Mt Kosciuszko - the long way around

tldr;

Hike from the car park to the summit then back down dead horse gap

34.5km / 9 hours - Ascent 1017

Getting there

We drove down from Sydney on the Satuday of the Australia day long weekend and stayed the night at Discovery Parks in Jindabyne This was about a 30 mins drive from Kosciuszko National Park

To the National park and up to the summit

We started the hike at the car park and then made our way up Mountain road to the start of the Merritts Nature Track. Slow and steady to start, then the incline got a little more intense

Note

There is the option to take the Gondola up to the base which cuts out the 'stair' section

It took us just over an hour to get to the Base building, where we found loads of people mountain biking. Much better idea riding down it that walking up it 😄

Then is was grated trail for the 4km or so. And it got crazy windy, I reckon 30-40km winds all the way from here to the top

Not the best choise to wear shorts, as it was bloody freezing. Will still managed to stop and play a game of cards though called Durak, was starting to before traditional

From the summit back along Dead Horse Track

Then the walk down (into the warmth) where we turned off down the dead horse track, oh and did I mention that the wind was still crazy!

Through the forest of dead trees, perhaps it should have been called dead tree track...

The Map

Then we came back to this amazing sunset over widows lake

We spent another night at Discovery Park and the following Morning we drove up to Jenolan caves which was around 5 hours from Jindabyne

Most were pretty impressive

Was time for a swim in the natural pool 1st

Then a stop at Hymes beach in Jarvis bay, it does have the whitest sand on earth after all