Guthega, NSW
28.5 km (8 hrs )
★★★★☆

The Schlink Trail is a management trail that connects Geehi Dam with Guthega Power Station (30 km). It is named in honour of Dr Herbet Schlink, a long term member and president of the Kosciusko Alpine Club (1909-20) and then the Ski Club of Australia (1921-62). The trail is a well graded gravel road that is easy to follow into the much less visited Jagungal Wilderness. The trail is also suitable for mountain bikes. One of the more popular hikes along the Schlink Trail is to visit the three (or four) mountain huts - Horse Camp Hut (at 4 km), Munyang Hut (8 km), Whites River Hut (9 km) and the Schlink Hilton (12 km). This makes for a long day's walk, and many hikers split the walk over two or more days.

On my hike, I decided not only to visit all of the huts, but with time to spare, ascend to the alpine meadows above Schlink Pass and make my way off track to a place called the Rolling Grounds near Whites River Hut. This part of the walk was both incredibly challenging as well as rewarding, with some stunning alpine scenery that I had all to myself. If deciding to venture off trail, make sure that you are well prepared with good navigational skills. The off trail section took on average three times longer to do per kilometre - testimony of just how difficult it can be to negotiate and navigate when you are not on a well defined track!