Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

maximus
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Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby maximus » Thu Feb 18, 2010 2:55 pm

A few mates in work are toying with the idea of a weekend in Jindabyne with a ride up Kosciusko on road bikes.

Has anyone done this? As far as we can tell the paved road ends around Charlottes Pass and the remainder is gravel track/walking track. Would it be possible to use cyclocross tyres on a road bike to get through this?

Thanks in advance for your help! :D

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JV911
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby JV911 » Thu Feb 18, 2010 3:18 pm

see here

not sure how far the paved road goes up kosci though
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madrapper
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby madrapper » Thu Feb 18, 2010 3:39 pm

Well it's been a few years since I've done it (and I had a mountain bike) but from what I recall you shouldn't have too much trouble with cross tyres.

Having said that - I've ridden it in November and February - and have come across a significant amount of snow near Seaman's Hut. I'll try and find some pics next week if i get the chance.
Cheers,
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Pax
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby Pax » Thu Feb 18, 2010 8:18 pm

Did it in Nov 2008 and doing it again on March 20th. It is a great ride.

The ride up Kozzi is all paved and good road surface as far as Charlotte's Pass, then there is a final few K of gravel.

The gravel was pretty rough when I went up there, but I suspect that the condition changes depending on the recent weather and traffic volume so someone who has been up more recently than me will need to fill you in. IMO Cyclocross tyres on a Road bike would be possible but not comfortable and not fast. PLUS you'd need to be cautious especially with any speed on coming back down if you don't want to risk wrecking your wheels.

Link to more info re the Sea 2 Summit rides from Merimbula to the top of Mt Kozzi

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=23620

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Ross
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby Ross » Fri Feb 19, 2010 8:47 pm

I'd heard that bikes (specifically MTBs) are now banned from the gravel track that leads to the summit of Mt K, due to damage to the environment.

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Pax
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby Pax » Fri Feb 19, 2010 9:04 pm

Ross wrote:I'd heard that bikes (specifically MTBs) are now banned from the gravel track that leads to the summit of Mt K, due to damage to the environment.
That is true actually, you can ride the gravel from Charlotte's Pass to Rawsons Pass, but have to leave the bikes there and walk the final 1 or 2 k.

Ozchuck
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby Ozchuck » Mon Feb 22, 2010 11:29 am

Oh man, I'm so jeaaaalous :D
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bella26
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby bella26 » Mon Feb 22, 2010 1:11 pm

Pax wrote: That is true actually, you can ride the gravel from Charlotte's Pass to Rawsons Pass, but have to leave the bikes there and walk the final 1 or 2 k.
Yep that is true. As for the path from Charlotte's Pass to Rawsons Pass. You wouldn't want to do it on road tires but cyclocross tyres would prob be sufficient. I walked up there last week and the path is relatively smooth throughout although there are some rough rocky sections towards the crossing of the Snowy River (about 2-3kms before Rawsons Pass). Still cyclocross tyres should handle this ok. The worst part of the track are the waterbars - really lose your momentum riding up those! Of course these will be nothing with what you face riding up to Charlotte's pass in the first place!

As for timing you certainly don't want to be doing it either side of the winter season. I've walked the bike up through snow in late Oct before and there are regular snowfalls preceeding the winter season which would also see the track from Charlottes out of bounds to a degree.

To be honest with you the summit of Mt Kosciuszko is nothing super special - it really is like a glorified rounded hill which happens to be the highest of a few peaks in Australia. Add to that the pain in the butt of having to leave your bikes at Rawson's pass and then walking up the rest of the way and then maybe you might want to just stop the ride at Charlottes Pass.(a monumental effort in itself!) Still I can see the appeal of getting to Australia's highest peak so if you are keen go for it - just be sure to fit cyclocross tyres(unless of course you are after a Paris Roubaix like experience! :D ) and get ready to walk up to the top of the summit!
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maximus
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby maximus » Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:48 am

Thanks for all the info!

I think at this stage we will wait to after the winter and aim for November time. We have even emailed the Sea 2 Summit people to discuss how you register etc.

I dont know if I could cycle 200km before I climb Kosciusko!! :shock:

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Pax
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby Pax » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:48 pm

Oh mate, I think you'll find that it is too late to register for S2S for this year...but don't quote me on that, I am not very involved with the organising of the event, so maybe it can happen.

Doing the 200k prior to Mt K certainly made that final 40 k of climbing hard, but satisfying to achieve. Getting excited that it is only about 10 days away now...problem is that I am sick...hope it is only a cold and I am good by mid next week at the latest :cry:

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Ross
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby Ross » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:05 pm

I rode up to Charlottes Pass (the end of the bitumen) on the weekend. Challenging ride. The first half of the ride up to the toll gates is the hardest, it flattens out a bit after that and is then undulating for the rest of the way.

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rob e
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby rob e » Fri Mar 12, 2010 8:55 am

^ i found the ride home to Jindabyne was pretty tiring actually, there are a few big rollers to get over on the way home :lol:

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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby BRLVR.v2 » Wed Jul 10, 2013 10:02 pm

Anyone done this in recent times?? Curious about it.

