Lake Quill tops - Sutherland Sound, 17 - 27 January 2011 - Southern Alps Photography

Lake Quill tops - Sutherland Sound, 17 - 27 January 2011

An honest Fiordland trip - 11 days of wilderness, thick bush, rain, and steep terrain. And one of the most exciting alpine traverses I've ever tackled. Our route: Day 1: Eglinton River to the Glade Burn via Dore Pass. Day 2: On the Milford Track up the Clinton River to the Nicholas Cirque. Day 3: MacKinnon Pass. The promised fine weather did not arrive... Day 4: MacKinnon Pass again. And down to the Nicholas Cirque once more. Day 5: Mount Hart, in rain; we retreated to a campsite at 1380m of elevation on the ridge above MacKinnon Pass. Day 6: The fine weather has finally arrived! Only 3 days late... We sidled under Aiguille Rouge and the Nicholas Peaks, climbed Couloir Peak and camped by a beautiful unnamed lake above Lake Quill. Day 7: Ascents of Mt MacKenzie and unnamed peak 1885m, then down into the head of the Light River East Branch. Day 8: Sutherland Sound, then Lake Dale. Day 9: Over the tops into the head of Staircase Creek. Appalling weather. Day 10: Down Staircase Creek on the true right with the river in full flood. Day 11: On the Milford Track down the Arthur River to Milford Sound. Party: James Thornton, George O'Sullivan, Raphaëlle Brin, Danilo Hegg.

Looking down the Arthur River into Milford Sound from unnamed peak 1885m. Mt Tutoko and Mt Madeline are visible on the horizon; Mt Elliot stands out near the right edge of the picture.
Arthur River Fiordland Milford Sound Mount Elliot New Zealand Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 333
George and Raph approaching the summit of unnamed peak 1885m. Light - Dark Saddle and unnamed peak 1682m behind.
Dark River Fiordland Light River New Zealand Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 348
George descending unnamed peak 1885m. Castle Mount and Barrier Peak dominate the horizon.
Barrier Peak Castle Mount Couloir Peak Fiordland Lake Quill New Zealand Nicholas Peaks Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 361
View from Mt MacKenzie: Lake Quill and the unnamed lake above. Mt Elliot, Mt Wilmur, Mt Hart and Aiguille Rouge are visible in the background.
Aiguille Rouge Fiordland Lake Quill Mount Elliot Mount Hart Mount Wilmur New Zealand Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 365
Couloir Peak. A steep crack gives access to the summit.
Couloir Peak Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 376
A steep rubble gully gives access to Mt MacKenzie from the head of the Light River East Branch. This was our descent route.
Fiordland Light River Mount MacKenzie New Zealand Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 379
A part of an airplane (?) we found at the head of the Light River. Ironically, just as we were about to tackle the steepest part of the descent through the bluffs.
Fiordland Light River New Zealand Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 383
Abseiling through scrubby bluffs at the head of the Light River East Branch.
Fiordland Light River New Zealand Tramping abseil abseiling Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 386
Light River East Branch. Red line indicates our descent route through the bluffs.
Fiordland Light River New Zealand Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 390a
The slope we had originally planned to descend into the head of the Light River East Branch. A 50m bluff with steep slabs above (CB08 806239) forced us to find an alternative route.
Fiordland Light River New Zealand Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 395a
Light River
Fiordland Light River New Zealand Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 401
Light River. Approaching Sutherland Sound.
Fiordland Light River New Zealand Sutherland Sound Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 406
Sutherland Sound
Fiordland New Zealand Sutherland Sound Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 412
Sutherland Sound. The Twin Sisters and unnamed peak 1885m above.
Fiordland New Zealand Sutherland Sound Tramping Twin Sisters Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 418
Sutherland Sound. This photograph really sums up our trip: 11 days of sunbathing, lying on a beach and doing nothing...
Fiordland New Zealand Sutherland Sound Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 429
The 60m waterfall at the bottom of the Light River Main Branch
Fiordland Light River New Zealand Tramping Waterfall Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 431
Lake Dale, Light River
Fiordland Lake Dale Light River New Zealand Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 441
Lake Dale, Light River
Fiordland Lake Dale Light River New Zealand Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 444
The lake at the head of Staircase Creek
Fiordland New Zealand Staircase Creek Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 449
At the head of Staircase Creek
Fiordland New Zealand Staircase Creek Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 459
An overhang gave us providential shelter for a dry lunch in a flooded Staircase Creek
Fiordland New Zealand Staircase Creek Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 461
And the view from the overhang...
Fiordland New Zealand Staircase Creek Tramping flood Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 462
Staircase Creek
Fiordland New Zealand Staircase Creek Tramping flood Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 469
Back on the Milford Track. The Sutherland Falls track was closed due to flooding. Of course, we came to the barricade from behind...
Arthur River Fiordland Milford Track New Zealand Sutherland Falls Tramping Lake Quill tops Sutherland Sound 478