Maori Saddle - Douglas Saddle, 4 - 11 January 2020

Solo trip in beautiful but rough country in Mt Aspiring National Park.

4 November: Drive from Dunedin, and walk up the Blue River to a campsite south of Mt Bertha.
5 November: Another 4km up the Blue River. Rain.
6 November: Short walk to a campsite at the head of the Blue River. More rain.
7 November: Attempt at Eyetooth via the exposed ramp at the head of the Blue, aborted because of hard frozen snow conditions. Crossing of Maori Saddle into the Burke River.
8 November: Up a spur on the true right of Change Creek to a high camp under Douglas Saddle. Rain.
9 November: Attempt at getting to Topsey Saddle, abandoned due to very steep, eroding terrain. Crossing of Douglas Saddle into Howe Creek.
10 November: Over Pt 1620m into the Fish River West Branch.
11 November: Over the shoulder of Mt Cross to Haast Pass / Tioripatea

Maori Saddle - Douglas Saddle trip map. 1 grid square = 1km. Left click on map to launch zoom icon, left click again to see full size map.
Blue River. Mount Aspiring National Park.
Maori Saddle Douglas 004 Aotearoa Blue River Haast Pass Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping river
Blue River. Mount Aspiring National Park.
Maori Saddle Douglas 007 Aotearoa Blue River Haast Pass Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping river
Blue River flats
Maori Saddle Douglas 009 Aotearoa Blue River Haast Pass Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping river river flats
Blue River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Maori Saddle Douglas 065 Aotearoa Blue River Haast Pass Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping
Blue River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Maori Saddle Douglas 070 Aotearoa Blue River Haast Pass Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping
Blue River valley head. Eyetooth top left, Mt Actor on right.
Maori Saddle Douglas 082 Aotearoa Blue River Eyetooth Haast Pass Makarora Mount Actor Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping
Eyetooth (top left) at the head of the Blue River.
Maori Saddle Douglas 090 Aotearoa Blue River Eyetooth Haast Pass Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping
Blue River valley head
Maori Saddle Douglas 097 Aotearoa Blue River Haast Pass Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping
View down the Blue River from the ramp under Eyetooth.
Maori Saddle Douglas 102 Aotearoa Blue River Douglas Saddle Eyetooth Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Bertha Mount Dana New Zealand Topsey Tramping
View down the Blue River from the ramp under Eyetooth. Maori Saddle route topo
Maori Saddle Douglas 102a Aotearoa Blue River Douglas Saddle Eyetooth Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Bertha Mount Dana New Zealand Topsey Tramping route topo
Maori Saddle, Douglas Saddle, Mt Dana and Mt Bertha from the ramp underneath Eyetooth.
Maori Saddle Douglas 127 Aotearoa Blue River Douglas Saddle Eyetooth Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Bertha Mount Dana New Zealand Tramping
Eyetooth across the Blue River from the slopes below Maori Saddle
Maori Saddle Douglas 140 Aotearoa Blue River Eyetooth Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping
Eyetooth across the Blue River from the slopes below Maori Saddle
Maori Saddle Douglas 148 Aotearoa Blue River Eyetooth Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping
Eyetooth across the Blue River from the slopes below Maori Saddle
Maori Saddle Douglas 153 Aotearoa Blue River Eyetooth Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping
View of Douglas Saddle (at centre image) from Maori Saddle. Mt Stuart is directly above; Mt Dana on left and Mt Bertha on right.
Maori Saddle Douglas 158 Aotearoa Douglas Saddle Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Bertha Mount Dana Mount Stuart New Zealand Okuru River Tramping
Maori Saddle and Mount Actor
Maori Saddle Douglas 173 Aotearoa Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Actor Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping
Maori Saddle and Mount Actor
Maori Saddle Douglas 188 Aotearoa Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Actor Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping
Mt Argos acrpss Atom Creek from Maori Saddle
Maori Saddle Douglas 193 Aotearoa Atom Cree Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Argos Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping
Eyetooth from Maori Saddle
Maori Saddle Douglas 198 Aotearoa Blue River Eyetooth Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping
Eyetooth from Maori Saddle
Maori Saddle Douglas 203 Aotearoa Blue River Eyetooth Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping
Eyetooth from Maori Saddle
Maori Saddle Douglas 208 Aotearoa Blue River Eyetooth Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping
Looking down the Okuru River from the slopes of Maori Saddle. On the skyline are Mount Dana, Douglas Saddle, Mt Stuart, Mt Bertha.
Maori Saddle Douglas 213 Aotearoa Douglas Saddle Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Bertha Mount Dana Mount Stuart New Zealand Okuru River Tramping
The upper Okuru River flats from the slopes of Maori Saddle. On the skyline are Mount Dana, Douglas Saddle, Mt Stuart, Mt Bertha.
Maori Saddle Douglas 223 Aotearoa Douglas Saddle Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Bertha Mount Dana Mount Stuart New Zealand Okuru River Tramping
Steep slopes below Maori Saddle on the Okuru side
Maori Saddle Douglas 228 Aotearoa Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping
