Tate to Anton

This overnight snowshoe trip focuses on exploring the high peaks of the Snowy Mountains between Mt Tate and Mt Anton. Weather permitting, it offers sweeping views, breath-taking in their immensity, across snow mantled mountains, deep valleys and the distant plains.  Starting at Guthega Village the route crosses the Snowy River at Guthega Dam and ascends to Guthega Trig (1859m), a strenuous climb of about 280m over 1.6km through scattered stands of snow gums. Passing beyond the tree line onto the exposed wind-swept slopes of the high mountains, the climb becomes gentler heading north to the crest of the Great Dividing Range at Consett Stephen Pass (~1900m) and from there to the summit of Mt Tate (2068m), the highest elevation of the trip. A further 5km of walking along the crest of the range, passing over or around Mann Bluff (2005m) and Mt Anderson (1997m), will bring us to Mt Anton (2010m). From Mt Anton a 400m descent over 3km takes us to the Snowy River, which we will cross at the Illawong swing bridge. After a relatively gentle 3km level walk parallel to the Snowy River we will be back at Guthega Village. Total distance about 20km with about 1000m vertical. Depending on the group’s pace, we will camp high in the mountains, probably near Mt Anderson or Mt Anton, with the relative shelter of Pounds Creek available nearby if needed. Depending on your fitness and the weather, you will probably find this walk of moderate to strenuous difficulty. Prior snowshoeing and overnight alpine bushwalking experience is desirable. Contingency: If weather conditions deteriorate, or if the pace of the group is too slow, we will return to Guthega Dam by way of Gills Knob, reducing the total trip to about 13km and 700m of vertical.