Always dreamt of being able run a full loop of the Kosciuszko National Park, and with the newly opened extension to the Illawong Track from Charlottes pass to Guthega, this was now made possible.
I decided to run the entire loop Solo and Unsupported for the first recorded time to this new Loop that I created.
I managed to complete the loop that came in at 110km long and just short of 3000m+ in Elevation in 15hrs:54min:39sec
Starting the Loop from Sawpit Creek, located just within the National Park, I set out at 4am in the morning to run the climb up the Perisher road to Charlottes Pass in the dark, enjoying the stars and solitude and with the sun finally breaking through the mountains only a few K’s short of the top.
From here I picked up on the new Illawong track extension, which took me to Guthega and after crossing over the Pondage Dam wall, headed up on the trails to the main range where you get to run on the old AAWT trail along the tops of all the peaks to Kosciuszko. Once reaching the top of the Crackenback, you then head on down into Thredbo following the Merritts Nature Trail. The rest of the run was now along the entire length of the Thredbo Valley Trail to just before Gadens Hatchery, where you turn left and pick up on the Pallaibo trail for the 4km climb back up hill to the start at Sawpit creek.
This loop takes in all the highlights that the Kosciuszko National Park has too offer.
The run was done solo and unsupported. I carried all that I need for the entire run and was able to fill up my bottles of water and tailwind from all the natural mountain streams along the way.
This is one loop worth running when you get the chance for a showcase of our beautiful Snowy Mountains.