Caples - Greenstone Tracks, 25 - 28 September 2014

Duke of Edinburgh trip with a group of nine Otago Boys' High School students.
We walked the Caples Track first, starting on the shore of Lake Wakatipu and spending the first night at Mid Caples Hut. On the second day we continued over McKellar Saddle to Lake McKellar Hut. On the third day we walked the Greenstone Track to Greenstone Hut, then out the next day with a brief visit to Slip Flat Hut.

Trip map. 1 grid square = 1km. Left click on map then select "Sizes -> Original" in bottom right corner of screen to view full size.
View of Tooth Peak from the lower Caples River
Caples Greenstone 002 Caples River Caples Track Duke of Edinburgh Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Thomson Mountains Tooth Peak Tramping Wakatipu
Brand new Mid Caples Hut
Caples Greenstone 005 Caples Track Duke of Edinburgh Mid Caples Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu hut
Brand new Mid Caples Hut
Caples Greenstone 007 Caples Track Duke of Edinburgh Mid Caples Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu hut
Brand new Mid Caples Hut
Caples Greenstone 009 Caples Track Duke of Edinburgh Mid Caples Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu hut
Campsite at Mid Caples Hut, Caples Track
Caples Greenstone 032 Caples River Caples Track Duke of Edinburgh Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu camping campsite tent
Brand new Mid Caples Hut
Caples Greenstone 040 Caples Track Duke of Edinburgh Mid Caples Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu hut
Early morning at Mid Caples Hut. Pt 1760m rises above the lower Caples valley
Caples Greenstone 041 Ailsa Mountains Caples River Duke of Edinburgh Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu
Early morning at Mid Caples Hut. Pt 1760m rises above the lower Caples valley
Caples Greenstone 045a Ailsa Mountains Caples River Duke of Edinburgh Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu
On the Caples Track just east of McKellar Saddle.
Caples Greenstone 058 Caples Track Duke of Edinburgh McKellar Saddle Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu
Lake McKellar, Greenstone River. Jean Batten Peak top left
Caples Greenstone 090 Ailsa Mountains Duke of Edinburgh Greenstone River Greenstone Track Jean Batten Peak Lake McKellar Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu
Juvenile raukawa (Raukaua edgerleyi). Lake McKellar, Greenstone Track
Caples Greenstone 094 Duke of Edinburgh Flora Greenstone Track Lake McKellar Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Raukaua edgerleyi Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu plant raukawa
Juvenile raukawa (Raukaua edgerleyi). Lake McKellar, Greenstone Track
Caples Greenstone 096 Duke of Edinburgh Flora Greenstone Track Lake McKellar Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Raukaua edgerleyi Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu plant raukawa
McKellar Hut (Greenstone Track), with Pt 1999m (Ailsa Mountains) above
Caples Greenstone 102 Ailsa Mountains Duke of Edinburgh Greenstone Track McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu hut
Pt 1999m (Ailsa Mountains) above McKellar Hut, Greenstone Track
Caples Greenstone 107 Ailsa Mountains Duke of Edinburgh Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu
McKellar Hut emergency procedures
Caples Greenstone 155 Duke of Edinburgh McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu emergency procedures handbook manual
Chemical spills are a very common 'disaster' in backcountry huts. Burnt porridge on the kitchen table?
Caples Greenstone 156 Duke of Edinburgh McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu emergency procedures handbook manual
In the event of snow... do not go sightseeing!
Caples Greenstone 157 Duke of Edinburgh McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu emergency procedures handbook manual
At times, it can be difficult to tell a real DoC warning sign from an OUTC prank. This one's real. Sigh!
Caples Greenstone 153 Duke of Edinburgh McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu emergency procedures handbook manual
Planarian (Newzealandia spp.) on beech tree trunk. McKellar Hut, Greenstone Track.
Caples Greenstone Duke of Edinburgh Fauna Greenstone Track Invertebrate McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu flatworm planarian Newzealandia
Moss beetle (Family Byrrhidae) - so shiny, it reflects the moss like a mirror! McKellar Hut, Greenstone Track
Caples Greenstone 119 Duke of Edinburgh Fauna Greenstone Track McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu beetle insect scarab beetle
Moss beetle (Family Byrrhidae). McKellar Hut, Greenstone Track
Caples Greenstone 125 Duke of Edinburgh Fauna Greenstone Track McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu beetle insect scarab beetle
Cockroach (Celatoblatta notialis) male. McKellar Hut, Greenstone Track.
Caples Greenstone Duke of Edinburgh Fauna Greenstone Track McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu cockroach insect native bush cockroach Celatoblatta notialis
Cockroach (Celatoblatta notialis) male. McKellar Hut, Greenstone Track.
Caples Greenstone Duke of Edinburgh Fauna Greenstone Track McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu cockroach insect native bush cockroach Celatoblatta notialis
Cockroach (Celatoblatta notialis) male. McKellar Hut, Greenstone Track.
