Lake Unknown to Serpentine Range, 3 - 11 January 2011

A wonderfully relaxed, scenic trip through the Otago Alps. Day 1: Drive from Dunedin, then over Sugarloaf Pass into the Rock Burn. Day 2: Theatre Flat, then Minos Peak, and a superb campsite perched above the bluffs overlooking Lake Unknown. Day 3: Over the shoulder of Mt Chaos into the basin between Amphion, Minos and Chaos. Day 4: Pit Day. Day 5 started with a storm that nearly destroyed our tents. As soon as the weather eased, I set off for an enjoyable scramble up Mt Chaos. Later in the afternoon we attempted the north ridge of Amphion Peak, but were turned around by a rock step we were not equipped for. Day 6: Park Pass Glacier to the low peak of Poseidon, then down to Park Pass. Day 7: Along the ridge to Lake Nerine, then North Col and onto the Serpentine Range. Day 8: Along the Serpentine Range to Mt Erebus and down to the outlet of Lake Wilson. Day 9: Out via the Valley of the Trolls to Harris Saddle and the Routeburn Track. Party: George O'Sullivan, Raphaëlle Brin, 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
Looking north from Sugarloaf Pass: Amphion Peak, Minos Peak and Mount Nox rise above the Rock Burn.
Amphion Peak Minos Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Nox New Zealand Rock Burn Southern Alps Sugarloaf Pass Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 007a
View from Sugarloaf Pass: Sir William Peak (left), Pluto Peak (right) and Pluto Col, at the head of Spaniard Valley.
Forbes Mountains Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Pluto Col Pluto Peak Sir William Peak Southern Alps Spaniard Valley Sugarloaf Pass Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 014
View into the Rock Burn from the southern slopes of Minos Peak. Somnus dominates the scene above Theatre Flat.
Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Rock Burn Somnus Southern Alps Theatre Flat Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 022a
Lake Unknown and Mount Nox from the pass south of Minos Peak. The Forbes Mountains in the background.
Forbes Mountains Lake Unknown Minos Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Earnslaw Mount Nox New Zealand Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 042a
Panorama from Minos Peak: Lake Nerine and the Darran Mountains.
Alice Peak Darran Mountains Karetai Peak Lake Nerine Minos Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Madeline Mount Parariki Mount Patuki Mount Revelation Mount Syme Mount Talbot Mount Tarewai Mount Te Wera Mount Tuhawaiki Mount Tutoko Nereus Peak New Zealand Prospector Peak Southern Alps Taiaroa Peak Tramping Waitiri Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 050a
Panorama from Minos Peak: Lake Nerine and the Darran Mountains.
Alice Peak Darran Mountains Karetai Peak Lake Nerine Minos Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Madeline Mount Parariki Mount Patuki Mount Revelation Mount Syme Mount Talbot Mount Tarewai Mount Te Wera Mount Tuhawaiki Mount Tutoko Nereus Peak New Zealand Prospector Peak Southern Alps Taiaroa Peak Tramping Waitiri Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 050b
Nereus Peak and Lake Nerine from the summit of Minos Peak. The Darran Mountains in the background
Darran Mountains Lake Nerine Minos Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Nereus Peak New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 058
Mt Madeline and Mt Tutoko from the summit of Minos
Darran Mountains Minos Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Madeline Mount Tutoko New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 060
Amphion Peak, Poseidon Peak and Sarpedon from the summit of Minos.
Amphion Peak Minos Peak Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Poseidon Peak Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 066
Lake Unknown and Mount Nox. The Forbes Mountains behind.
Forbes Mountains Lake Unknown Minos Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Earnslaw Mount Nox New Zealand Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 101a
Mt Chaos and the bluffs above Lake Unknown.
Minos Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Chaos New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 107
Sunset over Mt Chaos and Lake Unknown
Forbes Mountains Lake Unknown Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Chaos Mount Earnslaw Mount Nox New Zealand Sir William Peak Southern Alps Sunset Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 134a
Lake Unknown and the Forbes Mountains at sunset.
Forbes Mountains Lake Unknown Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Earnslaw New Zealand Sir William Peak Southern Alps Sunset Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 144
The Forbes Mountains at sunset
Forbes Mountains Lake Unknown Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Earnslaw New Zealand Pluto Peak Sir William Peak Southern Alps Sunset Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 150
The Forbes Mountains at sunset
Forbes Mountains Lake Unknown Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Earnslaw New Zealand Pluto Peak Sir William Peak Southern Alps Sunset Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 152
Mt Chaos at sunset
Lake Unknown Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Chaos New Zealand Southern Alps Sunset Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 156
George looking into Lake Unknown. Mt Nox to the right
Lake Unknown Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Nox New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 158
Raph by the tarn east of Minos Peak
Lake Unknown Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping tarn Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 166a
Scrambling under Mt Chaos. Lake Unknown and Mt Nox in the background.
Lake Unknown Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Nox New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 175
Campsite under Minos Peak
Minos Peak Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping campsite tent Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 178
