Roadtrip mistake you’re making as the Snowy Mountains beckons in summer
As the weather warms up again, Aussies are getting ready to jump in their car and escape for a roadtrip - but ignoring one iconic winter spot is a big mistake.
Since Aussies discovered they could strap some skis or a snowboard to their feet and holiday at home, the Snowy Mountains region has been our nation’s favourite winter destination.
But few people realise that in the spring and summer, the alpine region is at its best with wildflowers blooming, crystal clear blue lakes ready to jump in and hiking and 4WD trails at their peak.
Not only that, but you can also kiss goodbye the wild winter queues to access Kosciuszko National Park, the difficulty of getting your car through the snow and of course, the freezing cold.
But if you were still wanting your alpine fix, there’s even a little bit of snow left on the mountains to enjoy anyway.
The Snowy Mountains is only a four-hour drive from Sydney, and, if you’re coming from the nation’s capital, you can be in the region within two hours.
With regional travel being off the table for much of 2021, and Covid making international travel harder than ever, Aussies are keen to explore their own backyard again.
If you’re a Sydneysider, the best way to do the Snowy Mountains is to leave on Thursday and head straight for Canberra.
Ovolo Nishi, the coolest hotel in Canberra and one of the best in Australia, is the ideal place to host you for the night.
The Nishi building, designed by world-renowned architects Suppose Design Office in Tokyo and Fender Katsalidis Architects in Melbourne, has everything you need while staying at Ovolo.
Downstairs is the top Canberra restaurant Monster, which recently announced it was changing its entire menu to vegetarian for the year to be more environmentally friendly.
And after you’ve gorged yourself on their eight-course degustation, you can head back upstairs to your room at Ovolo, each of which comes with the self-described “perks” of the hotel, including a goodie bag of snacks and a free minibar.
Waking up early on Friday, grab your free breakfast at Ovolo before driving the final two hours to the Snowy Mountains.
Instead of staying in Jindabyne, the hub of the Snowy Mountains, travel a little further on to the village of Perisher and finally see what the beautiful enclave looks like when it isn’t blanketed by snow.
Valhalla Lodge in Perisher, a quintessential Kosciuszko chalet, recently decided to open its doors for spring and summer, ensuring visitors wanting to stay in the thick of the national park, and avoid the commute from Jindabyne, can do so.
The cosy lodge keeps the fire running all year and takes care of all your meals during your stay meaning you can truly put your feet up while admiring Kosciuszko National Park - either from one of Valhalla’s comfy sofas or, while you’re rugged up, sipping beers or warm meade on the balcony and gazing out at the mountain range.
Even as the lodge’s crackling fire and its delectable food lulls you into a cosy coma, we all know you didn’t come to one of Australia’s adventure capitals to sit inside.
Depending on what vehicle you took down to the Snowy Mountains, you can spend your Saturday heading just outside Jindabyne to explore the myriad of 4WD trails scattered throughout the region.
One highlight is the dirt road that winds its way to some of the highest peaks in the mountains before dropping to the mighty Snowy River and eventually crossing the Victorian border.
The area is so remote in fact, a number of Victorians reportedly used the road to try and sneak into NSW from the locked down state during Covid, only to be met by police in Jindabyne of course.
Before you head out on some of the more tricky tracks, you’re best off dropping in to Cal Offroad, a local business that imports some of the world’s top 4WD equipment and shocks.
Not only are they experts in 4WDing, they’re also regulars on the best dirt tracks across the Snowy Mountains.
Once you know your vehicle is ready for a bit of bush bashing, make sure you’re also able to get onto people either back home or in the Snowy Mountains.
Few Aussies realise only 14 per cent of our country receives mobile phone reception and, as you leave behind the tarred Jindabyne road for a bit of adventure, you’ll quickly realise that most of the Snowy Mountains region is included in that 86 per cent of no phone reception.
Australia is one of the most ruthless countries in the world with plenty of animals trying to hurt you and when the animals are taking a break, our wild weather, bushfires and remoteness are ready to take over.
Thousands of Aussies are rescued thanks to their emergency personal locator beacons (PLBs) each year, and more than 50 per cent of those can thank GME Australia for saving their life.
GME’s latest PLB is about the same size as your iPhone, has a battery that lasts seven years and can be quickly activated if your life is at risk.
The beacon sends a signal to a global hub that is manned 24/7 with your distress call immedinately making its way to local emergency services and giving them your location, give or take a few metres.
Not only are the PLBs made and manufactured here, GME’s new one is around half the size of their previous ones.
And, given the Snowy Mountains is one of the most remote regions in out beautiful but huge country, there’s no shame in taking a tiny insurance policy with you.
After your off-roading adventure, head back to Valhalla and tuck in to another of their extensive dinners.
On Sunday, the final day of your long weekend Snowy Mountains adventure, wake up early and head into Charlotte’s Pass for breathtaking views across the entire region.
There are a number of national park walks that are well sign-posted up at Charlotte’s Pass, but if you’re looking for a more in-depth understanding, that includes endless facts from friendly local guides, book a tour with Wilderness Sports.
The back-country skiing and mountain guide company has been taking tourists through the Snowys since 1977.
Whether you want to go on a hybrid hike/cross country skiing tour across the mountains or if you’re looking for a quick hike up one of the region’s endless mountains, Wilderness Sports is happy to go with the flow and hear if they can make your adventure dream a reality.
But if you have to get back to Sydney early, and get ready for your dreaded return to work on Monday, one of the best hikes to do is up Mount Stilwell.
The mountain, around a 4km hike from the carpark, treats you to panoramic views of Charlotte’s Pass before you hit the chilly summit of Mount Stilwell.
Depending on how late you go in the year, and the season, there’ll likely still be plenty of snow on the hike and you can fill up your water bottle with some snow melt, which Wilderness Sports guide Bruce reliably informed this publication is likely the freshest and cleanest water in the country.
More Coverage
After your hike, you can make your way back to Sydney but, if you have time in the afternoon and are still in denial mode your holiday is over, there’s always Canberra’s wineries for a brief tasting (keeping within the driving limit of course) on the way home.
Otherwise stop in at Goulburn for a coffee break and to give a wave to the Big Merino.
This journalist visited Canberra and the Snowy Mountains region courtesy of Ovolo Nishi, Valhalla Lodge, GME Australia, Tourism Snowy Mountains, Wilderness Sports and Cal Offroad.