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The kids trooped up the hill towards a snowdrift, silhouetted by a massive blue sky. In the summer heat, it was hard to believe that the snow was still there, that it wasn’t just a mirage of wishful thinking lying beside the track to Australia’s highest peak.

But the white stuff was real: our mob of eight skid and slid, ran back down the slope in a flurry of snowballs. We were halfway along the 22-kilometre Main Range loop, the longest day of the Snowies Alpine Walk, but the kids’ energy was as long-lasting as the snow, as impressive as the sweeping views over rounded mountains, down cliffs and ridges towards Victoria.

The Snowy Mountains’ peaks, sweeping plains, wild rivers and weather have been made familiar by more than a century of popular culture, from the Man From Snowy River and Silver Brumby on page and screen to the stark plains of Charlotte Wood’s Booker-shortlisted Stone Yard Devotional.

Despite the superficial familiarity, it’s not easy to access these mountains. Traditionally owned by the Ngarigo Monero people, this region is remote, far from most people’s every day. A decent level of fitness, knowledge and equipment is required to venture beyond the scenic viewpoints.

Kosciuszko national park has long been popular for day hikes, but a new four-day walk linking the resort towns of Guthega, Charlotte Pass, Perisher and Bullocks Flat opens up a more accessible way of exploring the region’s peaks, lakes and grandeur. Walking the track fills in the gaps between points on a map and turns it into a coherent landscape, allowing a deeper connection to this gorgeous country. The track, supporting information and infrastructure make it easy to organise different styles of trips, from hardcore multi-day hikes to luxurious guided affairs.

Our ragtag group of four mums and eight kids (11 to 16 years old) had decided to skip the weight, whingeing and organisation of camping, instead opting to spend three nights surrounded by mountains and comfort in the TarGanGil chalet in the tiny village of Charlotte Pass. This was the secret to our good humour and excess energy: our bags were light and we had comfy beds and hot showers waiting, as well as a lounge with board games, a fridge full of drinks and a delicious meal served promptly at 7pm.

Launched in December 2024 but developed in sections over several years, the 56-kilometre Snowies alpine walk combines new, purpose-built trails with upgrades to existing routes. The walk is diverse and well-thought out, with three of the four days covering fewer than 13 kilometres, meaning suggested walk times are just three to six hours.

The first day’s walk is a lovely nine-kilometre outing from Guthega to Charlotte Pass, leaving time for driving and logistics. We spent a gorgeous afternoon tracing the path of the Snowy River over tussocky hills, across swing bridges and through groves of snow gums, the complaints about March flies and heat increasing as we climbed the final hill.

The second day’s long loop around the Main Range from Charlotte Pass was spectacular: sheer cliffs dropping to distant plains, sweeping grassy slopes studded with glacial lakes, snow patches and bright wildflowers. After 14 kilometres we joined the hordes climbing Mt Kosciuszko from the Thredbo side, then followed the old road all the way back down to the chalet.

Day three was an atmospheric excursion into the snow gum forests and huge boulders of Porcupine Rocks. The granite tors, gnarled trees and views over the cloud-filled Thredbo Valley made it our favourite, especially after spending an hour launching ourselves into the freezing creek at the walk’s end.

Our final day also ended with a swim. The scattered snow gums turned to towering alpine ash forests and wide river flats as we wound our way downhill from Perisher.

Rounding the kids up for the six-hour drive back to Sydney was perhaps the most challenging part of the entire trip.

Safety

The walk is billed as a challenging multi-day walk: it’s steep, long and traverses exposed alpine areas with changeable, dangerous weather conditions. Ensure you have the requisite experience, equipment and fitness before setting off, and register with NSW national parks by completing a trip intention form.

The full walk is only open from October to April each year, and inadvisable in bad weather.

Accommodation and supplies

Staying in Charlotte Pass village lets you soak in the beautiful surroundings and minimises driving. TarGanGil offers wonderful catered walking retreats from October to May. Knockshannoch Ski Lodge offers self-catered accommodation in the summer.

Back country camping is allowed along the track, although with restrictions. The Adventure Gene has excellent information about this (and a lot else).

There are plenty of accommodation options in Perisher, Jindabyne and Thredbo.

Jindabyne is the last decent stop for food and other supplies.

Transport

Reaching the start or end of each day’s route usually requires a car shuttle or transfer. Snow Connect offers private transfers and helpful information.

More information

NSW national parks website has plenty of useful information.