Capital Brewing and Arc’teryx have partnered with Tourism Snowy Mountains, launching a project that saw athletes, Hugh Newall, Ji Sheng, Michaela Franz and Jonny Day take on the Snowies Alpine Walk.
Across 9-10 November, the athletes embarked on the 55km alpine trail located in Kosciuszko National Park in NSW, and travelled from Guthega to Charlotte Pass, then Lake Crackenback Resort.
Jonny Day, Capital Brewing’s Marketing Manager told Beer & Brewer that the collaboration showcased Capital’s ongoing involvement within the tourism industry in the Snowy Mountains.
“Capital has invested a lot in the Snowies over the years as part of our Trees for Tomorrow program in which we have planted almost 5000 native trees to help rewild the area. The Snowies will always have a place in all our hearts here at Capital as we are keen hikers, snow lovers and trail runners who have grown up in the area, so it felt only natural to support the launch of the new Snowies Alpine Walk and help drum up awareness and encourage others to experience it,” said Day.
Day reflected on some of his favourite and most memorable moments throughout his experience over the two-day hike.
“I think we were self-appointed ‘Good Vibes Officers’ but that being said, we were all smiling the whole time. The hike is so beautiful, so it’s hard not to. We also carried some beers the whole way to enjoy at moments of rest, so I guess you could also say we were in charge of hydration,” said Day.
“For me, I loved Porcupine where we snuck in some bouldering while we took a break from hiking. It’s so beautiful amongst those boulders and the views of Thredbo Valley and Main Range are spectacular. Also, the cold Capital beers at Holly Go Lightly in Jindy were also a treat.”
Sarah Brown, spokesperson for Tourism Snowy Mountains, said that the success of the project was due to the collaboration of like-minded groups.
“We’re excited to bring this unique project to life with partners who share our passion for the outdoors and adventure. With the Arc’teryx and Capital Brewing athlete team taking on this historic trek, highlighting not only their incredible athleticism but also the exceptional appeal of the Snowies Alpine Walk,” said Brown.
Capital’s involvement in the project helped enlighten people on ways in which they can get involved in supporting regional NSW by visiting the surrounding areas. Day shared his personal hiking advice for those looking to explore on their next adventure.
“Building awareness of epic trails like the Snowies Alpine Walk and encouraging people to get outdoors and amongst it is our key goal here. I hope viewers are inspired by the content and plan their next trip up to the Snowies or somewhere also fun outdoors,” he said.
“Don’t be frightened by the distance of the trail. You definitely don’t have to fast pack the whole thing like us. If you’re new to hiking, break it up into parts you can manage and soak up the beautiful scenery the Snowies has to offer.”
Local businesses Stacks Pizza, Holly Go Lightly, ESS Coffee, Snowy Mountains Shuttles and Common Kosci also supported the project, uniting to underscore the region’s strong community spirit and pride.
Day hopes to see more projects like this in the future, revealing some upcoming events and partnerships already in place.
“We have some great partnerships in place with Capital to Coast, Stromlo Running Festival and a range of other trail running and adventure companies coming up. Also hoping to do more with We Are Explorers,” he said..
A three-part series has been uploaded to Instagram to share footage from the hike and to celebrate the success of the project.