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find_bruce
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby find_bruce » Wed Jul 10, 2013 10:18 pm

It's a bit chilly there right now, but back in February I rode from Charlottes Pass to Rawsons Pass, towing my little boy in a trailer on cyclocross tyres. Had to walk in 2 or 3 spots due to traction limitations but that was mainly due to the trailer.

The ride from Jindy to Charlottes is much tougher

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Purt
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby Purt » Wed Jul 10, 2013 11:20 pm

BRLVR.v2 wrote:Anyone done this in recent times?? Curious about it.
Recent as in a year or 2 ago. Rode from Charlotte Pass to the top of Kosciusko on the mountain bike. Easily doable on a cyclocross bike. Just take a lock and walk the last 2k or so as there's some tricky steps. Was fine at the bottom but completely freezing at the top, sleeting. Pretty nice ride, not sure I'd want to walk it.

hez
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby hez » Tue Mar 21, 2017 7:31 pm

hi,
has somebody ridden this recently?
do you have to actually leave the bicycles there or are you allowed to push them to the top (walking, not riding) ?

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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby ironhanglider » Tue Mar 21, 2017 9:45 pm

hez wrote:hi,
has somebody ridden this recently?
do you have to actually leave the bicycles there or are you allowed to push them to the top (walking, not riding) ?
Pushing the bike to the top for what reason? It would be a massive pain in the proverbial for nothing more than a photo.

Take a photo of your bike at Rawsons with the big K in the background, then walk to the top and take another couple of photos.

It is not even as if it is Australia's highest peak.

Cheers,

Cameron

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queequeg
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby queequeg » Sun Mar 26, 2017 5:49 pm

hez wrote:hi,
has somebody ridden this recently?
do you have to actually leave the bicycles there or are you allowed to push them to the top (walking, not riding) ?
Jono E is a bit of a legend for this:-

https://www.strava.com/activities/867112606
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hez
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby hez » Fri Apr 07, 2017 9:02 am

ironhanglider wrote:
hez wrote:hi,
has somebody ridden this recently?
do you have to actually leave the bicycles there or are you allowed to push them to the top (walking, not riding) ?
Pushing the bike to the top for what reason? It would be a massive pain in the proverbial for nothing more than a photo.

Take a photo of your bike at Rawsons with the big K in the background, then walk to the top and take another couple of photos.

It is not even as if it is Australia's highest peak.

Cheers,

Cameron
Hi Cameron,
Because i dont like to leave my bicycle there all by herself... or take a lock with me all the climb.
Thank you
Cheers

hez
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby hez » Fri Apr 07, 2017 9:10 am

queequeg wrote:
hez wrote:hi,
has somebody ridden this recently?
do you have to actually leave the bicycles there or are you allowed to push them to the top (walking, not riding) ?
Jono E is a bit of a legend for this:-

https://www.strava.com/activities/867112606
470km and 9000m climb!!! :O
No wonder why he's a legend!

hez
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby hez » Fri Apr 07, 2017 9:15 am

We are going by car close to the park and then take our gravel bikes with the cyclocross tires on and climb the mount up to the place where you are supposed to leave the bicycles. The idea is to end walking to the very top (last 1.5km) , take the pictures and go back to the car.
How many km is that? And m of climb? Do you think we'll get a find if we get caught walking with our bicycles that last segment?
Where is the closest place to leave the car outside the park (avoid paying the 16$)?

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find_bruce
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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby find_bruce » Fri Apr 07, 2017 11:50 am

I believe the last place to park outside the National Park is when you cross the Thredbo river (Pallaibo walk) - 32km & 1,150m of climbing on the sealed road to Charlotte Pass, then a further 16km & 322m climbing on the gravel to Rawson Pass.

Don't underestimate the effort involved - Jono E (strava link above) is a very strong rider (in case you didn't figure that from a 470km ride) & it took him 3:08 to ride that 48 km

Don't think there will be any issue with walking your bikes.

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Re: Cycling up Mount Kosciusko

Postby hez » Fri Apr 07, 2017 12:42 pm

find_bruce wrote:I believe the last place to park outside the National Park is when you cross the Thredbo river (Pallaibo walk) - 32km & 1,150m of climbing on the sealed road to Charlotte Pass, then a further 16km & 322m climbing on the gravel to Rawson Pass.

Don't underestimate the effort involved - Jono E (strava link above) is a very strong rider (in case you didn't figure that from a 470km ride) & it took him 3:08 to ride that 48 km

Don't think there will be any issue with walking your bikes.
jono is not very strong, he is a hero!
We plan on doing it the Easter Sunday and It looks it's going to snow as well... I think our only option is to go by car until Charlotte pass .. I pay 16$ very happily to avoid those km and meters climb on the cx tires for sure.

Climbing the highest mountain in Australia with snow on gravel bikes is epic enough for me... I will tell you how it goes if we succeed.

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