Kosciuszko & Townsend & Twynam & Carruthers & Little Twynam, NSW, Australia

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2014 April: One day climb of
  - Little Twynam
  - Mt Twynam
  - Carruthers Peak
  - Mt Townsend
  - Mt Kosciuszko
from Charlotte Pass - NSW, Australia


Prolog - A2K peaks, the 33 highest peaks in Australia

Australia doesn't have high mountains.
Nonetheless there are many ways to challenge ourselves ...

Like ... Climbing the x-number of highest peaks in y-number of days.

I have compiled a list of all the peaks in Australia that are 2000 meters or higher.

There are 33 of them,
all bunched together in Kosciuszko National Park.
I am calling the list :
Paul Ma's A2K peaks   😀

Rank Name                 Elev   Grid Ref
   1 Mt Kosciuszko       2228 m  132 647
   2 Mt Townsend         2209 m  128 684
   3 Mt Twynam           2196 m  179 716
   4 Rams Head           2190 m  128 608
   5 Etheridge Ridge     2180 m  140 644

   6 Rams Head North     2177 m  137 618
   7 Alice Rawson Peak   2167 m  132 692
   8 Byatts Camp         2159 m  118 676
   9 Abbott Peak         2145 m  122 678
  10 Carruthers Peak     2145 m  157 698

  11 Tenison Woods Knoll 2136 m  166 719
  12 Mt Northcote        2131 m  146 676
  13 Little Twynam       2130 m  185 711
  14 Muellers Peak       2125 m  138 673
  15 Mt Clarke           2110 m  154 672

  16 Mt Lee              2105 m  152 688
  17 Kangaroo Ridge      2077 m  182 644
  18 Mt Tate             2068 m  214 760
  19 Gungartan           2068 m  258 835
  20 Mt Jagungal         2062 m  248 987

  21 Mt Perisher         2054 m  243 697
  22 Mt Stilwell         2054 m  187 659
  23 South Rams Head     2052 m  116 588
  24 Kerries Ridge       2050 m  262 851
  25 Little Stilwell     2030 m  190 657

  26 Merritts Spur       2030 m  160 626
  27 Toolong Range       2025 m  258 988
  28 Watsons Crags       2021 m  161 733
  29 Back Perisher Mtn   2014 m  247 708
  30 Mt Anton            2010 m  191 727

  31 The Foxhole         2010 m  198 661
  32 Mann Bluff          2005 m  208 754
  33 Dicky Cooper Bogong 2003 m  232 832

How the list is compiled:
   - If a peak has a name, and is 2000 meters or higher, then include the peak in the list.
   - If a range/ridge/spur has a name, and its highest point is 2000 meters plus, then include the highest point.

For more information on the list, including data source, please click on this link:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/p/paul-mas-a2k-peaks.html

Well, I don't intend to climb all these peaks in a set number of days. I'll just climb them when I have time.


Today's climb: 3 highest peaks + Carruthers & Little Twynam

But first, let me tick off an ambition of mine for sometime ... to climb the 3 highest peaks, Kosciuszko Townsend Twynam, in one day. This is achieved today with David. As a bonus, along the way, we pass over
  - Carruthers Peak, rank #10
  - Little Twynam, rank #14
making it 5 peaks in one day.

David and I had planned this trip more than a month earlier. But every weekend it rained ... in fact, it rained almost every day during this period. Whatever happens to global warming which is supposed to cause the middle section of Australia to become dryer???

Today is really lucky. For most of the day, clouds surround the area we are walking but not drift over to engulf us ... wish I have this type of good fortune in lottery!


Other A2K climbing trips

Scroll forward to the end of this trip report. There is a list, with links, to other A2K climbing trips that I have done.


Paper maps

- 1:100,000  8525 Kosciuszko
- 1:50,000  Kosciuszko Alpine Area map, 1st edition, by Spatial Vision Innovations Pty Ltd
- 1:25,000  8525-2S Perisher Valley

The relevant part of the 1:25,000 scale map is too large to be displayed here. You can download it from:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FLu96VINoQlqb2-w5LH1CmdKKsVS5xX4/view?usp=sharing


Interactive map

In the following interactive map, you can click on the pins to obtain a description of the place. You can also zoom in to see more details (click on the small "+" icon a few times).

