Kosciuszko NP - Snowy River

A walk along the Upper Snowy river.
Autumn 2024 #5 : Twin bridges to Foremans crossing.
Distance : Probably 5 km.
Walking conditions : Alpine meadows, creek crossings and rock hopping.
Notes : Water levels in the Snowy river flutuate fairly predicably over the yearly cycle. Especially during the snow melt, the river is a mighty beast capable of full-on torrents. But in the period beyond summer, the water has a mostly a gentle flow and many rounded boulders become exposed along the creek bed. In late Autumn, the levels are usually very low, and this is the time I would attempt such a passage.
Two weeks before this walk, I did a reccy along the river bed, going upstream from the Foremans crossing. The way was mostly easy because of the very low water level. The water was so shallow that all the inner fluting in the bedrock was visible. Unfortunately the footage was ruined by my failing gimbal. A week later there was a minor snowfall which dusted the tops with a frosting of pure white. After another week, I tried the passage again, this time using a downstream approach, with the result being this video. The water was only slightly higher, but the second trip was much more arduous than the first, requiring a fair amount of side tracking to complete the passage. Areas that were a breeze to get through in the first trip became formidable on the second, especially at the waterfalls. There isn't much snowgrass on the edges of the river in the central section, and there are many hidden rocks and gaps beneath the masses of heath. Also, the nature of rock-hopping leads eventually to tired legs, and fitness is a definite factor. The second trip was probably twice as hard as the first, with the water only a little higher. I should have waited a bit longer, another week would have been enough. That said, It was an excellent trip.
Though it would be near impossible to get out there after a big rain, the Snowy river would be an impressive sight in high water.