Descending from Maori Saddle into the Okuru River
Maori Saddle Douglas 238 Aotearoa Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Okuru River Tramping
Okuru River and Mt Actor
Maori Saddle Douglas 243 Aotearoa Haast Pass Makarora Mount Actor Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Okuru River Tramping
Okuru River and Mt Actor
Maori Saddle Douglas 248 Aotearoa Haast Pass Makarora Mount Actor Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Okuru River Tramping
Okuru River flats campsite. Mount Dana, Douglas Saddle and Mt Bertha above.
Maori Saddle Douglas 253 Aotearoa Douglas Saddle Haast Pass Hilleberg Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Bertha Mount Dana New Zealand Okuru River Tramping camp campsite tent
Douglas Saddle from the west
Maori Saddle Douglas 257 Aotearoa Douglas Saddle Haast Pass Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Okuru River Tramping
Douglas Saddle from the Okuru River flats. Mount Dana on left; Mount Bertha on right.
Maori Saddle Douglas 260a Aotearoa Douglas Saddle Haast Pass Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Bertha Mount Dana New Zealand Okuru River Tramping
Okuru River campsite. Maori Saddle, Eyetooth and Mount Actor above.
Maori Saddle Douglas 279 Aotearoa Eyetooth Haast Pass Hilleberg Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Actor Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Okuru River Tramping camp campsite tent
Okuru River campsite. Maori Saddle, Eyetooth and Mount Actor above.
Maori Saddle Douglas 283a Aotearoa Eyetooth Haast Pass Hilleberg Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Actor Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Okuru River Tramping camp campsite tent
Okuru River campsite. Maori Saddle, Eyetooth and Mount Actor above.
Maori Saddle Douglas 288a Aotearoa Eyetooth Haast Pass Hilleberg Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Actor Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Okuru River Tramping camp campsite tent
Maori Saddle, Eyetooth and Mt Actor from the Okuru River flats.
Maori Saddle Douglas 296 Aotearoa Eyetooth Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Actor Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Okuru River Tramping
On Douglas Saddle, looking towards Mount Dana (in cloud).
Maori Saddle Douglas 300 Aotearoa Douglas Saddle Haast Pass Howe Creek Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Dana New Zealand Okuru River Tramping
The Okuru River flats from Douglas Saddle. Maori Saddle and Mount Actor (in cloud) above.
Maori Saddle Douglas 310 Aotearoa Douglas Saddle Haast Pass Makarora Maori Saddle Mount Actor Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Okuru River Tramping
View down the Okuru River from Douglas Saddle.
Maori Saddle Douglas 315 Aotearoa Douglas Saddle Haast Pass Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Okuru River Tramping
Howe Creek river flats, looking up valley.
Maori Saddle Douglas 320a Aotearoa Haast Pass Howe Creek Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Bertha New Zealand Tramping
Howe Creek river flats, looking down valley. The pass to the Fish River West Branch is at centre image; Mount Burke on left and Mount Cameron on right.
Maori Saddle Douglas 351 Aotearoa Haast Pass Howe Creek Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Burke Mount Cameron New Zealand Tramping
Howe Creek river flats, looking down valley. The pass to the Fish River West Branch is at centre image; Mount Burke on left and Mount Cameron on right.
Maori Saddle Douglas 361 Aotearoa Haast Pass Howe Creek Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Burke Mount Cameron New Zealand Tramping
View up Howe Creek from the NW spur of Mt Cameron. Mount Bertha is left of centre image; Mount Dana on right.
Maori Saddle Douglas 366 Aotearoa Haast Pass Howe Creek Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Bertha Mount Cameron Mount Dana New Zealand Tramping
View up Howe Creek from the NW spur of Mt Cameron. Mount Bertha is at centre image.
Maori Saddle Douglas 369 Aotearoa Haast Pass Howe Creek Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Bertha Mount Cameron New Zealand Tramping
View across Howe Creek from the NW spur of Mt Cameron. Citheron is at centre image.
Maori Saddle Douglas 372 Aotearoa Citheron Haast Pass Howe Creek Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Cameron New Zealand Tramping
View down Howe Creek and into Cowan Creek from the NW spur of Mt Cameron. On the skyline are Mt Diomede, Mt Campbell, Heave-up.
Maori Saddle Douglas 379 Aotearoa Cowan Creek Haast Pass Heave Up Howe Creek Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Cameron Mount Campbell Mount Diomede New Zealand Tramping
View down Howe Creek and into Cowan Creek from the NW spur of Mt Cameron. On the skyline are Mt Diomede, Mt Campbell, Heave-up, Mount Abrupt, Mount Peaceful.
Maori Saddle Douglas 389 Aotearoa Cowan Creek Haast Pass Heave Up Howe Creek Makarora Mount Abrupt Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Cameron Mount Campbell Mount Diomede Mount Peaceful New Zealand Tramping
The summit of Mount Cameron from the north-west
Maori Saddle Douglas 396 Aotearoa Haast Pass Howe Creek Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Cameron New Zealand Tramping
The Keystone and Mt Burke from the NW spur of Mt Cameron
Maori Saddle Douglas 399 Aotearoa Haast Pass Howe Creek Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Burke Mount Cameron New Zealand The Keystone Tramping

Southern Alps Photography

Maori Saddle - Douglas Saddle, 4 - 11 January 2020

Gallery comments

Rob Seeley