Albert Burn - Minaret Burn, 6 - 10 October 2012

Five days in beautiful country west of Lake Wanaka. With lots of fresh snow on the mountains and a poor weather forecast, this low-level route turned out to be an excellent choice. And the Albert Burn is magnificent! Day 1: Up the lower Albert Burn to Albert Burn Hut. Day 2: On to the river flats at the head of the valley. Day 3: Over Minaret Saddle in a snow storm, and big thanks to an overhang that provided a sheltered campsite at the head of the Minaret Burn! Day 4: Down the Minaret Burn to a campsite on the shore of Lake Wanaka, at the mouth of the Rumbling Burn. Day 5: Out to West Wanaka Station and the suspension bridge over the Matukituki River via the Minaret Burn Track. Party: Jen MacLeod and Danilo Hegg

Trip map. 1 grid square = 1km. Left click on map then select "Sizes -> Original" in bottom right corner of screen to view full size
A most embarrassing start to the trip: I had asked for permission to walk up the lake shore to the mouth of the Albert Burn, and while I was denied access because of lambing, I was offered a boat ride across with the station manager. Imagine my surprise when I showed up at Camp Creek and his brother-in-law arrived by helicopter! Could I turn down the ride?!
Jen was first across the lake. Apparently the conversation went roughly as follows: Pilot "Do you know which one the Albert Burn is?" Jen "No". Pilot (who lives in Canterbury) "Me neither". Well Jen was dropped off in the correct valley, albeit 2km above the lower gorge, which means we had to walk back down to check it out...
Thanks so much for the courtesy, you guys went waaay beyond your call of duty, you're absolutely awesome!
Albert Burn Lake Wanaka New Zealand R22 Robinson 22 Southern Alps Tramping helicopter Albert Burn Minaret 004
Albert Burn Hut
Albert Burn Albert Burn Hut New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Albert Burn Minaret 013a
Albert Burn Hut
Albert Burn Albert Burn Hut New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Albert Burn Minaret 028a
Meat Safe Flat, with peaks pt 1930m and pt 1828m above the Alber Burn North Branch
Albert Burn Meat Safe Flat New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping meat safe Albert Burn Minaret 033
Old meat safe at Meat Safe Flat, Albert Burn
Meat Safe Flat New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping meat safe Albert Burn Minaret 035
Albert Burn
Albert Burn New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Albert Burn Minaret 037a
View into the Albert Burn North Branch from the top forks (pt 588m)
Albert Burn New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Albert Burn Minaret 046a
First chataract above top forks in the Albert Burn
Albert Burn New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping chataract Albert Burn Minaret 052 Edit
Looking down into the Albert Burn top forks
Albert Burn Mount Jumbo New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Albert Burn Minaret 063a
To the rock climbers out there, this crag (100m+ high) looks pretty mean!
Albert Burn New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping bluff cliff Albert Burn Minaret 067
View down the Albert Burn (HDR Photograph)
Albert Burn New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Albert Burn Minaret 079a
Albert Burn: view down valley towards Mt Jumbo
Albert Burn Mount Jumbo New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Albert Burn Minaret 089a
Mount Jumbo (1945m, left) and unnamed peak pt 1836m (right), Albert Burn
Albert Burn Mount Jumbo New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Albert Burn Minaret 113 Edit
Albert Burn: view up valley from the end of the track. The route continues past the scrubby gorge, then up the valley (not visible) that comes in from the left
Albert Burn New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Albert Burn Minaret 117a
Albert Burn: view down valley from the S-bend chataract
Albert Burn New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Albert Burn Minaret 126
Albert Burn: spot Jennifer as she works her way up and around the S-bend chataract
Albert Burn New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping chataract Albert Burn Minaret 141a
Unnamed Peak 1996m and Dragonfly Peak (2165m) above the top flats in the Albert Burn South Branch
Albert Burn Dragonfly Peak New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Albert Burn Minaret 145 Edit
Unnamed Peak 1996m and Dragonfly Peak (2165m) above the top flats in the Albert Burn South Branch
Dragonfly Peak New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Albert Burn Minaret 150 Edit
The next morning, about to leave camp at the head of the Albert Burn South Branch
Albert Burn New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping camp campsite tent Albert Burn Minaret 156
A-frame hut in the Minaret Burn. Wet lens! But we were wet through to the bones...
Aframe Aframe hut Minaret Burn New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping hut Albert Burn Minaret 159a
Minaret Burn, view down valley from the lower hut
Minaret Burn New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Albert Burn Minaret 176a
Minaret Burn, lower hut
Minaret Burn New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping hut Albert Burn Minaret 179 Edit
Minaret Burn, lower hut
Minaret Burn New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping hut Albert Burn Minaret 187
Minaret Burn, lower hut
Minaret Burn New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping hut Albert Burn Minaret 188
Minaret Burn, lower hut
Minaret Burn New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping hut Albert Burn Minaret 189
Lake Wanaka from the Minaret Burn Track. Mou Waho island on the left
Lake Wanaka Minaret Burn Track Mou Waho New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Albert Burn Minaret 201a
View of Lake Wanaka from the Minaret Burn Track
Lake Wanaka Minaret Burn Track Mou Waho New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Albert Burn Minaret 202
An elf and a fairy on the Minaret Burn Track
Minaret Burn Track New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping tree tussock tussock Albert Burn Minaret 214
Niggerhead (Carex secta). Minaret Burn Track, Lake Wanaka
Minaret Burn Track New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping tree tussock Albert Burn Minaret 222
Niggerhead (Carex secta). Minaret Burn Track, Lake Wanaka
Lake Wanaka Minaret Burn Track New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping tree tussock Albert Burn Minaret 224a
$Diffraction at the Matukituki River bar. Spot the physics teachers!$
Diffraction at the Matukituki River bar. Spot the physics teachers!
Lake Wanaka Matukituki River Minaret Burn Track New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping bar diffraction river bar waves Albert Burn Minaret 231