australia:high_altitude_hikes
Table of Contents
alpine high altitude hikes
see also:
Introduction
- most people love a great view and this is a major component of why hiking at high altitude is popular
- many also love the challenge of the usually strenuous hikes which involve a lot of ascent and descent
- the ultra-high altitude treks such as in the Himalayas and Patagonia also add the issue of need to acclimatise and risk of high altitude sickness
Australian alpine hiking
- most of these are at a fairly “modest” 1200m elevation
- the highest in Australia is the Mount Kosciuszko summit walk in NSW at 2228m
- these can be more dangerous than ultra high altitude tourist hikes (eg. Anapurna) as:
- you generally do not have a guide
- you have to be self-sufficient with navigation tools (including map and compass), emergency SOS capability
- you will not have someone to carry your gear
- you tend to be mostly below the tree-line and easier to get profoundly lost
- the hiking paths can be overgrown and hard to follow and very easy to get lost amongst the forested parts below the tree-line
- there are no tea houses (although some do have huts)
- you have to BYO tent
- you have to BYO food, cooking gear and water
- for multi-day hikes, may need to place secured food drops yourself along the way via car or other means
- you will need to BYO a method of managing toileting waste (eg. shovel or plastic bags or tubes to bring it back home with you)
- you will need to BYO hand cleaning method for after toileting
- you will need to bring water sterilisation option and enough fuel for your cooking needs
- it often rains and blizzards can happen unpredictably any time of year
- hiking in cold wet conditions requires a very different approach to hiking in dry snow conditions
- if you get wet, you will die from hypothermia quickly once you stop moving unless you can get yourself dry quickly and getting wet can be from your own perspiration or your shelter being compromised - there are no tea houses to dry off in!
- you should bring a strong hiking umbrella and a method of lighting an emergency wood fire
- many of these are very remote from civilisation or other hikers and help may take many hours even if you have a SOS beacon
- if you are silly enough not to have a reliable method with which to call for help, or, you fall and cannot call for help, it may take many days or weeks before anyone finds you
- you can be in major trouble if you injure your ankle or step on a snake and get bitten (because you are not wearing boots and thick gaiters)
- in Winter, most alpine roads are closed to vehicles
- all this means a much heavier back pack you have to carry
- examples
- NSW:
- Victoria:
- bush walks in the Grampians Grampians Peak Walk - unlikely to have snow though
- Tasmania:
- Cradle Mountain
- Walls of Jerusalem
New Zealand alpine hiking
Patagonia alpine hikes
- these hikes have similar elevations as in Australia of around 1000-1300m
- the tallest peak is Cerro Torre at 3128m elevation and is located on the border dividing Argentina and Chile
- Patagonia, Chile
- peak season is October to April but summer (December–February) is also very busy
- shoulder seasons October–November and March–April offer fewer crowds and beautiful scenery, but some services may be limited
- main gateways are Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales in Chile via flight from Santiago
- reservations and permits are required for camping and refugios, especially on the W and O Circuits - requires careful planning for refugios and campsites
- Full Circuit Trek (also known as the 'O' Circuit)
- one of the best multi-day hikes in Patagonia for experienced hikers
- complete loop around the Paine range, the challenging John Gardner Pass (1200-1300m elevation), then breathtaking views of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field
- 7-9 days, 120km, ~4,151 – 4,971 meters (13,618 – 16,309 feet) of total ascent and ~4,250 meters (13,945 feet) of descent
- Torres del Paine W Trek
- 4 day trek but most of this route can be done in three separate day hikes and can be very busy with lots of tourist hikers
- highest elevation 2,854 ft to 3,900 ft (870 m to 1,190 m) at the famous Mirador Las Torres Base viewpoint
- iconic spots like the Towers, French Valley, and Grey Glacier
- also the national park has an intricate network of lesser-known day hikes;
- Carretera Austral
- winds its way down southern Chile connecting over 20 national parks