View Kosciuszko, Townsend, Twynam, Carruthers, Little Twynam in a larger map


GPS tracklog files & route

Our KML & GPX tracklog files can be downloaded from:
  KML file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B877-h5SCJaSVmtQOTZiRlp2TlU/edit?usp=sharing
  GPX file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B877-h5SCJaSeGp0dFRJZ3ZfSzg/view?usp=sharing

A map with our tracklog superimposed on it (in red, anti-clockwise direction) can be downloaded from:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FLu96VINoQlqb2-w5LH1CmdKKsVS5xX4/view?usp=sharing

In summary: It is a circuit walk ...
- Park car at Charlotte Pass.
- Walk on Main Range Track, then Blue Lake Walk to Blue Lake which is north of Charlotte Pass.
- Cross Blue Lake Creek at south-eastern tip of Blue Lake.
- Then off-track climb to Little Twynam.
- Then off-track climb to Mt Twynam.
- Then walk on track to Carruthers Peak which is south west of Mt Twynam.
- Then walk on Main Range Track to Muellers Pass (saddle point between Muellers Peak & Mt Kosciuszko).
- Take a narrow goat trail to Mt Townsend.
- Return by the same goat trail to Muellers Pass.
- Walk on Main Range Track, then Kosciuszko Walk to Mt Kosciuszko.
- To Rawson Pass.
- Follow Summit Walk back to car at Charlotte Pass.


Timeline & Distance

05:50   0.0km  Leave Charlotte Pass
07:19   5.1km  Arrive at Blue Lake Creek

07:24   5.1km  Crossed Blue Lake Creek
08:07   6.3km  Arrive at Little Twynam

08:20   6.3km  Leave Little Twynam
08:48   7.0km  Arrive at Mt Twynam

09:05   7.0km  Leave Mt Twynam
10:10  10.9km  Arrive at Carruthers Peak

10:18  10.9km  Leave Carruthers Peak
11:32  15.0km  Muellers Pass
12:47  17.5km  Arrive at Mt Townsend

Lunch - 43 minutes

13:30  17.5km  Leave Mt Townsend
15:10  22.7km  Arrive at Mt kosciuszko

15:24  22.7km  Leave Mt Kosciuszko
15:47  24.3km  Arrive at Rawson Pass

16:01  24.3km  Leave Rawson Pass
17:40  32.0km  Arrive at Charlotte Pass

Total: 32km  in  11hr 50min

David had a blister on his foot, otherwise we could have completed the trip around 11 hrs. But if Ricky is walking (Ricky is the guy who climbed most of the Australian State-8 peaks with me), he can easily do it in less than 9 hrs.


Pictures - Crossing Snowy River near Charlotte Pass

As it will be a long day and we intend to return to Sydney for the night, hence we are up early. At 5:50am, we start walking at Charlotte Pass along Main Range Track towards Blue Lake. It is still dark then - the sun won't rise till 6:30am

1)  06:03  Crossing the Snowy River near Charlotte Pass ~~
Usually the water level is lower and you can get across by stepping on the stones. But with the recent incessant rain in this region, the water level is quite high now. We need to summon all our acrobatic skills to get across without getting our feet wet, or worse, like slipping into the river.

To Blue Lake

2)  06:36  We are on the Main Range Track walking towards Blue Lake. The sun has just poked its head out of the horizon. Everything is bathed in this golden hue.

There are more photos of the scenery around Main Range Track ... see my blog on my climb to Mt Sentinel:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/sentinel-nsw-australia.html


Blue Lake

3)  07:03  Blue Lake ~~ It is one of only five glacial tarns in mainland Australia. (The other four are Lake Cootapatamba, Lake Albina, Club Lake and Hedley Tarn.) When the sun is higher and shines directly on the lake, the colour of the water is beautifully blue, but not right now.

In the above pic, the large broad shaped mountain on the left side is Mt Twynam. Immediately to it right, the small pyramid-shaped mountain in Little Twynam - we are heading there next.


