KNP - Hunter View

A trip to Hunter View from the cage trap above Dainers gap.

- - Spring 2024 #1 of 6 : Dainers gap - Hunter view - return.
Distance : 3 km return.
Walking conditions : Snowgrass walking.
Notes : The naming of this rise is sourced from the map in 'George Petersons Kosciusko'. In this book, Mr Peterson has recorded much of the history of the areas around the Hotel Kosciusko, as it was known in those days. He was present during the 1951 fire that destroyed the Hotel, and so witnessed the end of an era. Sponars chalet is the surviving section of what was once a large collection of buildings. The inner cover of Mr Petersons book (actually a compilation of his writings for the 'Ski Year Book') has a wonderful hand drawn map of this area. Comparing it to topographic maps of today, the map is surprisingly accurate. The marking for the Hunter view is slightly to the right of the high point that I visit in this video, but I am pretty sure that it was written there because there wasn't enough space to write it in more to the left. The rise is so prominent that It surely must be the one named. Pretty point is also a little offset. Cross referencing this with a Gregorys map from the same era (Cooma library), this all seems correct. Back then all these places, Alpine view, Pretty point, Hunter view, and the Plains of Heaven were visited by tourist groups on horseback in summer and ski parties in winter.
Percy Hunter first visited the Kosciuszko summit in the summer of 1901, before the road was built. Later in his position with the Government tourist board he promoted the Kosciuszko area for many years.
Just for added confusion, I often refer to the 'Hunter view ridge', and that is because it is a long ridge line which can be crossed in many places, as opposed to the summit, the highest point on the ridge, which would be the actual 'Hunter view'.