Friday 22/09/2023 Charlotte Pass Village – Wrights Creek – Trapyard Creek – 1903m – (Porcupine Rocks)
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies
This was our last day for the 2023 edition of New South Wales Nordic Ski Club’s annual Charlotte Pass gathering, a week where the club takes over the Southern Alps Ski Lodge and tries to get out for as much backcountry skiing as possible. Due to the rapidly decreasing snow cover and the fact our daughter and son-in-law had arrived home to Jindabyne from a European holiday yesterday, we thought we would catch up with them for the weekend before heading home. With that in mind, a morning walk towards Porcupine Rocks was in order before our 2:00pm departure.
Sunday 19/02/2023 Charlotte Pass – Snowy River – Carruthers Creek – Mount Sentinel – “The Sentinel” – Strzelecki Creek
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Participants: Beth Davies, Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Pablo Ureña Vega
With heatwave conditions currently across Australia, we were pleased to note the local forecast for today was for a 24-degree maximum. Just in case, we got away from Jindabyne early enough to arrive at Charlotte Pass and be underway by 8:50am. There, we were greeted by clear blue skies, 12 degrees with a light breeze making for perfect walking conditions.
26/08/2022 – 4/09/2022 Munyang Power Station – Schlink Pass Road – Schlink Pass – Schlink Hut – The Kerries – Mawsons Hut – Valentine River – Geehi River – Strumbo Range – Strumbo Hill – Straight Creek – Grey Mare Trail – Bogong Swamp – Tooma River – Derschkos Hut – Pugilistic Creek – Toolong Range – Hell Hole Creek – Mount Toolong – “West” Bogong Creek – Round Mountain Trail – Tooma River – Tumut River – Australian Alps Walking Track – Meteorological Station – Hut Creek – O’Keefes Hut – Jagungal – Bogong Creek – Jagungal Saddle – Jackys Lookout – Doubtful Creek – McAlister Saddle – Geehi River – Tarn Bluff – Mailbox Hill – Cup and Saucer – Valentine Creek – West of Tin Hut above Valentine Creek – Kerries Ridge – Gungartan Pass – Dicky Cooper Creek – Schlink Pass – Schlink Pass Road – Guthega Power Station
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Distance: 146km Total Ascent: 5,550m Total Descent: 5,550m Time: 52 hours
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Tim Hager (Leader), Paul Jennings
We arrived at Guthega Power Station to find the small visitor carpark full, so parked on the side of the road a little further back up the road. Here we faced our first dilemma.I had placed all of my last-minute items into a plastic bag in order to transfer them to Tim’s car at Jindabyne. To my dismay, I found my new gas bottle was not in the bag. My planned ten-day trip, without gas, wouldn’t work. [I would leave Tim and Paul’s five-day New South Wales Nordic Ski Club trip early on day four to complete my longer trip alone]
Wednesday 21/09/2022 Charlotte Pass – Summit Walk – Snowy River – Club Lake Creek – Club Lake – Mount Clarke – Clarke East Ridge
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Participants: Jean Cane, Stephen Davies (Leader, Report, Photos), Sue Davies, Terry Gralton, John Michan, Junko Toro, Susan Watson
Apparently, we had already used up our quota of great weather as today was overcast and windy and the outlook for the rest of the week was wet. Our New South Wales Nordic Ski Club trip target today was Club Lake, via the snow bridge we had crossed yesterday, avoiding any chance of getting wet feet in the Snowy River at Foremans Crossing. From here we planned to follow the Snowy River and then Club Lake Creek until we reached Club Lake.
Thursday 22/09/2022 Charlotte Pass – Wrights Creek – Trapyard Creek – Johnnies Plain
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Participants: Jean Cane, Stephen Davies (Leader, Report, Photos), Sue Davies, Bob Shaw
With some light showers and clouds in the day’s forecast, I offered a trip to Porcupine Rocks near Perisher Valley with the aim of looking for the nicest snow gums along the way, as wet snow gums have their colours beautifully accentuated. The number of New South Wales Nordic Ski Club participants on this short trip was to quickly change.
Tuesday 20/09/2022 Charlotte Pass – Summit Walk – Snowy River – Muellers Pass – Mount Townsend – Muellers Peak
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Participants: Margaret Baz, Jean Cane, Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, John Oakley
Today was our big chance to complete a longer trip further away from Charlotte Pass Village as the weather was looking perfect, with a clear blue sky and zero to a very light breeze. Our small party of New South Wales Nordic Ski Club members departed the lodge shortly after 9:00am and started making our way up and across the downhill slopes towards Charlotte Pass. After an overnight freeze, this is always amongst the more difficult parts of any trip from the village. The churned-up, frozen snow off-piste sections between groomed runs can be particularly challenging. Most of us found ourselves slipping backwards at times as our patterned bases failed to take purchase, occasionally resulting in a fall for some.
