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

Lindsay Peaks (left) and Mount Brewster from the ridge between Mt Cameron and Mt Burke.
Maori Saddle Douglas 402 Aotearoa Haast Pass Lindsay Peaks Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Brewster Mount Burke Mount Cameron New Zealand Tramping
Mt Burke and the Lindsay Peaks from the high benches at the head of the Fish River West Branch.
Maori Saddle Douglas 409 Aotearoa Fish River Haast Pass Lindsay Peaks Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Burke Mount Cameron New Zealand Tramping
View down the Fish River to Mt Kaye and Tent Peak (both in the distance).
Maori Saddle Douglas 414 Aotearoa Fish River Haast Pass Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Kaye New Zealand Tent Peak Tramping
On the benches at the head of the Fish River West Branch. Mount Burke is top left; Mount Brewster at centre image.
Maori Saddle Douglas 418a Aotearoa Fish River Haast Pass Lindsay Peaks Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Brewster Mount Burke New Zealand Tramping
Cave wētā / tokoriro (Miotopus richardsae) female nymph. Blue River, Mt Aspiring National Park.
Maori Saddle Douglas 030 Aotearoa Blue River Fauna Haast Pass Makarora Miotopus richardsae Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Notoplectron Tramping cave weta cave wētā insect tokoriro wildlife
From Miotopus richardsae
Pantopsalis listeri adult males in combat. Blue River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Maori Saddle Douglas 032 Aotearoa Blue River Fauna Haast Pass Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Neopilionidae New Zealand Pantopsalis listeri Tramping arachnid harvestman wildlife
From Pantopsalis listeri
Cave wētā / tokoriro (Pleioplectron caudatum) male. Blue River, Mt Aspiring National Park.
Maori Saddle Douglas 040 Aotearoa Blue River Fauna Haast Pass Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Pleioplectron caudatum Tramping cave weta cave wētā insect tokoriro wildlife
From Pleioplectron caudatum
Looper moth (Hydriomena hemizona). Blue River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Maori Saddle Douglas 042 Aotearoa Blue River Fauna Geometridae Haast Pass Hydriomena hemizona Lepidoptera Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping insect moth wildlife
From Hydriomena hemizona
Harvestman (Family Neopilionidae), adult male. Blue River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Maori Saddle Douglas 045 Aotearoa Haast Pass Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park Neopilionidae New Zealand Tramping harvestman
From Unidentified Neopilionidae
Ground wētā (Hemiandrus maculifrons) adult female. Blue River, Mt Aspiring National Park.
Maori Saddle Douglas 052 Aotearoa Blue River Fauna Haast Pass Hemiandrus maculifrons Makarora Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Tramping ground weta ground wētā insect weta wildlife wētā
From Hemiandrus maculifrons