I Took Ten Strangers Overnight Hiking to The Top of Australia

With one daring idea – hiking with complete strangers – Courtney discovered the transformative bond that shared experiences in the great outdoors can create. And she captured the entire experiment on film.

We acknowledge that this adventure is located on Ngarigo Nation, the traditional land of the Ngarigo people who have occupied and cared for this land for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Why hike with strangers?

When I first discovered backpacking it felt like I had cracked the code to becoming a fully formed, independent, self-sufficient adult. After weeks of contemplation, I finally lugged a borrowed 80-litre pack through the Budawangs for a poorly planned one-night adventure. I survived it, though I questioned every passer-by’s intentions, played countless rounds of ‘stick or snake’ (most were snakes) and got lost in the trees for just enough time for panic to set in. 

It was amazing. 

And though I was enamoured by this newfound love, there was a distant envy for the groups of friends I had seen on the trail. I felt indignant that I hadn’t had anyone to make the journey less daunting. I wondered, had I not been a female in her early twenties, would I have tried this earlier?

A few years on and hiking comes as naturally as sleeping. Slowly I have found community and the hurdles that initially felt almost impossible get smaller with every kilometre. But what if other girls didn’t have to face them at all?

This was the birth of my most epic or potentially dumbest idea yet.

The Planning

About a month ago I stood in Haige Park in Canberra’s CBD with a sign asking women if they would go hiking with strangers. Most said no. One accused me of being a murderer (fair) but a few gave me their email addresses. After following this up with a post on Facebook, I had a complete crew of ten perfect strangers. 

I never imagined so many people would express interest

Planning this hike I was acutely aware of the trust I was asking for from each participant. I planned a popular route and to meet in a public place to try and create some form of comfort in the unknown. I also knew that having people to go with was just one of many obstacles when getting into outdoor activities, so I arranged gear for those who needed it and organised food packages for each of us.

My friends and family thought it was crazy. I thought it was brilliant – until the night before I was set to leave when it dawned on me just how many ways this could all go wrong.

The Hike Begins

It turns out my post had reached people not only in Canberra but from Queensland and Victoria too. So after a few hours of logistics, carpooling, and one interstate flight, we all met for the very first time at the bakery in Jindabyne and it was instant bubbly, giggly, excitement.

We hiked the Main Range Route in Kosciuszko National Park.I watched the girls help one another rock hop across the Snowy River, simultaneously encouraging and teasing. 

Ten minutes in and conversation was already flowing quicker than the river

Conversations were polite and inquisitive, and despite the distance the steep incline created between the group, we frequently stopped and reconvened to snack and chat. Finally, reaching Blue Lake just after lunch, tiny colourful figures traced unique routes to the lake before running into the water without hesitation. We sat and ate lunch in the sun. It was refreshing to slow down, see the faces of our fellow hikers, and take a break to admire the scenery.

It was amazing how quickly the group settled into a rhythm

As we pushed on towards our camp for the night the weather shifted, fog reduced visibility to zero, and it got cold and windy. Voices got quieter and the group separated into smaller conversations. Arriving at Wilkinsons Creek, we set up our tents in a defensive wall against the wind, huddling in the middle to eat our dinner.

Despite the cold, we laughed and talked for hours, cheeks sore, and voices hoarse by the time we tucked in for the night. Some of the girls shared tents to stay warm though they had each packed their own.

En Route to The Summit

When I say complete strangers, there was one exception. I had invited a friend, who was a yogi in training, and she had agreed to lead a flow before we got walking the next morning. After an acknowledgement of country and a slow gentle stretch to the sound of birds singing, we started the day with a shared sense of gratitude and stillness.

This was a trip of firsts: first time hiking in snow, first time hiking overnight, first time hiking in a big group…

However, as we got closer to the top the group grew rowdier, we crossed long snow traverses, cheered for hikers and trail runners moving in the opposite direction and finally… through cheers and whoops and so much laughter, reached the summit.

By now, we had spent 36 hours together at most. We had new names (trail names), new personal jokes, new skills, and new lifelong friendships.

Can you believe we were strangers once?

It’s hard to say whether things would have gone as well with a different group of ten people. Perhaps walking through harsh conditions and sharing experiences of awe are the special sauce to deep connection and it would be just as awesome with any random bunch of ten.

Either way, this weekend made it clear that not only could other girls – strangers! – allow you to feel safer and more confident to take on adventure, but that there are an abundance of women just waiting for someone to ask.