MT KOSCIUSZKO - Australia's highest peak, a climb for young and old
At 2,228m, Mt Kosciuszko is Australia’s largest mountain peak, nestled in the snowy mountains of the Kosciuszko National Park, NSW. And I use the word "nestled", because you think that you might see it as a sort of beacon, like Everest or Fuji, its peak gleaming the highest, however, unfortunately not so. But don’t let this deter you, it’s a worthy hike and the barren land of rocky boulders and mountain ranges as far as the eye can see, is truly beautiful.
Located just two and a half hours from Canberra and approximately five hours and fifteen minutes from Sydney, Kosciuszko is certainly a doable weekend getaway, three days and two nights.
We chose to take the leisurely 13km trek which starts at the Thredbo Kosciuszko Express chairlift. A ten minute chairlift from Thredbo village hauled our butts half way up the mountain where we would commence our journey up a well-trodden, yet very well constructed path.
The other option, part of me wishes I had done, is the Charlotte’s Pass route. However this is approximately 18km and well worth the scenery and sense of accomplishment. Both journeys can be return on the same day.
I did this at the beginning of March and the winds were blisteringly cold that day. I absolutely recommend that you enjoy this in the summer months, not just for the weather, but also to capitalise on the off season prices, particularly if you want to stay in the Thredbo village, which I also recommend. Situated on the mountain side, this alpine resort village is lined with accommodation options and a quick descent takes you to the cafes, pubs and restaurants below. Beware of the steep ascent after dinner back to your accommodation, best helped with an extra drink for liquid courage.
Access to the ski lifts are also in walking distance, as well as activities such as a skate park, tennis, bobsled and mountain bike riding. Accommodation is reasonably priced in summer and exorbitantly priced in winter. Also note that because you are staying in a national park, there is a park entry and daily fee of $17 in summer and $29 in winter. The Kosciuszko Express chairlift pass will set you back about $45 (adult) for 1 day and it incrementally goes up each day after that.
A couple of useful tips for the walk:
Running shoes are fine, you don’t need hiking boots.
A man made path steers you straight to the peak – you can’t get lost!
Young and old were enjoying the walk – anywhere from 6 years old (if you know you have a kid with staying power), to 70.
We took about 90 mins to ascend and 80 minutes to descend.
Pack a snack to enjoy when you get up there!
There are toilets just before you do the 1.5km climb to the peak.
The ground is well signed with how much you’ve completed and how much you have to go.
Pack sunscreen and actually use it. My ankles were tanned by the end and my friend was sunburnt.
It’s high altitude, so you might swell a bit – my hands certainly did.
Its not all completely uphill, you have moments of levelling out or traversing down before you come back up, which make for good rest periods.
Absolutely do this if you live in Canberra or Sydney because you can say that you've climbed the highest peak in Australia! And if you are the avid seasoned climber (you've probably already done this), Kosciuszko is quite a good training climb where you can flex your cardio by running all or parts of it. Good luck!
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