The track approaches Porcupine Rocks

Tuesday 11 March 2025: Snowies Alpine Walk stage 3 – Charlotte Pass to Perisher * – M/M. Leave Canberra at a very early hour and drive to Charlotte Pass, leaving a vehicle at Perisher on the way. Walk stage 3 of the Snowies Alpine Walk (I’ve done the first one third to just past Trapyard Creek, awesome scenery). Around 13km and 400vm ascent, 4-5 hours walking at a steady pace. Weather dependent.

Summary

From Garmin Connect (recorded on MAP66i) – Distance: 14.49km | Climb: 495vm | Time: 3:50 moving + 1:40 of stops = 5:50 | Grading: M/E,ptX; M(8).

Photographs

View photographs here. More photos in the album than are embedded in this report.

gpx file

Download the gpx file here.

Track Map

Here’s where we went.

Track Charlotte Pass to Perisher

Trip Report

So good to get back to a decent walk and to post it. It’s been 3 months.

I’m plugging away at the Snowies Alpine Walk:

Stage 1 – Guthega to Charlotte Pass (I did the ‘downhill’ reverse) 4 March 2023
Stage 2 – Main Range 25 March 2024
Stage 3 – Charlotte Pass Village to Perisher Valley – today
Stage 4 – Perisher Valley to Bullocks Flat.

The glossy is at Snowies Alpine Walk: 4 days self guided | NSW National Parks.

This trip was originally proposed as an ‘old gentlemen’s walk’. For various reasons it was on again, off again several times.  In the end, good friends were doing it privately, so we had two vehicles for a 5-person 8km car shuttle between end and start.

We left southern Canberra at 6.30am and drove via Cooma, a stop at Jindabyne, to Perisher. Left a car there and drove the other one to park at Charlotte Pass Village. Walking by 9.45am. The first 3.5km of the track skirts the western edge of Johnnies Plain and crosses three creeks.

Signage at Charlotte Pass Village, start of track

 

Track beside the Charlotte Pass Village access road

 

Wrights Creek upstream of bridge

 

Trackside Snow Gum

 

View across Johnnies Plain

 

Blue (planarium) worm on the track

 

Another seat with views along the track

 

Steel walkway and creek crossing between Wrights and Trapyard Creeks

 

Trapyard Creek downstream at the bridge

 

Colourful Snow Gum

The next section of the track climbs a hill. There are handy markers every kilometre to tell you how far it is to Perisher. We stopped for smoko near the hilltop.

 

Steel walkway climbs a hill at 1860m contour

8km to Perisher Valley marker

 

Views to the Main Range

 

The track just before smoko

The track then heads down to a saddle.

The track north of smoko at 1800m contour

 

Views from the major saddle in the track

 

Views from the major saddle in the Rams Head Range

From the saddle, the track climbs along the Rams Head Range towards Porcupine Rocks.

5km to Perisher Valley marker

The spiders are tough up in the high country.

Mountain funnel web spider hole

 

The track climbs SW of Porcupine Rocks

Fire damage from 20+ years ago is still evident. But so is the recovery.

On the spur SW of Porcupine Rocks

Great views down to the SE.

View down to the Thredbo River and Alpine Way

Great vista as the track approaches Porcupine Rocks.

The track approaches Porcupine Rocks

 

Metal walkway approaching Porcupine Rocks

We followed the footpads up to Porcupine Rocks for lunch.

Porcupine Rocks turn off

 

The last part of the track tool us down to Perisher Valley.

Wheatley Link Trail to Perisher Gap turn off

 

Porcupine Trail – Porcupine Link Trail junction

We passed the top of the last stage I’ve yet to do.

Perisher Valley – Bullocks Flat junction

 

Perisher Valley Reservoir

And so to (nearly) the end.

End of the track at Perisher Valley

A 1km warm down walk to the car park. Retrieved the vehicle from Charlotte Pass and drove home.

 

Party

5 walkers – Michael C, Lelde V, me. Plus Lisa and Stephen M joining in on a private walk.

Post Script

It’s been 3 months since I’ve posted a full trip report. I had a stay in hospital in December, partial recovery in January. Since then I’ve been walking 8-10km and 200-400vm every day, but it’s made little difference. I’m nearly ready to give up the fight against sickness and ageing and become a slow and grumpy old man.