Campsite in the basin under Amphion, Minos and Chaos
Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping campsite tent Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 182
View from the summit of Mount Chaos. Minos Peak to the left, Amphion Peak at centre image and Park Pass glacier to the right.
Amphion Peak Minos Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Chaos New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 194a
Minos Peak from the slopes of Mount Chaos
Minos Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Chaos New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 204
Scramble up the west face of Mt Chaos - the top 200 metres
Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Chaos New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 217a
The north ridge of Amphion Peak, with the rock step that turned us around. George provides a sense of scale.
Amphion Peak Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 228
Poseidon Peak from the north ridge of Amphion Peak
Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Poseidon Peak Southern Alps Tramping Amphion Peak
Sarpedon and Park Pass Glacier from the north ridge of Amphion Peak
Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Sarpedon Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 282
The Forbes Mountains from the north ridge of Amphion Peak. Mount Chaos in the foreground on the far right.
Amphion Peak Forbes Mountains Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Chaos Mount Earnslaw Mount Head New Zealand Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 291a
Crumbling séracs on Park Pass Glacier
Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Southern Alps Tramping avalanche serac seracs Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 295
Tarn at the toe of Park Pass Glacier
Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Southern Alps Tramping shadow Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 299
Tarn at the toe of Park Pass Glacier
Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 319a
At the toe of Park Pass Glacier
Minos Peak Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Somnus Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 334
View from the low peak of Poseidon: Minos Peak and Amphion Peak in the foreground; Lake Wakatipu, Mt Bonpland, Momus and Somnus behind
Amphion Peak Lake Wakatipu Minos Peak Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Somnus Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 338
Poseidon Peak. Frenchmen Peak to the right, and the Darran Mountains in the background
Darran Mountains Frenchman Peak Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Poseidon Peak Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 352
Panorama from the low peak of Poseidon
Barrington Peak Bryneira Range Courtenay Peak Cow Saddle Darran Mountains Frenchman Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Te Wera Mount Thunder Mount Tutoko New Zealand Niobe Peak Paranui Peak Poseidon Peak Puketuroto Peak Skippers Range Southern Alps Tramping Welshman Peak Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 354a
Panorama from the low peak of Poseidon
Barrington Peak Bryneira Range Courtenay Peak Cow Saddle Darran Mountains Frenchman Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Te Wera Mount Thunder Mount Tutoko New Zealand Niobe Peak Paranui Peak Poseidon Peak Puketuroto Peak Skippers Range Southern Alps Tramping Welshman Peak Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 354b
Amphion Peak from the low peak of Poseidon
Amphion Peak Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Poseidon Peak Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 359
Niobe Peak from the low peak of Poseidon
Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Niobe Peak Poseidon Peak Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 361
Panorama from the low peak of Poseidon
Albert Peak Ark Climax Peak Cosmos Peaks Hedin Peak Intervention Ridge Mount Aspiring Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Earnslaw Mount Edward Mount Head Mount Ionia Mount Lydia Mount Pollux New Zealand O'Leary Peak Poseidon Peak Rob Roy Peak Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping Turret Head Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 366b
View from the low peak of Poseidon: Mt Nox and Minos Peak frame Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu Minos Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Nox New Zealand Poseidon Peak Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 374
At the toe of Poseidon's south west ridge
Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Poseidon Peak Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 379
Park Pass Glacier. Amphion Peak above; Somnus, Nereus Peak and the Darran Mountains in the background
Amphion Peak Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Somnus Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 392a
Bloody heli-walking ventures. Please let's get them out of places where they do not belong.
Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Southern Alps Tramping heliwalking helicopter Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 400
Tarn at the toe of Park Pass Glacier. Amphion Peak above
Amphion Peak Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Southern Alps Tramping tarn Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 414a
Tarn at the toe of Park Pass Glacier.
Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Southern Alps Tramping tarn Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 437
Tarn at the toe of Park Pass Glacier.
Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Southern Alps Tramping tarn Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 445
Contemplating the descent to Park Pass. Hidden Falls Creek below; the Darran Mountains in the background
Darran Mountains Hidden Falls Creek Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Park Pass Southern Alps Tramping Lake Unknown Serpentine Range 448

Southern Alps Photography

Lake Unknown to Serpentine Range, 3 - 11 January 2011

Gallery comments

Eifel Walder

Kate Chaston