Lennox Pass - Turret Ridge, 8 - 9 November 2014
We set off up the Rees River from Muddy Creek car park on Saturday, and on the track to Kea Basin, which we left at 630m of elevation. After crossing Lennox Creek's spectacular chasm, we climbed to Lennox Pass and descended into the head of the Earnslaw Burn. We spent the night at a rock bivvy on the true left of the Earnslaw Burn, just above the bushline.
On Sunday we climbed over Turret Ridge, which we crossed just north of Pt 1749m. We then descended on the true right of the River Jordan to Paradise.
Party: Aaron Whitehead, Susan Lilley, Di Liddell, Rob Porteous, Danilo Hegg.
En route from Kea Basin track to Lennox Pass
LennoxPassTurretRidge006New ZealandRees RiverRees ValleySouthern AlpsTramping
Lunch stop at Lennox Creek
LennoxPassTurretRidge007GorgeLennox CreekNew ZealandSouthern AlpsTrampingchasm
Lennox Creek chasm upstream of the crossing point
LennoxPassTurretRidge009GorgeLennox CreekNew ZealandSouthern AlpsTrampingchasm
Lunch stop at Lennox Creek
LennoxPassTurretRidge012GorgeLennox CreekNew ZealandSouthern AlpsTrampingchasm
Creeping ourisia (Ourisia caespitosa). Lennox Creek, Rees Valley
LennoxPassTurretRidge016Creeping ourisiaFloraInvertebrateLennox CreekNew ZealandOurisia caespitosaRees ValleySouthern AlpsTrampingflyinsectsoldier fly
Male large hover fly (Melangyna novaezelandiae) on creeping ourisia (Ourisia caespitosa). Lennox Creek, Rees Valley
LennoxPassTurretRidgeCreeping ourisiaFloraInvertebrateLennox CreekNew ZealandOurisia caespitosaRees ValleySouthern AlpsTrampingflyinsectMelangyna novaezelandiaehover flylarge hover fly
Creeping ourisia (Ourisia caespitosa). Lennox Creek, Rees Valley
LennoxPassTurretRidge025Creeping ourisiaFloraLennox CreekNew ZealandOurisia caespitosaRees ValleySouthern AlpsTramping
Just below the crossing, Lennox Creek precipitates into a deep chasm
LennoxPassTurretRidge028GorgeLennox CreekNew ZealandSouthern AlpsTrampingchasm
Lennox Creek and the route to access the crossing point from the north. This is about 100m upstream of the elbow in the river at the 800m contour. The descent through the bluffs is reasonably steep.
LennoxPassTurretRidge030GorgeLennox CreekNew ZealandSouthern AlpsTrampingchasmroute topo
View into the head of the Rees Valley and Twenty Five Mile Creek from the slopes below Lennox Pass. Lochnagar is on the far right.
LennoxPassTurretRidge047LochnagarNew ZealandRees RiverRees ValleySouthern AlpsTrampingTwenty Five Mile Creek
Richardson Mountains: Lochnagar (2316m, left) and Pt 2290m (right) from the slopes below Lennox Pass. Big Devil Creek is below Pt 2290m.
LennoxPassTurretRidge050Big Devil CreekLochnagarNew ZealandRichardson MountainsSouthern AlpsTramping
Richardson Mountains: Little Devil Creek and the Centaur Peaks from the slopes below Lennox Pass.
LennoxPassTurretRidge052Centaur PeaksLittle Devil CreekNew ZealandRichardson MountainsSouthern AlpsTramping
On the slopes below Lennox Pass. Mount Clarke in the background
LennoxPassTurretRidge053Forbes MountainsMount ClarkeNew ZealandSouthern AlpsTramping
The Rees River, Twenty Five Mile Creek and Big Devil Creek from Lennox Pass.
