Climb to the top of Australia’s highest peak, by taking the chairlift most of the way.
AT FIRST glance, mountaineering seems rather scary.
There are many risks involved — wild storms, the chance of snow, cliffs and the potential to get lost. And then there is climbing and scrambling to the top of a gargantuan mountain.
But if you’re attempting to conquer Australia’s highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko, little of the typical mountain climbing experience applies.
Bike riders zigzag down the mountain.
Australia is the only continent in the world where everyone has the opportunity to reach its highest summit, no matter what your age, fitness level or experience.
‘Kozzy’, as the locals call it, is 2228m high. In contrast, Mt Everest is 8848m. Hence, Mt Kosciuszko is a lot easier to climb — and a chair lift will get you a fair way up.
In summer, you’d be hard pressed to find a prettier place than Australia’s highest peak — as we discovered in January when we drove there from Sydney.
After driving from Sydney via Cooma we arrived at Thredbo, a village and ski resort in the Snowy Mountains, in the late afternoon. The next morning we took the Thredbo chairlift and from there it was a 6km walk to the summit.
It was my first time to Kosciuszko and it was nothing like I expected. There were toddlers, grandparents and lots of large healthy-looking families out walking — not the rugged mountaineering types I was expecting.
And there were mountain bikers everywhere — they hook their bikes onto the chairlift that hauls you 560 vertical metres above Thredbo Village.
Once disembarked from the chairlift, my group — consisting of my mum and my two children — walked along the steel-mesh boardwalk that keeps people off the delicate alpine flora.
We were all having a fabulous time admiring the wildflowers — yellow billy buttons, silver snow daisies and more — but then suddenly my mum fell and started to roll down Australia’s highest mountain.
Unfortunately, she had seriously hurt her foot. She managed to hop to the path used by cyclists to zigzag down the slope and eventually a 4WD came by, which we flagged down.
Plenty of bike riders around.
The driver radioed to the Thredbo base and within 20 minutes a rescue vehicle had arrived to take my mum to the doctor’s surgery. The lovely doctor, used to working with the broken bones of skiers and biker riders, quickly took an x-ray, declared her foot broken and put her moon boot on her right foot. Within an hour she was back at our hotel with her foot up, wondering how on earth she was going to stay couchbound for six weeks.
For sure, there are tougher ways to climb Mt Kosciuszko, such as skipping the chairlift or doing a longer walk from the ski resort of Charlotte Pass. But if you want to get to Australia’s highest peak the easy way, then the Thredbo option is definitely the best way.
But make sure you wear sensible shoes, unlike my mother.
If you’re not into hiking, here are three other fun activities to do at Thredbo.
POND SKIMMING
One of the few to make it in AND out of the pond skim! #thredbo http://pic.twitter.com/Ye87cPqGAT
— Thredbo (@ThredboResort) September 26, 2015
MOUNTAIN BIKE
Over summer, Thredbo’s ski runs transform into a downhill mountain biking heaven.
Big props to the @ODIGrips Whip War riders - two hours of solid entertainment. Connor Fearon taking the win #ilikeit http://pic.twitter.com/aBcQQ38tKO
— Thredbo (@ThredboResort) December 5, 2015
TAKE THE BOBSLED
#bobsled#Thredbo http://pic.twitter.com/AAUQ3ayQ1I
— John Riley (@Jariley1970) March 10, 2014
FAST FACTS
Getting there: Thredbo is about a 6½-hour drive or 500km from Sydney. Self-caterers can buy supplies at supermarkets in Cooma and Jindabyne. Entry to the Kosciuszko National Park is $17 a day for a car outside the winter season, which extends from the June long weekend to the October long weekend.
A one-day Thredbo resort pass costs $50 for adults, $28 for children and $100 for families and includes access to the chairlift, three bobsled rides, access to the Leisure Centre, one hour tennis court hire and one round of golf per day. See thredbo.com.au
* The writer travelled with assistance from Thredbo Alpine Village
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