Figure 1: Summiting Kosciuszko in Winter with the Thredbo Backcountry Team for Thredbo Environmental Week. Lachlan had the pleasure of working as a Thredbo Backcountry Guide over the 2021 and 2022 Winter.
Summiting Kosciuszko in Winter
Written by Lachlan Short. Outdoor Educator, Backcountry Guide. Ambassador for K2 Basecamp
Lachlan recently spent winter guiding down in the Main Range, ski touring, snowshoeing, ice climbing and summits to Kosciouszko. Lachlan holds a degree in science/education and a Diploma in Outdoor Leadership and has 1000 days logged of outdoor education, guiding and recreating. He wanted to share his experiences and tips on how to summit Mount Kosciuszko in winter.
Australia’s highest Mountain is a small blip on the radar when it comes to mountains. It’s more of a rolling hill. But make no mistake; it sits in the alpine and most winters you can almost guarantee it will be blanketed with a thick layer of snow, making it an excellent ski tour or snowshoe to the summit on a sunny day.
You will want to choose a good day however; a whiteout on the summit is probably not the best day for Kosciuszko. Australia's alpine environment is a wild, windy and dangerous place so here are some things you’ll need to think about if you would like to conduct a personal winter summit of Mt Kosciuszko. I would recommend being competent in the following areas:
1- Hazard Management - If you can handle the Hazards listed below fantastic!
2- Alpine Trekking Skills - You must possess the skills listed below to move in alpine environments.
3- Gear Set-up - All the cool alpine climbing or hiking gear K2 Base Camp has a wide range of quality brands to let you move light-weight and safe.
Otherwise, look to go in the summer or hire a local winter guide from many of the local guiding companies.
Hazards to Manage
- Whiteout. You’ll need to be capable and comfortable in getting lost in a complete whiteout and should bring a map, compass and GPS to navigate. Don’t simply rely on your phone.
- Avoid avalanche terrain depending on the avalanche forecast. Do you know how to check the avalanche forecast in Australia? Do you know how to spot and recognise a cornice? Can you identify slopes considered to be avalanche terrain? Most avalanches occur on a slope angle of 30 to 45 degrees. Avoid the cornice ridge lines and steep slopes on these mountains to reduce exposure. If you’re unsure about some of these things I would absolutely recommend completing an AST 1 course (Avalanche Safety Training Level 1). This is the recreational standard for managing Avalanches. In winter the avalanche forecast bulletin is listed here: Mountain Safety Collective (Shoutout to the MSC!)
- Ice and slippery surfaces are a mainstay in the Australian Alpine. Uncontrolled Falls on ice are non-negotiable. If ski touring you should bring ski crampons. If hiking snowshoes are an absolute must.
Safety Tip: It is crucial to communicate with someone that can help in an emergency so you need a reliable personal locator beacon (PLB) or a 2-way satellite communicator at all times.
If you think you cannot comfortably manage these hazards, hire a guide!
Gear List for Ski Touring and Snowshoeing to Kosciouszko
Below is the list of gear that I had been using during my summits to Kosciouszko.
Figure 2: The Mountain Safety Collective lists the primary causes of incidents in the Australian Alpine.
Figure 3: Variable cloud cover resulting in challenging condttions at times. The team is briefed in 40+ km/h winds and moving cloud.
Day Hiking Pack Setup
- One Planet Vertex Hiking Backpack 45L (My favourite piece of kit, I use it every day when guiding OR the Osprey Soelden 42L
- Thick bag liner inside to waterproof everything
Headwear
- Goggles
- Sunglasses
- 2 x Face Buff (1 spare)
- Beanie
Mid and Base Layers
- Outdoor Research Refuge Men’s Insulated Hooded Jacket
- A microlight down jacket
You can also check out K2’s top tips for layering in the cold.
Figure 4: Yes we have avalanches in Australia. Thredbo guide Woody points out a big, size 3, avalanche from the western faces of the Main Range in the background on 20th September 2022 following a storm cycle. Anybody who tells you that we don't have avalanches in Australia should soundly be ignored.
Footwear
- Goretex hiking boots and gaiters (Solid full-length gaiters are essential)
- Snowshoes
Weather Forecasting and Map Services to Use
- Thredbo Weather Station (BOM) for observations
Ski Touring Setup
- Collapsible Ski Touring Poles (Wide Baskets essential)
- Ski Touring Skis / Splitboard /Snow Shoes
- Skins
- Ski Touring Boots
Waterproof Jacket and Pants
- Mont Supersonic Overpants Men (The best Australian-made shell pants going around in my opinion)
- Waterproof hard shell jacket
Gloves
- Outdoor Research Alti Gloves (They have inners which also act as thin finger gloves)
- Thin finger gloves for ski touring transitions and as a spare set
Socks
- Mund Teide
First Aid and Emergency Kits
- First Aid Kit (Consider extra space blankets)
- Bivy bag and emergency shelter
- Spare jacket (Solid Mid-layer/down jacket)
- Poo tube and zip lock bags (You can’t poo in the alpine. It sits in the snow all winter.)
- PLB
Water Storage
- No camelbacks (These freeze in cold)
- Nalgene bottles x 2
Repair Kit and Other Items
- Duct tape
- Leatherman
- 2 x long Voile ski straps
- Cable ties
- Paracord
- Ski waxer
- Pole basket
- Skin tips
- Wire
- Bit driver and spare binding hardware
- Skin wax
- Sit pad
Maps and Navigation
- GPS (Essential if lost in a whiteout)
- Compass
- Local topographic map
- Mountain Sports Collective main range ski touring map (Essential if you want to go for a ski tour)
The Best Route to the Mount Kosciuszko Summit
Finally; The information you’ve been holding out for “The Route”. This one is for you to work out a little but here are the basics!
The easiest access to Kosciuszko in winter is via Thredbo Resort and up the Kosciuszko Express chair. You’ll want to be 100% competent so you can pull this mission off without a guide before committing with you and your buddies.
Irrespective of whether you have a guide, you’ll probably be starting from the Valley Terminal at Thredbo. Drive to Thredbo and park. Catch the free Thredbo Village shuttle bus to Valley Terminal.
Visit the Guest Services office at the Valley Terminal and purchase a Backcountry Access Pass. This provides access to the Kosciuszko Express to the summit of Thredbo.
Remember to fill out the online Trip Intention Form with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service before heading out. From here you’ll catch the Kosciuszko Express to the Summit of Thredbo and begin the tour to Kosciuszko.
Once you are at the summit of the Kosciuszko Express head past the Eagles Nest Restuarant and in a North Westerly direction towards the Kosciuszko lookout. In summer there is a walking trail all the way to the summit along the local creek that flows into Thredbo. You’ll almost certainly see the boardwalk trail in a thin winter snowpack. From here you’ll need to travel to Etheridge Gap, hit Rawson Pass and then follow the least approach to Mt Kosciuszko.
Get to the top; take some photos; eat lunch; smile and then prepare for the slog home. If you’re on skis, the way home will be a gentle slide back into Thredbo. It is not a small day but you will have an outstanding time!
Approximate route statistics: 13 kilometres return and about 300m+ of elevation gain.
Summer Hiking to the Summit is also popular and follows a similar route on the boardwalks.