Monday 19/09/2022 Charlotte Pass – Mount Guthrie – Guthrie Ridge – Sam 0321 – Spencers Creek
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies
After our successful morning outing, Sue reported feeling much better than she had expected. She decided that she might just be up to trying another short, afternoon trip somewhere close by. As we hadn’t been up Mount Guthrie for many years, off we went.
Monday 19/09/2022 Charlotte Pass – Wrights Creek – Rams Head Range
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies
As Sue had been feeling unwell the last couple of days we had planned to head out together to see how she went. Having found herself puffing to climb the single flight of stairs at the Skitube in Perisher yesterday we weren’t all that hopeful. (She had returned a negative RAT test just before we left home, so it likely wasn’t CoVid).
Tuesday 29/04/2022 Blue Waterholes Camping Area – Clarke Gorge – Cave Creek – Cooleman Falls
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies
We were expecting wet feet today as we knew there were several creek crossings to get through Clarke Gorge, with this in mind we headed off with our boots on and crocs tied to our daypacks. Heading directly out the end of Blue Waterholes Camping Area you immediately walk down the small hill and face the first crossing.
30/07/2022 – 2/08/2022 Guthega Power Station – Guthega Power Station – Munyang River – Disappointment Spur – Disappointment Spur Hut – Schlink Pass Road – Dicky Cooper Creek – Schlink Hut – Duck Creek – Valentine Hut – Valentine Creek – Mawsons Hut – Tin Hut – Dead Horse Creek Saddle – Gungartan Pass – Schlink Pass Road – Munyang River – Guthega Power Station
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Distance: 63km Total Ascent: 3,000m Total Descent: 3,000m Time: 22 hours
Participants: Damien Aggio, Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Tim Hager, Paul Jennings (Leader)
I was keen to join in on Paul’s posted five-day New South Wales Nordic Ski Club trip. He had advertised a very interesting trip entering via Scammels Lookout Road, with a plan to visit Pretty Plain Hut, Grey Mare Hut, O’Keekes Hut and Jagungal. Approaching the start date it became obvious there would be a distinct lack of snow along the proposed route, so he came up with an alternate plan. We all spent Friday night at Paul’s newly purchased property outside of Berridale so we could make an early start on the planned long day skiing from Guthega Power Station to Mawsons Hut.
Sunday 24/07/2022 Cascade Trail Car Park – Cascade Trail – Thredbo River – Boggy Plain – Teddys Hut – Wombat Gully
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Participants: Beth Davies, Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Andy Treasure, Emily Treasure, Pablo Ureña Vega
We were looking for a day trip to do with Beth and Pablo on for their day off work. Once we decided to try to get out to Teddys Hut, Pablo extended the invitation. Emily and Andy decided to join us as they happened to have Emily’s parents visiting who were able to babysit for them. Being a weekend we left early in an attempt to avoid the worst of the ski traffic and get spots to park our cars at Cascade Trail Car Park. The early start worked a treat as there was only one car in the car park when we arrived.
9/06/2022 – 18/06/2022 Kiandra – Pollocks Creek – Selwyn – Tabletop Mountain – Tabletop Mountain Trail South – Arsenic Ridge – Arsenic Creek – Happy Jacks Road – Tibeaudo Creek – Boobee Hut – Diggers Creek (Northern Tributary) – Doubtful Gap – Doubtful Gap Trail – Doubtful Creek – Cesjacks Hut – Doubtful Creek – Macalister Saddle – Toolong Range – Geehi River – Tarn Bluff – Mailbox Hill – Cup and Saucer – Brassy Mountains – Valentine Creek – Tin Hut – Valentine Creek – Gungartan Pass – Dicky Cooper Creek – Schlink Pass Road – Schlink Pass – The Rolling Ground – Whites River Hut – Munyang River – The Rolling Ground – The Granite Peaks – Guthega Trig Spur – Guthega Dam – Farm Creek – Illawong Walk – Snowy River – Spencers Creek Suspension Bridge – Mount Guthrie – Snowy River – Charlotte Pass – Summit Walk – Snowy River Pole-line – Kosciuszko Walk – Kosciuszko Express – Thredbo
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Distance: 120km Total Ascent: 4500m Total Descent: 4000m Time: 51 hours
Participants: Damien Aggio, Stephen Davies (Photos, Report)
Following excellent snowfalls in early June, Damien saw an opportunity present itself for an extended backcountry ski trip. The classic K to K (Kiandra to Mount Kosciuszko) over 11 days, including car shuffle, was proposed. He promptly made a few phone calls and posted his trip on the New South Wales Nordic Ski Club website to gauge interest.
After two very CoVid 19 disrupted previous seasons I jumped at the opportunity to join in after last attempting this trip, solo, in 1986 when I was forced to finish early via Guthega Power Station due to cold, windy, whiteout conditions.
