkinson's creek a good camping spot or are there better?

- What items do you recommend I take?

- Does anyone know the weather for around March?

Thankyou so much

[north-north-west]

1) Any tourist map showing the tracks is sufficient. It's hard to get lost unless you're in a snowstorm. But the CMA 1:25000 Perisher Valley shows almost all the area in question except Thredbo & Dead Horse Gap, which is covered by the Chimneys Ridge map. There is also a good Kosciuszko map issued by Rooftop. You should be able to get them in Jindabyne, or at the National Parks office in Khancobahn.
2) The CMA !:25000 topos have just about everything marked including minor creeks, skilifts etc.
3) In good weather the off track route via Kangaroo Valley and the Crackenback Range to Stilwell is easy navigation and good walking without all the effing tourists. Otherwise the circuit track is fine if you don't mind the company.
4) There's better camping closer to Townsend than the most popular area of Wilkinsons, but make sure you heed the catchment camping restrictions. There are signs explaining these at all the major passes. There is also good camping near the top of Sentinel Spur.
5) It's alpine. Weather can change dramatically without warning. Be prepared for snow, wind, hail, rain, and heat and you should be OK.
6) No. You cannot anticipate conditions that far ahead. Autumn is usually more settled weather but there are never any guarantees.

[Mark F]

You can get detailed notes and maps on this walk from http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-and-hiking-in-nsw/kosciuszko-np-south/main-range-walk-charlotte-pass-to-mount-kosciuszko.html.

NNWs comments are spot on. The Perisher Valley 1:25k map sheet is the one you need. It can be purchased from [url]shop.lpi.nsw.gov.au[/url] as a pdf file but paper versions should be available in Jindabyne. Best to check the forecast for Perisher Valley just before you head off. Try http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/alpine/, it makes the forecasts for most of the Victorian and NSW alpine areas available from a single page.

[kjbeath]

Weather can be extreme with rain and winds much stronger than in the surrounding area. If the forecast is not good be prepared to delay the start of the trip or walk somewhere more sheltered. If you do get caught out Seamans Hut is the place to go.

[Lophophaps]

Looney99, the above posts have good advice. Do the walk anti-clockwise as the means that the Snowy River is crossed early, it's downhill from the summit road, and there's shelter at Rawson Pass and Seamans Hut. There are small reasonably sheltered campsites below the ridge on the Snowy side; look in the gullies. If camping in Wilkinson Valley, get water as high as possible. Too many camp there, and water may be suss. There are campsites on the Rams Head Range near Stilwell, not sure if this is allowed. There's water near where the track from Muellers Pass meets the Summit Road, should be okay. If you descend from the ridge, in most places you'll soon find water. Beware of water where the masses gather.

Unless the weather gets really bad then the track is easy to follow. Note that most of the track is very exposed. If at all possible, get to Kosciuszko before 9 am. The tourist hordes detract.

[Lord Backcountry]

This is a great walk.

I'd also suggest the counter clockwise direction from CP to Kozzy on Day 1. But if your fitness is up to it, I'd then do the reverse walk back to CP on Day 2. The last hill from the river up to CP is a bugger to finish on, but the Summit Rd walk back is relatively dull compared to what you would get to see on the Western Faces.

In packing, I'd assume the worst for rain, sun, cold and wet. Can't go too far wrong then...

Look forward to your trip and photos.

Enjoy!

[paul8]

Looney99,
You can start from Charlotte Pass
- To Blue Lake
- Climb Little Twynam
- Climb Mt Twynam
- Pass Carruthers Peak
- Climb Mt Townsend
- Climb Mt Kosciuszko
- Take the Summit Walk back to Charlotte Pass
all in one day (at the same time, bagging the 3 highest peaks of Australia in one day too). Leisurely pace would do.
My report and photos on this trip are in:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2014/04 ... thers.html

On map:
If you pick a sunny day to go there, it is almost impossible to get lost, and hence I prefer :
Kosciuszko Alpine Area map, by Spatial Vision Innovations Pty Ltd, 1:50,000

[Looney99]

Thankyou, I will check out the map

[Pete_C]

Looney99

Keen to hear how your trip went. I'm heading there in a couple of weeks for the first time. I'm thinking of camping on Sentinel Spur, Mt Townsend (thanks north-north-west) & Rams Head North, yes, not rushing the trip. I'm choosing those places to avoid camping in the major catchment areas but keen to hear about availability of water near those spots. I have topo map of Perisher & the Kossi Alpine map and I've been plotting the trip using Avenza Maps (1:50000) on my iPad/iPhone. Hoping to use GPS on the phone using the Avenza app to help find the 10/12 peaks.

Keen to hear any suggestions folks.

[Mark F]

Unsure of water for the Sentinel but I expect the creek will be flowing even if you have to follow it down for a way. As for Rams Head North there is soak area at the head of the creek just to the south west where I have got water in the past. You should also find a trickle in the head of Wilkinsons Valley as the track climbs towards the ridge crest.

[Pete_C]

Thanks Mark F

Any suggestions on the walk back to Charlotte's Pass from Rams Head? I was thinking of avoiding the tourist route and heading cross country to Mt Stilwell. Any thoughts on that?

[kjbeath]

Looney99

Keen to hear how your trip went. I'm heading there in a couple of weeks for the first time. I'm thinking of camping on Sentinel Spur, Mt Townsend (thanks north-north-west) & Rams Head North, yes, not rushing the trip. I'm choosing those places to avoid camping in the major catchment areas but keen to hear about availability of water near those spots. I have topo map of Perisher & the Kossi Alpine map and I've been plotting the trip using Avenza Maps (1:50000) on my iPad/iPhone. Hoping to use GPS on the phone using the Avenza app to help find the 10/12 peaks.

Keen to hear any suggestions folks.

I assume by Sentinel Spur the area to the north next to the ridge that runs to the Sentinel, a lovely spot. When we camped there at the end of January some years ago there was still snow at the head of the creek so no water problems.

One point is that in this location if the breeze comes up from the west it will be very windy.

[Pete_C]

Thanks kjbeath

"Sentinel Spur" was north-north-west's name for that spot, which I assume is where you've described. Would be lovely to find some snow! And thanks for the warning about westerlies! From what I've read it's generally better to camp on the Snowy side but that places us in the Blue Lake catchment. We're looking forward to our few days away very much! Any other suggestions for first-timers on the 10 Peaks? It will also be my first use of gps and the differing coords found on websites/trip logs etc for the 10 peaks don't always help!

Cheers

[rcaffin]

One point is that in this location if the breeze comes up from the west it will be very windy.
Understatement. 100 kph over the Range is easy. Thick fog at the same time if you are lucky.

Sue and I were down in KNP (a bit to the N) just recently. We drove in with fine weather.
Day 1: weather deteriorated, to 100 kph wind with hail, sleet and corn snow.

STHSnow.jpg (184.74 KiB) Viewed 14496 times

We went for 6 hrs fast walking to find shelter. No stopping, no food. Be aware this can happen 52 weeks of the year, and take adequate gear.
Ah well, a few days later it was fine.

Cheers
Roger

[kjbeath]

One point is that in this location if the breeze comes up from the west it will be very windy.
Understatement. 100 kph over the Range is easy. Thick fog at the same time if you are lucky.

Agreed. I remember someone losing their ground sheet and I don't think it touched the ground before ending up in Blue Lake.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I have walked the whole Main range circuit in green season in one day and selected bits of it in white season in snow shoes. Take a map and compass and attire and gear for fertilizer weather. A gale force wind with white out conditions are also possible all year round . I avoid staying above the treeline for very long if possible in such conditions.