Crossing Blue Lake Creek

4)  07:24  Crossing Blue Lake Creek at the south-eastern tip of Blue Lake ~~
Just like crossing the Snowy River earlier on, a fair amount of deftness is required to get across without getting our feet wet, or slipping into the creek.

Climbing towards Little Twynam

5)  The lake in the photo is the beautiful Blue Lake; and we are climbing in a roughly north-east direction up the slope of Little Twynam. It is steep and tires us out quickly.

(In retrospect, to make life easier, after crossing Blue Lake Creek, we could have headed directly east until we reach the top of Crummer Spur, then turn northwest and follow the ridge line to the Little Twynam peak ... less steep that way.)


6)  At the end of the steep climb, Little Twynam is in sight - it is the pile of rocks at the centre of this photo.

Little Twynam Summit

7)  08:12  I'm at the top of Little Twynam - Australia's 14th highest peak at 2120 meters. The mountain behind me is Mt Twynam. we are heading there next.

Looking back at Little Twynam

8)  Not long after we come down Little Twynam and head for Mt Twynam, I look back to take this photo of Little Twynam.

Mt Twynam summit

9)  Mt Twynam summit is in front.

10)  08:49  David and I at the top of Mt Twynam - Australia's 3rd highest peak at 2196 meters.

11)  Looking back at Little Twynam

To Carruthers Peak

09:05  We leave Mt Twynam and head for Carruthers Peak.

12)  Weather-wise, we are very lucky. After coming down Mt Twynam, there is this cloud in the photo which quickly covers the mountain. The cloud is always behind us, never catches up to engulf us ... really have to thank the gods for looking after us.

13)  We are now on the Main Range Track heading to Carruthers Peak, which is at the centre of this photo.  Mt Townsend is the small pyramid-shaped mountain immediately to the right of Carruthers Peak.

14)  A few of these red mushrooms are found in the mountain range. Does anyone know the name?
(Henry Du says it is Amanita muscaria. Let me know if it is a different species.)

At Carruthers Peak summit

15)  10:12  David and I at the top of Carruthers Peak - Australia's 10th highest peak at 2145 meters.

16)  Not a bad view towards the north from Carruthers Peak.
The nearest peak a bit to the right of the centre of this pic is Mt Sentinel. I'll climb it a year later. It is a very interesting peak to climb ... photos and write up of the trip is in my blog: http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/sentinel-nsw-australia.html

17)  Next target is Mt Townsend which is the small pyramid shaped mountain in the centre of the pic - it is a long way to there.

To Muellers Pass

18)  We come down Carruthers Peak (the mountain not in the cloud on the right side of the photo.) The cloud is the same one as in photo #12 ... threatening to catch up with us.

19)  10:33  On the way to Mt Townsend, we pass Club Lake. As you can see, the clouds are all around us but not coming over to cover us up.

20)  10:58  We are walking on the Main Range Track, passing Lake Albina.

My original plan was to get off the Main Range Track around here; head towards the northern tip (right side of the above photo) of Lake Albina; cross the creek; then climb up the steep slope and head west towards Mt Townsend. Given the difficulty of crossing the Snowy River (photo #1) and Blue Lake Creek (Photo #4), I suddently have cold feet ... maybe it will not be easy to cross this creek. So I shelved this plan. Instead, we keep walking south-west on the Main Range Track towards Muellers Pass (the saddle between Mt Kosciuszko and Muellers Peak); then turn north, follow a narrow goat trail towards the western slope of Muellers Peak and then to Mt Townsend.

To anyone reading this blog:
- Is it easy to cross the creek that comes off the northern tip of Lake Albina without getting one's feet wet?
- Once you cross the creek, how difficult is it to climb up the slope on the west side of the creek? It looks steep from the Main Range Track. But may be it isn't that bad.


To Mt Townsend

21)  After rounding Muellers Pass, we are now on a narrow goat trail to Mt Townsend. At some places, the trail is hard to find. Not to worry, there are cairns similar to the one in this photo to lead the way. Mt Townsend is near the centre of the photo.

22)  Very close to Mt Townsend now.

