Snow Camping places in Alpine National parks

You need to be aware that over winter, generally after Queen's Birthday through to Nov. there are few options for camping in the snow as the tracks are closed. A possible suggestion is somewhere on the Woods Point - Licola Rd such as Mt Skene. This road is also subject to closure and the local police should be contacted before setting out. Due to numerous rescues of un-prepared and sometimes foolhardy people the local constabulary are sick to death of rescues and enforce closures.

Early days yet but the Melb snow fanatics are apparently lamenting the lack of snow so far.

Ken

Hi Berylvt

There are a lot of road closures across the mountains. Check with the national parks before making plans.

The Snowy Mountains Hwy between Tumut and Adaminaby is open unless they have received a good dump of snow closing it temporarily.

There are some places to camp along this road and last time I looked the road out to Tantangara was open for 4WDs in winter.

Boboyan Road is a good dirt option between Tharwa and Cooma but not "alpine".

Roads between Jindy and Khancoban, Cootamundra and Tumbarumba/Tooma, Suggan Buggan and Limestone Creek are all closed.

Check with Kosciuszko National Park about Barry Way

Above Falls Creek across Bogong High Plains is closed in winter.

There are still plenty of places to camp near the snowline and in the parks but not enroute for a drive through.

Some ideas for testing out your new rig are Island Bend camp ground near Guthega, Ngarigo and Thredbo Diggings on the Alpine Way, Tantangara Dam. If the Barry Way is open down to the River past Ingebyra there are some good spots by the water. On Lake Eucumbene you have Anglers Reach and they often get snow blowing down from Kiandra.

Hope you have good gear for subzero. You need to be prepared if you want to stay out of trouble. I used to camp whole winter seasons on and above the snowline and often went to bed in -10C without windchill, coldest winter night camped on the snow was -27 windchill. I had a good 2 man Macpac tent with a snow floor, top quality sleeping mat and the best Mont alpine down sleeping bag on the market at the time (it has since been stolen) as well as thermal bag liner, 2 layers of merino thermals inside the bag and a shot of chilli schnapps.

If you have the right gear for snow camping I'd suggest Island Bend, this is the most likely to get snow blow down from the mainrange. There is a pit toilet and lots of camp sites. Don't be tempted to camp to close to the river as they may need to release water from the dams upstream or pump through from another dam and I've watched it rise about a metre in about 30 minutes while camped there. There is wildlife, in fact the roos sometimes lick your tyres because they have salt from the roads. It is close to Guthega where you can buy passes to Perisher Blue or, if backcountry is more your style, the Guthega - Kiandra section of the AAWT starts just up the road at the Pump Station.

Enjoy