LennoxPassTurretRidge060Big Devil CreekForbes MountainsLennox PassNew ZealandRees RiverRees ValleyRichardson MountainsSouthern AlpsTrampingTwenty Five Mile Creek
Mount Earnslaw / Pikirakatahi (East Peak) and Black Peak from Lennox Pass.
LennoxPassTurretRidge065aBlack PeakForbes MountainsLennox PassMount EarnslawNew ZealandPikirakatahiSouthern AlpsTramping
Richardson Mountains: Little Devil Creek and the Centaur Peaks from the slopes below Lennox Pass.
LennoxPassTurretRidge068Centaur PeaksLittle Devil CreekNew ZealandRichardson MountainsSouthern AlpsTramping
Arthurs Creek and Mount Ferguson (in cloud) from Lennox Pass
LennoxPassTurretRidge073Arthurs CreekLennox PassMount FergusonNew ZealandRichardson MountainsSouthern AlpsTramping
View into the head of the Rees Valley from Lennox Pass. Mount Cunningham is just right of centre image, with Mount Aspiring (top in cloud) further back.
LennoxPassTurretRidge074Forbes MountainsLennox PassMount AspiringMount CunninghamNew ZealandRees RiverRees ValleySouthern AlpsTramping
Mount Earnslaw / Pikirakatahi and Black Peak from Lennox Pass.
LennoxPassTurretRidge078Black PeakEarnslawMount EarnslawNew ZealandPikirakatahiSouthern AlpsTramping
Walking the 'Mount Earnslaw Highway' on Lennox Pass
LennoxPassTurretRidge081Black PeakEarnslawLennox PassMount EarnslawNew ZealandPikirakatahiSouthern AlpsTramping
Walking the 'Mount Earnslaw Highway' on Lennox Pass
LennoxPassTurretRidge083Black PeakEarnslawLennox PassMount EarnslawNew ZealandPikirakatahiSouthern AlpsTramping
Mount Earnslaw / Pikirakatahi and Black Peak from the ridge north of Lennox Pass.
LennoxPassTurretRidge091Black PeakEarnslawMount EarnslawNew ZealandPikirakatahiSouthern AlpsTramping
On the ridge north of Lennox Pass, in front of Mount Earnslaw / Pikirakatahi and Black Peak.
LennoxPassTurretRidge094Black PeakEarnslawMount EarnslawNew ZealandPikirakatahiSouthern AlpsTramping
The head of the Earnslaw Burn. Mount Earnslaw / Pikirakatahi above
LennoxPassTurretRidge096Earnslaw BurnEarnslaw GlacierMount EarnslawNew ZealandPikirakatahiSouthern AlpsTramping
Looking down the Earnslaw Burn from the slopes below Lennox Pass. Turret Ridge is at centre image
LennoxPassTurretRidge107Earnslaw BurnLennox PassNew ZealandSouthern AlpsTrampingTurret Ridge
Our home for the night - a rock bivvy just above bushline, on the true left of the Earnslaw Burn. Nowhere nearly as good as the main one 500m further down-valley, it's a nice place to stay in fine weather, and it has better views.
LennoxPassTurretRidge117Earnslaw BurnNew ZealandRock bivvySouthern AlpsTrampingbivvy rockrock biv
Turret Head from our rock bivvy at the head of the Earnslaw Burn.
LennoxPassTurretRidge119Earnslaw BurnNew ZealandRock bivvySouthern AlpsTrampingTurret Headbivvy rockrock biv
Spaniard (Aciphylla spp.) at the head of the Earnslaw Burn. Mount Earnslaw / Pikirakatahi in the background.