Climb up Mt Townsend

23)  12:39  This is the signature rock formation near the Mt Townsend peak. When climbing down from its summit, you can easily lose your way. But if you keep an eye out for this rock formation, it will help to guide you down.

24)  There is a rock scramble for the final ascend to the Mt Townsend summit. The photos don't show it ... it is steep, almost vertical - 90 degrees, not for the faint-hearted ... but not too hard ... well, if we can do it, so can you.

Mt Townsend summit

25)  12:45  Almost there.

26)  12:48  David and I at the top of Mt Townsend - Australia's 2nd highest peak at 2209 meters. 4 down - just one more mountain to climb for the day.

27)  From Mt Townsend looking towards Mt Kosciuszko which is the highest peak in the left half of the photo.

We have lunch and a well earned rest at the summit of Mt Townsend.


To Mt Kosciuszko

At 13:30, we climb down the mountain and head for Mt Kosciuszko, the last of the 5 peaks for the day.

28)  On our way to Mt Kosciuszko which is near the centre of the photo.

29)  The clouds ~~ they have this strange straight line base ... and they look ominously close. Fortunately they keep their distance from us.

30)  We are close to the summit of Mt Kosciuszko.

Mt Kosciuszko summit

31)  15:08  The cairn marking the Kosciuszko summit is in front.

32)  15:12  We make it to the top of Mt Kosciuszko, roof of Australia - 2228 meters.

33)  From Mt Kosciuszko summit looking back at Mt Townsend - it is the highest peak in the photo (near the centre).

Rawson Pass

34)  Coming down Mt Kosciuszko and heading towards Rawson Pass where, in the middle of the photo, is Australia's highest toilet.

On Summit Walk back to the car

35)  On the road called Summit Walk back to our car at Charlotte Pass ~~ It is very pleasing to see, at the centre of the photo, Mt Twynam and Little Twynam (on its right) ... the 2 peaks we climbed early this morning. It is a long day and we've walked a long way !

Other A2K climbing trips

• 2017 November
Rank Name                 Elev   Grid Ref
  20 Mt Jagungal         2062 m  248 987
  27 Toolong Range       2025 m  258 988
Trip report will be written up soon ... whatever that means  :-)
In the mean time, if you like to know the details, contact me.


• 2017 January with AB
Rank Name                 Elev   Grid Ref
  18 Mt Tate             2068 m  214 760
  32 Mann Bluff          2005 m  208 754
Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/mt-tate-mann-bluff-gills-knobs.html


• 2016 December with AB
Rank Name                 Elev   Grid Ref
   3 Mt Twynam           2196 m  179 716
  11 Tenison Woods Knoll 2136 m  166 719
  28 Watsons Crags       2021 m  161 733
  30 Mt Anton            2010 m  191 727
Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2016/12/tenison-woods-knoll-watsons-crags.html


• 2016 December with AB & DN
Rank Name                 Elev   Grid Ref  Comment
  17 Kangaroo Ridge      2077 m  182 644   Morning
  21 Mt Perisher         2054 m  243 697   Afternoon
  22 Mt Stilwell         2054 m  187 659   Morning
  25 Little Stilwell     2030 m  190 657   Morning
  28 Back Perisher Mtn   2014 m  247 708   Afternoon
  31 The Foxhole         2010 m  198 661   Morning
Photos and trip reports are in my blog:
    - Morning: http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2016/12/mt-stilwell-and-kangaroo-ridge.html
    - Afternoon: http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2016/12/mt-perisher-back-perisher-mtn.html


• 2015 October with RZ
Rank Name                 Elev   Grid Ref
  33 Dicky Cooper Bogong 2003 m  232 832
Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/dicky-cooper-bogong-granite-peaks-nsw.html


• 2015 March with AB, DN & Saf
Rank Name                 Elev   Grid Ref
  19 Gungartan           2068 m  258 835
  24 Kerries Ridge       2050 m  262 851
Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/gungartan-kerries-ridge-nsw-australia.html


• 2014 December with AB & DN
Rank Name                 Elev   Grid Ref  Comment
   1 Mt Kosciuszko       2228 m  132 647
   2 Mt Townsend         2209 m  128 684   Abbott Range
   7 Alice Rawson Peak   2167 m  132 692   Abbott Range
   8 Byatts Camp         2159 m  118 676   Abbott Range
   9 Abbott Peak         2145 m  122 678   Abbott Range

