High Country Running

Many of our friends head up to Thredbo in the second week of January for Runners Week. We haven't managed to join them yet and often feel jealous when they share their adventures! So when they began talking of running the Aussie10, a course which ascends the 10 highest peaks in Kosciuszko National Park, Andy's ears perked up!

With the weather behaving, the banter turned to reality! Andy decided it was worth the 3 hour drive (each way) for a long run in the high country. Luckily for him the attempt for the Aussie10 had been scrapped and a new route proposed.

Running a total of 27km, their route headed from the top of the chairlift, across the ramsheads to a very cool and bright Cootapatamba Hut. It is a survival shelter designed to catch people leaving the Kosciuszko Summit in poor weather. The hut has two entrances with Rob trying out the snow entrance, the roof top tunnel before Marty discovered the summer entrance, a small door on the other side!

Keeping to the west of Koszciuszko, the boys continued through the alpine meadows (with a healthy dose of thick, scrubby heath) on to Abbotts Peak, Mt Townsend (#2 in Australia) and Alice Rawson Peak. This was beautiful country that is generally pretty inaccessible, with great views down to Geehi.




With the major peaks done, the team headed across towards the main range track, popping up Koszciusko on the way past. Runners aren't allowed on the main route to Thredbo, so the route went down the snowy and then followed a line of snow poles across to the top of the Thredbo chairlift. In total is was close to 4 hours, more than 3 hours off-track and 5 of Australia's 10 highest peaks. A good day out....