Rock Creek Snowshoe Trail

menu_book picture_as_pdf book Matt McClelland Bushwalk Australia New South Wales Kosciuszko NP

Issue_17_June_2016-16

3 kilometre circuit

1 hour 30 minutes

85 metres

Medium

Rock Creek Snowshoe Trail Matt McClelland

Walking up the open valley on the Rock Creek Snowshoe Walk

This well signposted snowshoe walk is a great way to get into snowshoeing for the first time. Starting from Perisher Centre, this walk soon leaves the main road to follow a series of snow poles up a gully and around a small hill. There are some interesting information signs to help you learn more about amazing battle for life under the snow. On a sunny day, the contrast between the rocks, sky and snow might mean you fill the memory card in your camera - allow some extra time to explore the area.

GPS of start and end -36.4058, 148.4119

Getting there Train: Walk starts opposite the Perisher Ski Tube Station.Car: Drive to the main upper car park in Perisher Valley. Snow chains and national park entry fee required.

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Finding the trackThis walk starts opposite the The Man from Snowy River Hotel where Kosciuszko Road is normally closed in winter. Visit Wilderness Sports for snowshoe hire.

Winter only route This walk is available only when there is sufficient snow cover. During the warmer months, crossing important and sensitive bogs will cause significantly damaged, even by light footed walkers. Please only walk this track when it is well covered with snow.

Share the snow Here are some tips to help you share the snow with skiers. Please avoid snowshoeing on ski trails, whether groomed or ungroomed - it is fine to walk right next to the ski trail. When crossing a ski trail, please do so in a single file and on a flat, more visible, section. These tips aim to minimise trail ruts and collisions.

Intersection of Kosciuszko and Porcupine Roads (0 km) Walk west along the main Kosciuszko Road, away from the The Man from Snowy River Hotel and keeping the main valley to your right. You soon cross Rock Creek, then continue beside the road to an intersection marked with a Rock Creek Snowshoe Track sign just after the Rock Creek Ski Club hut (both on your left).

Rock Creek Ski Club intersection (0.2 km) Turn left to leave the road and head towards the Rock Creek Ski Club building. Just before the building, veer right to find the Rock Creek Snowshoe Track information sign. From here you follow the snow-pole line with the yellow signs. The poles lead over a small rise then down into the valley, as you keep the creek to your left. Just past the second pole, you pass an intersection with a bridge, on your left. From here, continue straight ahead, following the Via Porcupine sign and the series of snow-poles past a few lodges. The trail rounds a small point then leads left, gently up the side of the hill to pass a large green timber lodge. The poles then lead up and over another rise, then gently down to an intersection of snow pole lines - Here, the yellow-signed poles continue ahead (past the stone building in the valley) and the white snowshoe poles head right.

Perisher Reservoir intersection (0.7 km) Veer right to walk south-west up the valley away from Rock Creek, following the snow-poles with the black and white snowshoe symbols. After about 70 metres, you pass a pole with a Where are all the Animals? information sign. Continue following the poles up the valley (with a view of some lodges up to your right) for just over 200 metres to find a pole with an A carpet of Wildflowers information sign. A further 260 metres up the valley, following the poles, is

Rock Creek Ski Lodge

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Rock Creek Ski Club This building was first opened for use in 1948 then destroyed by a lightning strike in January the next year. In 1959, a few men drove down from Sydney most weekends over a few years to build the current lodge. Still owned by the builder's families, the lodge is available to the public for hire. The lodge has two bedrooms and sleeps six people. The lodge can be hired in winter or in summer and makes for a great base with its central location in Perisher Valley.

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another similar information sign titled Ancient Herb Garden. After another 150 metres, you come to the top of the gully (where the snow-poles lead sharply right). (There may be a track leading left, from skiers and snowshoes taking an off-track link to the porcupine track)

Top of gully(1.4 km) Turn right at the top of the gully, follow the snowshoe trail poles north up the gentle hill. The poles lead up through a grove of dead snow gums and past a scattering of granite boulders for about 300 metres to find Snow-loving gums information sign. Continue to follow the pole line that leads into the lush snow gum forest for about 100 metres, where it finds a Snow gum sanctuary information sign. About 50 metres further into the forest, then turn left at the Tracks in the snow information sign and continue following the snowshoe trail poles downhill. The poles soon lead to the right and come to an intersection with Wheatley Road, just below the UAC Lodge.

Intersection of Rock Creek snowshoe trail and Wheatley Road (2.0 km) Continue walking downhill on Wheatley Road, keeping the bulk of the orange snow-poles to your left. This road is also used by over-snow transport in winter, so take care. The road soon leads under some power lines, then runs parallel to Kosciuszko Road and past a series of lodges for about 600 metres, to find a large signpost at the intersection with Pipit Place. Turn left here and head downhill along the road for about 130 metres to an intersection with Kosciuszko Road, just in front of Corroboree Restaurant & Bar. Turn right follow Kosciuszko Road gently downhill. After about 60 metres, continue along the road, passing a track (which leads to a bridge over Perisher Creek, on your left) and continuing for about another 50 metres to another intersection in front of Rock Creek Ski Club. Continue straight to retrace your steps back to Perisher Centre.

For more information read http://wild.tl/rcst

Following the Snowshoe trail sign

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