  10 Carruthers Peak     2145 m  157 698
  12 Mt Northcote        2131 m  146 676
     wrong Byatts Camp   2110 m  116 671   Abbott Range
  15 Mt Clarke           2110 m  154 672
  16 Mt Lee              2105 m  152 688
Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/lee-northcote-clarke-abbott-range.html


• 2014 November with AB & DN
Rank Name                 Elev   Grid Ref
   1 Mt Kosciuszko       2228 m  132 647
   4 Rams Head           2193 m  128 608
   5 Etheridge Ridge     2180 m  140 644
   6 Rams Head North     2177 m  137 618
  23 South Rams Head     2052 m  116 588
Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/etheridge-ridge-kosciuszko-rams-head.html


• 2014 April with DH
Rank Name                 Elev   Grid Ref
   1 Mt Kosciuszko       2228 m  132 647
   2 Mt Townsend         2209 m  128 684
   3 Mt Twynam           2196 m  179 716
  10 Carruthers Peak     2145 m  157 698
  13 Little Twynam       2130 m  185 711
and incidentally bagging 3 highest peaks of Australia in one day.
This trip report  :-)


• 2011 April with RE
Rank Name                 Elev   Grid Ref
   1 Mt Kosciuszko       2228 m  132 647
   2 Mt Townsend         2209 m  128 684
  14 Muellers Peak       2125 m  138 673
Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/kosciuszo-muellers-peak-townsend-nsw.html

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Twynam & Carruthers & Townsend, NSW, Australia

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2011 April: Cimb Mt Twynam, Carruthers Peak, Mt Townsend from Charlotte Pass - NSW, Australia

Prolog:
If you wish to do this trip, I suggest you do the similar walk I did in 2014 April instead ... because you'll include Mt Kosciuszko (Australia's highest mountain) and Little Twynam ... see photos and write up in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/kosciuszko-townsend-twynam-carruthers.html
In that blog, there is also a list of all peaks above 2000 meters in Australia (called A2K peaks).

You can climb Mt Kosciuszko and Mt Townsend from Dead Horse Gap. Photos and write up of that trip is in http://mntviews.blogspot.com/2011/04/kosciuszo-muellers-peak-townsend-nsw.html

Today's climb:
- Mt Twynam, 2196 meters, 3rd highest mountain in Australia
- Carruthers Peak, 2145 meters
- Mt Townsend, 2209 meters, 2nd highest mountain in Australia

Hiking route:
- Start from Charlotte Pass carpark.
- Follow Main Range Track, then Blue Lake Walk to Blue Lake.
- Retrace Blue Lake Walk to junction of Main Range Track.
- Get off track, head north till you meet a disused 4-wheel drive track at the top of the ridge line.
- Follow the 4-wheel drive track to Mt Twynam.
- From Mt Twynam peak, follow trail all the way to Muellers Pass.
- Then to Mt Townsend.
- From Mt Townsend peak, retrace steps to Muellers Pass where it joins the Main Range Track.
- Follow Main Range Track to Rawson Pass.
- Then back to Charlotte Pass car park.

Hiking time and distance:
Daytrip: 8 hrs 30 min, 30.5 km

If you don't do the side trip to Blue Lake, you can shave off 2 km.

Map:
1:100,000 8525 Kosciuszko or the finer detailed 1:25,000 8525-2S Perisher Valley

Water Requirement:
It is a cool day, a bit less than 10 degrees Celsius. I drink about 2 litres of water.

Description:
I am in a team of 4 to participate in an OxFam Sydney 100km trail walk event (called Trailwalker) to be held in late August. Our team regularly holds exercise walks. Today, most of the Sydney area is raining, so we opt for a hike in the Snowy Mountains. Only Tania and I are free. So at 8am, the two of us set off from Charlotte pass to bag Mt Twynam (2196) and Mt Townsend (2209m), 3rd and 2nd highest mountain in Australia. As a freebie, we also bag Carruthers Peak (2145m), because the Main Range Track where we walk on happens to pass through this peak.

