Once In A Lifetime

The recent snows offered me a chance to do something rare. Go for a ski in April. I’ve never skied in April anywhere let alone in Australia. I went for a walk on Saturday (-20C wind chill) out to Kozi lookout to reconnoitre and saw a few drifts where I might get 6 tight turns.

A plan was formulated when the company informed us that they would not allow us up the Kozi Express with skis, even though they were touring skis. Strange as it may seem but I must thank them for this because we ended up having the most amazing adventure on Sunday. Initially I thought about climbing up from Dead Horse Gap with skis on my back so I could get a few turns in April.

However the other conspirators, Acacia and Peter (no not that Peter) thought we should drive around to Charlotte Pass and see what would unfold from there.

We left the 4WD at Charlotte Pass at 9:30am and started walking towards Kozi. Before long Peter and Acacia had their skins on, while I kept walking for another kilometre or two, as there were patches of gravel to be crossed on the road. Before the snowy bridge I was also on skins. Lunch at Seaman’s and then up to the top of Mt Kosciuszko. From here our plans changed from skiing back down the road to going back the long way - the Lakes Walk on skis. The deepest cover was on or beside the walking trails and after a few turns, a long skin and the odd bit of walking we found ourselves on top of Carruthers Peak with a long ski down.

This was probably the longest ski run I have had in Australia. We followed the walking trail and skied to within 200m of the Snowy River near the path back up to Charlotte Pass.

A day of firsts for me. First time skiing in April. First time to Mt Kosciuszko from Charlotte Pass and the first time around the Lakes Walk and on skis at that.

7½ hours later we were heading back to Thredbo. Sore and weary but so pleased to have done the circuit. Thanks to Peter and Acacia for waiting for me. I thought I was pretty fit after spending February in Japan – amazing how unfit I was.

Main range from Charlotte Pass & the snow covered road below Seaman's Hut

Stopping for happy snaps above Seaman’s & Kozi Cornice from Rawson’s Pass

Peter and Acacia discussing a plan with Trish

Lake #1 on our lakes ski – Lake Albina

Carruthers & the NPWS locked survival “apple” and toilet (top left)

Club Lake

Looking south from the top of Carruthers towards Kosciuszko

Blue Lake

Nearing the end of our ski from Carruthers (top left)

Snow River crossing below Charlotte Pass

There were some nice photos from my Saturday stroll and so many more taken yesterday but only room for the above.

The west facing slopes were getting soft and rotting late in the afternoon and the temperature is well back above zero today so I think there will be but remnants by Easter weekend.