This alpine day walk will set forth from Charlotte Pass (1835m) and follow the Mt Stilwell walking track 1.9km above the tree line to the summit of Mt Stilwell (2054m). Along the way, and from the top, there will be panoramic views across the Snowy River Valley to the Main Range, including Mt Kosciuszko. From Mt Stilwell we will head off track, continuing up Kangaroo Ridge to a high point (2077m) on the Rams Head Range overlooking the Thredbo Valley. We will continue along the exposed range to Stilwell Restaurant. Lunch is strictly BYO as the restaurant, once the highest in Australia, has not been open for 50 years. The ruins are part of a chairlift that operated during the winter of 1964 and 1965 between the Thredbo Valley and Charlotte Pass. High winds caused operational difficulties and the operators had great difficulty rescuing passengers if the chair broke down. As the chairlift traversed remote thickly wooded areas on the Rams Head Range, passengers were at great risk of death by exposure (which occurred at least once). After lunch, we will follow Trapyard Creek down through beautiful unburnt stands of gnarled old snow gums and across Johnnies Plain to Spencers Creek carpark (1730m). This walk is weather dependent. In 2015, the ANUMC cancelled its booking at Stilwell Restaurant when the group turned back after Mt Stilwell in the face of driving icy rain and low visibility. Total distance will be about 10km (+320m vertical). There will be no pre-trip meeting for this bushwalk. Arrangements will be made by phone/email.
As per the trip dscription