The original plan was to walk on Main Range Track; then onto Blue Lake Walk to Blue Lake; cross Blue Lake Creek; then go up north to Mt Twynam from the east side of Blue Lake. The weather forecast was for a sunny day, but when we reach Blue Lake, high fogs keep on rolling in and out, at times completely obscuring Mt Twynam. Rather than risk getting lost in the fog, we backtrack on the Blue Lake Walk to the junction of Main Range Track and hope by then the sun can burn off the fog and allow us to climb Mt Twynam from the west side of Blue Lake.

The weather forecast does not disappoint us. By the time we reach the junction of the 2 trails at 9:25am, the fogs are all gone, leaving us with mostly a blue sky. So we get off the track, climb in a northerly direction towards a ridge. At the top of the ridge, meet up with a disused 4-wheel drive track, follow it, and arrive at Mt Twynam peak around 10am.

It is strange that this 4-wheel drive track is not marked on the maps I have. Perhaps the National Park authorities want to discourage people from getting to Mt Twynam?

The distance we covered so far is 8.5km, and took 2 hrs. Considering the uphill stretches and some off-track walking, this is a huge effort. Well, we are supposed to be training for the OxFam 100km trailwalk, hence we consciously walk at a fast pace than one would normally do on a hiking trip.

It is also now that Tania reveals she will be competing in a 3-hour cycling race the next morning at 7am. Considering we'll probably be back to the car around 4 or 5pm, and back to Sydney around midnight, she really is one hell of a super fit woman.

Mt Twynam is a broad round dome, hence most sights immediately below the mountain is not visible. You can't see Blue Lake. But you can see Hedley Tarn which is further away.

After bagging Twynam, it is time to bag Townsend which is almost 3 hrs away. First, it is retracing the 4-wheel drive track to meet up with Main Range Track, then follow it all the way to Muellers Pass. On the way there, the trail climbs right through Carruthers Peak. It also skirts around the western slope of Mt Lee (2100m) and Mt Northcote (2131m). I would love to get off the the trail to climb both of them, but not today because Tania needs to get back to Sydney for tomorrow's cycling race.

The scenery along the trail is fantastic, we get a full view of Blue Lake, Club Lake and Albina Lake. I am quite happy to walk on this trail every week and not tired of the scenery.

At Muellers Pass, there is a faint foot trail to Mt Townsend. This trail is not marked on the map, and also you won't see it from the Main Range Track. You should look out for a cairn at the lowest point between Mt Kosciuszko and Muellers Peak. Get over to the cairn then you will see the trail. Once you are on the trail, it is about 1 hr to Mt Townsend.

This is the 2nd time I climbed Mt Townsend. ( The 1st trip is 4 weeks ago, refer to http://mntviews.blogspot.com/2011/04/kosciuszo-muellers-peak-townsend-nsw.html ). The final ascend to the peak is always interesting because you need to climb up 40 meters of a near vertical cliff formed from loose rock boulders ... sounds challenging, but in reality, it turns out to be not too difficult ... and soon we find ourselves at the top of Australia's 2nd highest mountain.

The view from Mt Townsend is impressive:
•  There are the four peaks which make up the Abbott Range - Byatts Camp, Abbot Peak, Mt Townsend and Alice Rawson Peak. (I climbed them all in 2014 December. Photos and write up of that trip are in: http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/lee-northcote-clarke-abbott-range.html
•  There is the steep drop into the valley to the west.
•  To the south is a broad vista across Wilkinsons Valley onto the north face of Mt Kosciuszko.

One aspect of Mt Townsend that surprises me is, on both the previous hike and this hike, there is hardly any wind at the top. Considering there is no high mountain towards the west, I would have thought we would cop a full blast from the west. But no; the air is almost still on both occasions!!!

We have our lunch there.

And I couldn't find the water bottle which I left there the last time.

Then it is time to go home ... back down the peak; follow foot trail to Muellers Pass; follow Main Range Track to Rawson Pass, follow Summit Walk trail back to our car at Charlotte Pass.

