Jindabyne to Kosciuszko summit (100km return, 6h15)

This was not in my plan at all but today I’m riding with Akihiko to the top of Australia ;-) It doesn’t look like because the maximum altitude is about 2200m and there is no sharp summit around. I let my trailer in a kind of park at the entrance of Jindabyne. I’ve covered it with some branch and trunks. I’m sure it will be fine. Today we have something like 1200m to climb along 50km and we will come back. This is the idea :-)

Map.

One of the first checkpoint: 1650m.

But we and going to cycle downhill. This is not fair!

Look at this road! The trees around this area look like frozen or something but it’s just their natural color.

Hooo, this is the first sign of an Alpine village as Australian call them.

Hey, I’ve been working on one of the Perisher website when I was in Sydney. Now I’m going to see how does this sky domain looks in a real life. This is cool :-)

Thanks Akihiko ;-)

This is the Perisher village! We need water and you will able to get some I hope.

This is weird to this a sky resort in Australia. I would never imagined that before coming here.

The fire station and another service station, cute ;-)


We got water from Perisher and kept cycling for a little while. This where the drivers can’t drive anymore. This is Charlotte Pass. In John’s day (as he said) you could drive nearly to to summit. But for ecology reason they stopped that and now people must walk 9km from here. As a cyclist, we can go almost to the top. We will have a short walk before enjoying being at the top of Australia!

Yep, this is Charlotte Pass in person :-)

Which on is THE one? Maybe this one on the left side.

And Akihiko is ahead, motivated. He first came in Australia with a plan to participate to a charity event. He should normally cycle from Sydney to here but the whole thing has been cancelled. Fortunately, one of his friend living in Canberra could organized a small trip for him. This is why Akihiko did not loose his belief and will arrive to the top with or without charity event! Good on him :-)

Over there, there is another track which goes around and rich the summit later. We are not that crazy.

The Snowy River! On the way back, I’ll dip my feet in!

Rah! this one is too over exposed but it’s a good one to appreciate the vast view.

The highest toilets in Australia. Should I try?

You think we are crazy? Not at all. The guy with the yellow t-shirt passed me on the way up. He has a race bike and we did the last 9km on gravel! This is a first thing. But the second one is: He has done 240km to come here. He is going to walk to the summit and cycle back home! 480km in a day! Wow! respect Man.

Believe me or not, this is the highest mount in Australia :-)

Many different walks start from this point.

Rawson Pass at 2100 metres :-)

Let’s walk!

Houuu, this is becoming interesting :-)

We were cycling down this track few minutes ago.

Akihiko is on the top!

And me too :-)

A polish explorer Paul Edmund Strzelecki ascended these Australian Alps on 15th February 1840. Good on him :-)


We are now coming down and it’s much much faster of course (and fortunately). This is the time to dip my feet in the fresh water let everyone drink the water below me hahaa :-)

Charlotte Pass is not far away now.


After about one hour and a half and a lot of downhills, Jindabyne is on sight! We spent 4 hours to climb up!

Akihiko spoted something important, an apple tree :-)

I’ve got provisions for a while now :-)

Akihiko’s bike. This one is foldable which is useful when you want to catch the bus or fly.


On the way back, Akihiko asked to his Motel if I could use his room’s shower. They kindly accepted and I paid with apples :-) Good deal, I like it! Thanks Akihito for the idea because I would not ask myself.


We are now in the town center where “everything happend” during the high season.

The style of Jindabyne shop center is closer to the “far West” than the French alpine villages but it’s fine :-) I’m relly happy with that day. It was tough but it was worth doing it! Thanks Akihiko and thanks to myself to not know how to read a map hahaa… see ya!

One thought on “Jindabyne to Kosciuszko summit (100km return, 6h15)

  1. I’ve been there! when I was 21. (school excursion) It was the longest I’ve ever walked in my life….nobody talked last hour. The biker is amazing! 480km ?! I can’t even drive that much in a day! Free apple sounds great!

Comments are closed.