Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Sunday 4 January 2026: Snowies Alpine Walk Stage 5 – Perisher Valley to Bullocks Flat * – M/E. A joint NPA/CBC cross-over walk with up to 8 walkers walking each direction on the newest section of the Snowy Alpine Walk. I’ll lead the down party! Upon registration walkers should indicate whether they prefer the uphill route or the largely downhill route and whether they are prepared to drive. The total walking distance is 12 km. Those starting at Perisher will only have a climb of about 100 m. Those starting at Bullocks Flat will have a climb of about 700 m. We will need 4 drivers who must be happy to have one of the other drivers driving their car between Jindabyne and one of the start points. Numbers may be limited to a total of 8 (4 walking each direction) if there are not enough drivers. 6 am-ish departure from Canberra.

Summary

From Garmin Connect (recorded on Garmin MAP66i handheld) – Distance: 12.6km | Climb: 265vm | Time: 3:21 moving + 1:04 of stops = 4:25 | Grading: M/E; E(7).

Photographs

View photographs here.

gpx file

Download the gpx file here.

Track Map

Here’s where we went:

Trip Report

It’s taken a while, but I’ve finally completed the Snowies Alpine Walk, doing each section as day trips from Canberra:

Day 1 – Charlotte Pass to Guthega 4 Mar 23

Day 2 – Main Range Walk 25 Mar 24

Day 3 – Charlotte Pass Village to Perisher Valley 11 Mar 25

Day 4 – read on.

I always hankered to walk the western fall of the Main Range, after learning about the easement for the “longest chairlift in the world“. Members of the Snowy River SES were kind enough to give me exact data from their investigations in February 2012. But that was not to be. So today was the closest.

We met at 6am at the Eastlake Calwell Club car park. Following my first rule of photography (“when you see someone else take a photo, take a photo”), I followed Mike across the road and snapped:

A 3+ hour trip to Perisher via a coffee stop in Jindabyne. Another feature of the day was the car shuttle organised by Mike. We swapped cars in Jindy, Quentin from the up party driving my vehicle to Bullocks Flat and me in the down party driving his to Perisher. The reason for this was, with expected differences in walking times between the down and up parties, we were all walking towards our own vehicles and could leave immediately the walk was finished. Smooth (and I’ll organise all my future car shuttles similarly 😁).

Since last time, we were able to drive in to the walk’s track head, saving a km or so walk from the main carpark on Kosciuszko Rd.

Walking at 9.15am, with Mike texting me that the up party had started at 9am.

Down at the start of the walk there was plenty of great signage.

After a short distance we headed left at the Porcupine Rocks Track junction and over Rock Creek.

The track construction was wonderful.

The surface continued for some distance.

At around 2km into the walk, we got our first hint of the country falling away.

Striking views all round.

There were a few flowers about, but I guess we were too early.

There were occasional distance markers, but we were just ambling along.

Occasionally more flowers.

At around 3.5km into the walk there is a marvellous lookout with amazing views down to the finish of this stage of the track.

Here it is in moving pictures.

Many sections of metal walkway as the track descended.

I won’t embed lots of pics, but to get an idea of this section of the walk, check out the photos. But here’s one more.

I was a little too casual around where the track switches back. The front running four were well out of sight and when we back four reached the switch-back point, we couldn’t take the opportunity to go a hundred metres or so down a signed side track to a lunch spot. It looked so inviting; I marked it Missed a sweet spot here. Oh well, might have to go back.

We regrouped a little later and took a lunch break. Shade was in demand as the day was warming. But no sign of the forecast thunderstorms.

Back walking, visual delights continued to abound.

At around 2km to go the track flattened and we traversed another vegetation and topographical zone.

Quite different walking beside the lovely Thredbo River.

Watch the vid.

The last kilometre or so was a jumble of tracks and signage. Quite changed since I was last here on 9 Dec 18.

My one and only ride on the ski tube was on 6 Aug 05!

One last view back – and up.

One last inglorious fact – the up party did the trip in 4 hours; we down party took 4 and a half 😒.

Some storms on the drive back home.

Thanks all, great day and a beautiful walk.

The AllTrails map is here, where you can pan and zoom.

Parties

Up – Mike B (leader), Karina J, Trevor L, Quentin M, Margaret P, Lam SF, Vitaly S.

Down – Mel C, Shereene G, Chris H, Lisa M, Stephen M, Alics S, Ros W, me.