With no dry season and a mild summer, the Alps are green for almost nine months of the year and are the perfect place for all manner of outdoor mountain activity.

Horseback riding
There are plenty of places for visitors to climb into the saddle and explore the Alps. In the north, horse riding is popular on the National Bicentennial Trail which crosses the length of Alps (actually, all the way from Cooktown in Queensland to Healesville, Victoria).
Other popular areas for riding include northern Kosciuszko National Park with its many dedicated horse camps; several riding centres near Jindabyne; Mt Beauty, Craigs and Razorback huts near Mansfield; Dinner Plain near Mt Hotham; and of course, in the country around Snowy River National Park (where the legend of The Man From Snowy River was born).


Flying
Reach even higher altitudes and experience the thrill of paragliding, microlighting or hang-gliding over the Alps. For a bird’s eye view of the Kiewa or Ovens River Valley gorges or northern Kosciuszko National Park hop aboard a power glider or micro-light. For a bird’s eye view of Canberra, take a hot-air balloon ride, or for classic peaks try a helicopter trip over the mountains near Mansfield. For the more daring, try a tandem paragliding flight from Mystic Hill near Bright, or Mt Buffalo.


Mountain biking
Pedal a mountain bike along the downhill trails around Thredbo and Falls Creek where chairlifts operate throughout the summer months or enjoy cross-country mountain biking at Mt Hotham and Dinner Plain. Head off-road on the region’s hundred’s of kilometres of fire trails to explore the backcountry or for a less arduous trip, cycle around picturesque towns on gentle bike paths. Classic rides include the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail in the Ovens River Valley, Victoria; the mountain bike routes from Charlotte Pass to Mt Kosciuszko, or down to Cascade Hut in the Pilot Wilderness, in NSW; and the downhill and cross-country mountain bike courses at Stromlo Forest Park (home of the 2009 World Championships), near Canberra, Thredbo, Mount Beauty, Mt Buller.


Walking
One of the best ways to appreciate the complex and ever-changing flora and fauna of the region is by strapping on a backpack and sampling one of the hundreds of walking tracks. Challenge yourself on part of the 650 km Australian Alps Walking Track, which winds through Victoria, NSW and the ACT. Few tackle the whole track but smaller trips, such as across the Bogong High Plains to Mt Hotham, make great overnight or multi-day walks.
Classic short walks include the 4 km return Yerrabi Track, in Namadgi NP; in Kosciuszko National Park, the well-formed tracks from Thredbo top station or Charlotte Pass to Mt Kosciuszko’s 2228 m summit (13 km and 18 km return respectively), and from Charlotte Pass to stunning Blue Lake (10 km return); and in Victoria, the Gorge Heritage Walk in Mt Buffalo NP (2.5 km return), among others.


Fishing
King and Rose rivers and Lake William Hovell, in Alpine National Park have superb alpine fishing. Trout fishing takes place year round in Eucumbene and Jindabyne lakes and Tantangara reservoir in NSW; try your luck at angling a Macquarie or golden perch, Murray cod, or brown and rainbow trout from October to May.
Other great fly-fishing trips take in the Thredbo, upper Murray, Murrumbidgee, Howqua, Mitta Mitta and Kiewa rivers. For more leisurely fishing trips, drop a line in mountain water storage lakes such as Blowering, Talbingo, Tantangara, Dartmouth and Eildon.


Abseiling/ Rock climbing
Enjoy the thrills of rock climbing and abseiling in the high country of the Alps. Try multi-pitch abseiling with freefall at Mt Buffalo. For some exceptional caving, Buchan Cave Reserve in the Snowy Mountains is some of the best in the country. Abseiling the granite tors above Thredbo are also spectacular; as are the boulders of Booroomba Rocks.


Canoeing and paddling
For those looking for thrills in rafts and kayaks, the Snowy River is popular (water levels permitting). Guided group tours run on several fast-flowing sections of Alps streams, including the Gates of Hell on the upper Murray River, The Graveyard on the Mitta Mitta River and the Three Stager on the Thomson River. River flows are usually best during the spring snow melt.