Mount Townsend

Mount Townsend
Dawn on Mount Townsend, viewed from Watson's Crags, October 2011. Photo by Leigh Blackall
Elevation	2,209 m (7,247 ft) AHD
Prominence	189 m (620 ft)
Listing	Seven Second Summits
Location
Location	New South Wales, Australia
Range	Snowy Mountains
Coordinates	36°25′22″S 148°15′31″E / 36.42278°S 148.25861°E / -36.42278; 148.25861Coordinates: 36°25′22″S 148°15′31″E / 36.42278°S 148.25861°E / -36.42278; 148.25861
Climbing
Easiest route	Hike or ski

Mt. Townsend

Location in New South Wales

Mount Townsend is the second highest peak of mainland Australia. Located in Kosciuszko National Park in the Snowy Mountains (part of the Great Dividing Range), Mount Townsend is 3.68 kilometres (2.29 mi) north of Australia's highest mainland peak, Mount Kosciuszko.

Although lower than Mount Kosciuszko, Mount Townsend has a more craggy peak and is arguably more dominant than the relatively round-topped Mount Kosciuszko. Due to ease of climbing Mount Kosciuszko, and the much lower accessibility of Mount Townsend, a tradition has emerged of each person who climbs Mount Townsend carrying a rock from the bottom in the pack, and leaving it at the top, with the goal of making Mount Townsend the taller of the two relatively similar in height peaks.

The names of Mount Townsend and Mount Kosciuszko were originally attached to the other mountains. Measurements of the peaks originally called by those names showed Kosciuszko to be slightly lower than its neighbour, and rather than re-educating the populace that the highest mountain was Mount Townsend, the names were transposed by the New South Wales Lands Department, so that Mount Kosciuszko was re-named Townsend and vice-versa. ^[1]

References

1. ^ "Mountain systems of Australia". Year Book Australia, 1901-1909. Australian Bureau of Statistics. http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/6a446874c613a955ca2569e300158043. 

External links

• Peakbagger.com: Mount Townsend