Caples Greenstone Duke of Edinburgh Fauna Greenstone Track McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu cockroach insect native bush cockroach Celatoblatta notialis
Springtail (Collembola). McKellar Hut, Greenstone Track
Caples Greenstone 139 Collembola Duke of Edinburgh Fauna Greenstone Track Invertebrate McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu springtail
Land snail (Phacussa spp.). McKellar Hut, Greenstone Track
Caples Greenstone Duke of Edinburgh Fauna Greenstone Track Invertebrate McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping gastropod land snail mollusc snail Wakatipu Charopidae Phacussa
Land snail (Phacussa spp.). McKellar Hut, Greenstone Track
Caples Greenstone Duke of Edinburgh Fauna Greenstone Track Invertebrate McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping gastropod land snail mollusc snail Wakatipu Charopidae Phacussa
Land snail (Phacussa spp.). McKellar Hut, Greenstone Track
Caples Greenstone Duke of Edinburgh Fauna Greenstone Track Invertebrate McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping gastropod land snail mollusc snail Wakatipu Charopidae Phacussa
Smooth hard-bodied harvestman (Nuncia sp.). McKellar Hut, Greenstone Track
Caples Greenstone Duke of Edinburgh Greenstone Track Invertebrate McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Nuncia Opiliones Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu arachnid harvestman smooth hardbodied harvestman Triaenonychidae triaenonychid harvestmen Triaenonychid harvestman
Crossing the bridge over the Greenstone River by McKellar Hut
Caples Greenstone 189 Duke of Edinburgh Greenstone River Greenstone Track McKellar Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu bridge hut
Silver beech / tawhai (Lophozonia menziesii). Greenstone River
Caples Greenstone 195 Duke of Edinburgh Flora Greenstone River Greenstone Track Lophozonia menziesii Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Nothofagus menziesii Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu silver beech tawhai tree
Silver beech / tawhai (Lophozonia menziesii). Greenstone River
Caples Greenstone 197 Duke of Edinburgh Flora Greenstone River Greenstone Track Lophozonia menziesii Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Nothofagus menziesii Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu silver beech tawhai tree
Copper tussock (Chionochloa rubra subsp. cuprea). Greenstone River
Caples Greenstone 199 Chionochloa rubra Duke of Edinburgh Flora Greenstone River Greenstone Track Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu copper tussock red tussock tussock
Copper tussock (Chionochloa rubra subsp. cuprea). Greenstone River
Caples Greenstone 210 Chionochloa rubra Duke of Edinburgh Flora Greenstone River Greenstone Track Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu copper tussock red tussock tussock
Copper tussock (Chionochloa rubra subsp. cuprea). Greenstone River
Caples Greenstone 217a Chionochloa rubra Duke of Edinburgh Flora Greenstone River Greenstone Track Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu copper tussock red tussock tussock
Copper tussock (Chionochloa rubra subsp. cuprea). Greenstone River
Caples Greenstone 221a Chionochloa rubra Duke of Edinburgh Flora Greenstone River Greenstone Track Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu copper tussock red tussock tussock
Copper tussock (Chionochloa rubra subsp. cuprea). Greenstone River
Caples Greenstone 223a Chionochloa rubra Duke of Edinburgh Flora Greenstone River Greenstone Track Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu copper tussock red tussock tussock
A small side creek on the Greenstone Track
Caples Greenstone 227 Duke of Edinburgh Greenstone River Greenstone Track Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu creek
Greenstone River
Caples Greenstone 231 Duke of Edinburgh Greenstone River Greenstone Track Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu
Yellow pine (Halocarpus biformis) shrubland in the Greenstone Valley, at the Steele Creek confluence
Caples Greenstone 233 Duke of Edinburgh Flora Greenstone River Greenstone Track Halocarpus biformis Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Steele Creek Tramping Wakatipu Yellow pine
Yellow pine (Halocarpus biformis) shrubland in the Greenstone Valley, at the Steele Creek confluence
Caples Greenstone 235 Duke of Edinburgh Flora Greenstone River Greenstone Track Halocarpus biformis Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Steele Creek Tramping Wakatipu Yellow pine
Yellow pine (Halocarpus biformis) branchlets. Greenstone River, at the Steele Creek confluence
Caples Greenstone 246 Duke of Edinburgh Flora Greenstone River Greenstone Track Halocarpus biformis Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Steele Creek Tramping Wakatipu Yellow pine
Yellow pine (Halocarpus biformis) branchlets. Greenstone River, at the Steele Creek confluence
Caples Greenstone 255 Duke of Edinburgh Flora Greenstone River Greenstone Track Halocarpus biformis Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Steele Creek Tramping Wakatipu Yellow pine
Yellow pine (Halocarpus biformis). Greenstone River, at the Steele Creek confluence
Caples Greenstone 260 Duke of Edinburgh Flora Greenstone River Greenstone Track Halocarpus biformis Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Steele Creek Tramping Wakatipu Yellow pine
Steele Creek Lodge, Greenstone Valley
Caples Greenstone 271 Duke of Edinburgh Greenstone River Greenstone Track Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Steele Creek Steele Creek Lodge Tramping Wakatipu
The river flats above the bend in the Greenstone River
Caples Greenstone 275 Duke of Edinburgh Greenstone River Greenstone Track Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu
The river flats above the bend in the Greenstone River
Caples Greenstone 282 Duke of Edinburgh Greenstone River Greenstone Track Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wakatipu