- Tierra del Fuego
- best accessed on a challenging multi-day hike, wild camping
- Patagonia, Argentina
- peak season is October to April but summer (December–February) is also very busy
- shoulder seasons October–November and March–April offer fewer crowds and beautiful scenery, but some services may be limited
- main gateway is El Calafate (via flight from Buenos Aires)
- Los Glaciares & the FitzRoy Range
- El Chalten is the usual destination town to access these mainly 4-8 hour day hikes and is a charming and very walkable town
- compared with Torres del Paine, it is more adventurous, rugged and flexible, with more freedom to explore (Torres del Paine comes with more structure, designated trails, and stricter rules) and incredible mountain views right from town
- requires entry permit / pass allows backpacking to camps like Poincenot and C.B. D'Agostini - camping only permitted in camp grounds
- three entry portals:
- Los Cóndores Portal
- beginning of Los Cóndores, De las Águilas, Loma del Pliegue Tumbado, and Laguna Toro trails
- Fitz Roy Base Portal
- beginning of the Torre, Fitz Roy and Chorrillo del Salto trails
- Río Eléctrico Portal
- beginning of the Piedra del Fraile trails, and alternative to Mirador del Piedras Blancas glacier, Poicenot, and Laguna de Los Tres
- day hikes from El Chalten town:
- sunrise Lago de los Tres
- Laguna Sucia
- Laguna Piedras Blancas
- Laguna Torre
- El Calafate makes an easy and worthwhile stop when traveling between Puerto Natales and El Chaltén, especially if you’re crossing between Chile and Argentina by bus
Ultra high altitude hikes
- Anapurna, Nepal
- best times: October to November or April to May
- day time max temperatures tend to be 15-23°C at the lower altitudes below 2500m, dropping below 10°C as you ascend to 4000m and below 0°C at highest sections
- fly to Khatmandu then to the picturesque town of Pokhara then bus to Besisahar (760m elevation) then car to Chame (2630m elevation)
- since 2023, everyone must now have a licenced guide and there is the option of an accredited “sherpa” to carry your gear
- you don't need tents as you stay in twin share tea houses which also can feed you - such as Dal Bhat (rice and lentils)
- you need to be fit with good worn in boots that won't give you blisters, warm layers of clothes, and you need an expensive relatively light weight sleeping bag with comfort rating to below the coldest you expect
- Anapurna Circuit
- circles the Annapurna mountains
- 12 to 22 days, and covering from 130km to 230km (80 to 143 miles) hiked anticlockwise
- starting at Chame (2630m elevation) and on the 3rd night of hike, stay for 1-2 days at Manang (3440m) to acclimatise to altitude and explore the panoramic views, monasteries and glacial lakes
- then 2 days hike up to High Camp (4600m)
- then the highlight is the crossing of Thorong La pass (5,416m/17,769 ft), the highest point of the trek - expect ice and snow
- the descent from Thorong La leads into the sacred town of Muktinath, revered by both Hindus and Buddhists. From there, the path enters the Kali Gandaki Valley, one of the world’s deepest gorges, flanked by the colossal Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massifs (?bus in this section to Tatopani at 1200m)
- ascend again to Ghorepani (2860m) before descending for final part to Nayapul (1070m) then bus back to Pokhara
- several possible detours, such as a 6 day side trip to Tilicho Lake (4920m) from Manang or a pre-sunrise ascent of Poon Hill (3210m) after Tatopani
- the latter section has been impacted by road construction and many tours now avoid this section
- can detour to the Annapurna Sanctuary then rejoin the circuit, but it’ll add days to your journey
- Anapurna Sanctuary / Annapurna Base Camp
- a high oval-shaped glacial basin surrounded by the Annapurna massif with an area of high ecological diversity
- not a circuit so you do have to return back on same route and does not have the same wow factor as the Circuit
- 13 days of 4-6hrs walking per day
- highest altitude: 4,130m (13,550ft) so less challenging than the Circuit because of this but still need to be fit
- shorter hikes
- Poon Hill-Ghorepani Trek
- has some steep ascents including a pre-dawn climb to the top of Poon Hill (3,210m/10,531ft) for a sunrise view
- passes through ethnic Magar villages with terraced farmland and trails shaded with thick woods
australia/high_altitude_hikes.txt · Last modified: 2026/08/03 01:50 by gary1