Kiandra to The Hotel Kosciusko - 100th Year Celebration of 1st Ski Crossing

In Jul 1927, Dr Herbert Schlink, Bill Hughes, Bill Gordon, Dr John Laidley and Dr Eric Fisher completed the first winter ski crossing from Kiandra to The Hotel Koscuisko. The hotel burnt down in 1951 and Sponars Chalet at Diggers Creek is all that remains of the original hotel.

This summer walk aims to celebrate the 100th year anniversary of the crossing by retracing the original route as close as possible. Dr Schlink's party took 3 days to ski the 120km route whereas we will take up to 8 days starting from the old site of the Alpine Hotel, Kiandra, and finishing at the Spencer's Creek Rest Area on the Kosciuszko Rd. The last 14km to Sponars Chalet will be completed by car. We may spend the last night at Sponars to celebrate our achievement. This is a backpack walk, camping in remote alpine areas so members need to be fully self sufficient and equipped for alpine conditions, plus carrying up to 8 days of food. Note - large sections of the intended route is off-track and mostly does not follow the current AAWT track, Accordingly, this walk is for fit, experienced, off-track capable walkers.

A description of the crossing by Dr H. Schlink can be found online in The Australian Ski Year Book 1928, Page 128, https://perisherhistory.org.au/asyb/