Marion Plateau - Mount Lydia, 3 - 8 January 2013

A short but enjoyable transalpine trip in Mt Aspiring National Park. Day 1: Up the Dart Track to the rock bivvy at Cattle Flat. Day 2: Across the swingbridge at Cattle Flat and up to a high camp above O'Leary Pass. Day 3: A crossing of the Marion Plateau to Boys Col and Key Dome, with an ascent of Mt Lydia on the way. We set up camp in the flats at the head of the Blue Duck River. Day 4: We explored the Blue Duck River and Key Dome, and had a look at the route through the bluffs into the Whitbourn River. Day 5: We scouted an excellent route from the head of the Blue Duck River to the swingbridge at Cattle Flat. Another night at the rock bivvy. Day 6: Out via the Dart Valley. Party: Peter Wilson, Jaz Morris, Tiffany Ann Stephens, Geoff Spearpoint, Danilo Hegg

Geoff inspects the route through the bluffs from Key Dome into the Whitbourn
Climbing Key Dome Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Whitbourn River bluffs Marion Plateau 674
On Key Dome. Peaks on the skyline are Mt Ian, Mt Tiber, Mt Amundsen, Mt Lydia
Boys Col Climbing Hamilton Glacier Key Dome Lydia Mount Amundsen Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Ian Mount Lydia Mount Tiber Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 683a
Tarn on Key Dome. Peaks on the skyline are Mt Ian, Mt Tiber, Mt Amundsen
Climbing Hamilton Glacier Key Dome Mount Amundsen Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Ian Mount Tiber Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 692
Tarn on Key Dome. Peaks on the skyline are Mt Ian, Mt Tiber, Mt Amundsen, Mt Lydia
Climbing Hamilton Glacier Key Dome Lydia Mount Amundsen Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Ian Mount Lydia Mount Tiber Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 695
Our route out of the Blue Duck River into the Dart. Up the southernmost of three dry creeks to a large boulder just below where the creek steepens, then out left on tussock shelves and ledges with good animal trails
Blue Duck River Climbing Key Dome Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping route topo Marion Plateau 702a
Mountain daisy (Celmisia verbascifolia). Key Dome, Mount Aspiring NP
Celmisia verbascifolia Climbing Flora Key Dome Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping mountain daisy Marion Plateau 706
Mountain daisy leaves (Celmisia verbascifolia). Key Dome, Mount Aspiring NP
Celmisia verbascifolia Climbing Flora Key Dome Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping mountain daisy Marion Plateau 709
Ranunculus gracilipes. Key Dome, Mount Aspiring NP
Buttercup Climbing Flora Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Ranunculus Tramping Marion Plateau Ranunculus gracilipes
Mountain pinātoro (Pimelea oreophila). Key Dome, Mount Aspiring NP
Climbing Flora Key Dome Mount Aspiring National Park Mountain pinatoro Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau Pimelea oreophila
Mountain pinātoro (Pimelea oreophila). Key Dome, Mount Aspiring NP
Climbing Flora Key Dome Mount Aspiring National Park Mountain pinatoro Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau Pimelea oreophila
Blue Duck River campsite in the evening
Blue Duck River Climbing Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping camp campsite night photography tent Marion Plateau 717
Blue Duck River campsite at night
Blue Duck River Climbing Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping camp campsite night photography starry sky stars tent Marion Plateau 731
Blue Duck River and Mount Amundsen. Key Dome is on the far right
Blue Duck River Climbing Key Dome Mount Amundsen Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 734
The impressive chasm in the lower Blue Duck River
Blue Duck River Climbing Gorge Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 738
Rainbow over Cattle Flat, Dart River, while sidling out of the Blue Duck
Blue Duck River Cattle Flat Climbing Dart River Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Rainbow Tramping Marion Plateau 748
What you do when you have too much time to kill... Cattle Flat rock bivvy, Dart River
Cattle Flat Climbing Dart River Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Rock bivvy Tramping abseil abseiling bivvy bivvy rock rock biv Marion Plateau 752
Cattle Flat rock bivvy, Dart River
Cattle Flat Climbing Dart River Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Rock bivvy Tramping bivvy bivvy rock camp oven cooking meal rock biv Marion Plateau 761
Quinns Flat, Dart River
Climbing Dart River Dart Track Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Quinns Flat Tramping Marion Plateau 762
Daleys Flat Hut, Dart River
Climbing Daleys Flat Hut Dart River Dart Track Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 776
Dredge Flat, Dart River, and Barrier Range from Sandy Bluff
Barrier Range Climbing Dart River Dredge Flat Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Sandy Bluff Tramping Marion Plateau 783
The Barrier Range from Sandy Bluff. From left to right are Johansen Peak, Nansen Peak, Chancellor and Mt Peary
Barrier Range Chancellor Climbing Dart River Johansen Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Peary Mountaineering Nansen Peak New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Sandy Bluff Tramping Marion Plateau 786
Billy on fire, Dart Track
Climbing Dart River Dart Track Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping billy camp fire fire Marion Plateau 791
Billy on fire, Dart Track
Climbing Dart River Dart Track Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping billy camp fire fire Marion Plateau 794
In beech forest down valley of Surveyor Flat in a dust storm. Dart Valley
Beech forest Climbing Dart River Dart Track Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping sand storm Marion Plateau 797