Aside from the fog earlier in the morning that prevented us from climbing Mt Twynam from the east side of Blue Lake, the rest of the day turns out to be mostly a beautiful blue sky day with some high white clouds, a cool temperature, plus beautiful bubbly Tania ... just perfect for hiking.

Timelines:
07:55 Start from Charlotte Pass, walk on Main Range Track
08:40 4 km later, arrive at junction of Blue Lake Walk
09:00 1 km later, arrive at Blue Lake

----- 10 min rest

09:10 Leave Blue Lake, back track on Blue Lake Walk
09:25 1 km later, arrive at junction of Main Range Track
10:05 2.5 km later, Arrive to Mt Twynam

----- 10 min rest

10:15 Leave Mt Twynam
12:00 7 km later, arrive at Mullers Pass
12:55 2.5 km later, arrive Mt Townsend

----- 30 min lunch

13:25 Leave Mt Townsend
14:15 2.5 km later, arrive at Muellers Pass
14:45 2.2 km later, arrive at Rawson Pass

----- 15 min rest

15:00 Leave Rawson Pass
16:25 7.7km later, arrive at Charlotte Pass

----- Total 8 hrs 30 min, 30.5 km

Pictures: (To enlarge a photo, click on it.)

1.) We park our car here at Charlotte Pass. The far away round-top mountain (highest peak in this pic) is Mt Twynam, 2195 meters, 3rd highest mountain in Australia. We are going to climb it now!!! You can see a trail (called Main Range Track) heading towards the left side of the mountain.

2.) It is foggy early in the morning. First, we cross the Snowy River here near Charlotte Pass and head to Mt Twynam. (Note: the peak in this pic is not Mt Twynam. You can't see Twynam from here.)

3.) The next stop is to this beautiful glacial tarn, called Blue Lake.

4.) At the shore of beautiful Blue Lake. Mt Twynam is the peak in the middle of this pic. We are going to climb it !!!

5.) Mt Twynam ... not far to go now.

6.) Mt Twynam, almost there

7, 8.) With Tania at Mt Twynam summit, 2195 meters, 3rd highest mt in Australia

9.) View from the top of Mt Twynam ... click on the pic to enlarge it ...
The far away tiny triangle mt, the highest mt on the right half of this pic, is Mt Townsend, 2209 meters, 2nd highest mt in Australia. We are going to climb it now !!!
The far away bigger mt, the highest mt on the left half of this pic, is Mt Kosciuszko, 2228 meters, highest mt in Australia. We had climbed it before, so we won't climb it this time. But on our way back to our car, we will pass by its slope.

10.) Tania and I at Carruthers Peak, 2142 meters, 10th highest peak in Australia (We've come down from Mt Twynam and heading towards Mt Townsend. On the way we pass this spot.)
By the way, a list of all peaks in Australia above 2000 meters (called A2K peaks) are in this website:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/kosciuszko-townsend-twynam-carruthers.html

11.) Club Lake ... picture taken from Carruthers Peak.

12.) On our way to Mt Townsend ... now passing by Albina Lake.

13.) Mt Townsend is in the distance ... we are heading there.

14.) Tania at this precariously positioned large granite block near the summit of Mt Townsend.

15.) The final ascent to Mt Townsend summit is to climb up this cliff of loose rock boulders. It is about 40 meters high. It is almost vertical (though it doesn't show up as vertical in this pic). Sounds scary, but it is not too hard to climb.

16, 17.) With Tania at Mt Townsend summit, 2209 meters, 2nd highest mountain in Australia. This is the 2nd time I climbed this mountain ... love it.

18.) Scenery from Mt Townsend summit ... nice view

19.) From Mt Townsend summit, we can see Mt Kosciuszko, Australia's highest mt ... it is the highest peak near the right edge of this photo. On the way back to our car, we'll skirt around its slope ... see next pic.

20.) Back down from Mt Townsend, going back to our car. The mountain in the center of this pic is Mt Kosciuszko, highest mountain in Australia. On the left side of this pic, you can make out the trail (called Main Range Track) which skirts around its slope. We'll follow this trail back to our car.

21.) Passing by this beautiful Snow Gum near Charlotte Pass.
All up, it is a pleasant 30.5km hike in 8.5 hrs.

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