LennoxPassTurretRidge122AciphyllaEarnslawEarnslaw BurnEarnslaw GlacierMount EarnslawNew ZealandPikirakatahiSouthern AlpsTrampingspaniard
On the slopes leading to Turret Ridge from the Earnslaw Burn. Mount Earnslaw / Pikirakatahi in the background
LennoxPassTurretRidge127EarnslawEarnslaw BurnEarnslaw GlacierMount EarnslawNew ZealandPikirakatahiSouthern AlpsTrampingTurret Ridge
Location of the upper Earnslaw Burn rock bivvy
LennoxPassTurretRidge132Earnslaw BurnNew ZealandRock bivvySouthern AlpsTrampingbivvy rockrock biv
Location of the upper Earnslaw Burn rock bivvy
LennoxPassTurretRidge133Earnslaw BurnNew ZealandRock bivvySouthern AlpsTrampingbivvy rockrock biv
Mount Earnslaw / Pikirakatahi and Black Peak at the head of the Earnslaw Burn.
LennoxPassTurretRidge135Black PeakEarnslawEarnslaw BurnEarnslaw GlacierForbes MountainsMount EarnslawNew ZealandPikirakatahiSouthern AlpsTramping
Turret Head, Mount Earnslaw / Pikirakatahi and Black Peak at the head of the Earnslaw Burn.
LennoxPassTurretRidge138Black PeakEarnslawEarnslaw BurnEarnslaw GlacierForbes MountainsMount EarnslawNew ZealandPikirakatahiSouthern AlpsTrampingTurret Head
The southern end of Turret Ridge (Pt 1670m) and Lake Wakatipu from Pt 1749m. Diamond Lake is at the right edge of the image
LennoxPassTurretRidge140Diamond LakeLake WakatipuNew ZealandSouthern AlpsTrampingTurret Ridge
Lake Wakatipu, Mount Alfred and Diamond Lake from Pt 1749m, Turret Ridge. Tooth Peak and Mount Bonpland are on the skyline
LennoxPassTurretRidge141Diamond LakeLake WakatipuMount AlfredMount BonplandNew ZealandSouthern AlpsTooth PeakTrampingTurret Ridge
Lake Wakatipu, Mount Alfred and Diamond Lake from Pt 1749m, Turret Ridge. The Rees River flows into the image from the left; the Dart River from the right. Paradise is at the head of Diamond Lake.
LennoxPassTurretRidge146Dart RiverDiamond LakeLake WakatipuMount AlfredNew ZealandParadiseRees RiverSouthern AlpsTrampingTurret Ridge
Lake Sylvan, Sugarloaf, Route Burn and Dart River from Pt 1749m, Turret Ridge
LennoxPassTurretRidge150Dart RiverLake SylvanNew ZealandRoute BurnSouthern AlpsSugarloafTrampingTurret Ridge
Dart River, Lake Unknown and Mount Nox from Pt 1749m, Turret Ridge. Chinamans Bluff is at centre image.
LennoxPassTurretRidge151Chinamans BluffDart RiverLake UnknownMount NoxNew ZealandSouthern AlpsTrampingTurret Ridge
View from Pt 1749m, Turret Ridge: Mount Earnslaw / Pikirakatahi and Black Peak at the head of the Earnslaw Burn.
LennoxPassTurretRidge155Black PeakEarnslawEarnslaw BurnEarnslaw GlacierForbes MountainsMount EarnslawNew ZealandPikirakatahiSouthern AlpsTrampingTurret Ridge
View from Pt 1749m, Turret Ridge: Rees River and Lake Wakatipu. Tooth Peak is on the right.
LennoxPassTurretRidge157Lake WakatipuNew ZealandRees RiverSouthern AlpsTooth PeakTrampingTurret Ridge
Lake Wakatipu, Mount Alfred and Diamond Lake from Pt 1749m, Turret Ridge. Tooth Peak and Mount Bonpland are on the skyline
LennoxPassTurretRidge160Diamond LakeLake WakatipuMount AlfredMount BonplandNew ZealandSouthern AlpsTooth PeakTrampingTurret Ridge
Turret Ridge route topo
LennoxPassTurretRidge162New ZealandSouthern AlpsTrampingTurret Ridgeroute topo
Gallery comments