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

Trip map. 1 grid square = 1km. Left click on map then select "Sizes -> Original" in bottom right corner of screen to view full size
View up the Dart River / Te Awa Whakatipu from the road bridge. 2 January 2013 - a decent flood!
Climbing Dart River Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Te Awa Whakatipu Tramping flood Marion Plateau 010a
The next morning... flooded paddocks, and fresh snow down to bushline. Turret Head and Turret Ridge dominate the scene above Diamond Creek
Climbing Dart River Diamond Creek Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Turret Head Turret Ridge Marion Plateau 020
The team at Chinamans Bluff
Climbing Dart River Dart Track Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 025
Surveyor Flat, Dart River
Climbing Dart River Dart Track Forbes Mountains Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Surveyor Flat Tramping Marion Plateau 028
Slip Stream, right after a major rain event. From the track over Sandy Bluff, Dart Valley
Climbing Dart River Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Sandy Bluff Slip Stream Tramping Marion Plateau 034
Slip Stream, right after a major rain event. From the track over Sandy Bluff, Dart Valley
Climbing Dart River Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Sandy Bluff Slip Stream Tramping Marion Plateau 039
The Forbes Mountains above Cattle Flat, Dart Valley
Cattle Flat Climbing Dart River Forbes Mountains Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 051
Cattle Flat, Dart Valley
Cattle Flat Climbing Dart River Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 054
Lighting a fire in the rock bivvy at Cattle Flat, Dart Valley
Cattle Flat Climbing Dart River Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Rock bivvy Tramping billy bivvy bivvy rock fire rock biv Marion Plateau 058
In the rock bivvy at Cattle Flat, Dart Valley
Cattle Flat Climbing Dart River Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Rock bivvy Tramping billy bivvy bivvy rock fire rock biv Marion Plateau 065
In the rock bivvy at Cattle Flat, Dart Valley
Cattle Flat Climbing Dart River Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Rock bivvy Tramping bivvy bivvy rock rock biv Marion Plateau 071
The rock bivvy at Cattle Flat, Dart Valley
Cattle Flat Climbing Dart River Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Rock bivvy Tramping bivvy bivvy rock rock biv Marion Plateau 075
In the rock bivvy at Cattle Flat, Dart Valley. Reading time!
Cattle Flat Climbing Dart River Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Rock bivvy Tramping bivvy bivvy rock book books pit reading rock biv sleeping bag Marion Plateau 086
Tarn en route to O'Leary Pass. The Forbes Mountains in the back
Climbing Dart River Forbes Mountains Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Pass Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 089
En route to O'Leary Pass
Climbing Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Pass Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 106
En route to O'Leary Pass
Climbing Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Pass Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 110
Campsite above O'Leary Pass. Mount Head in the back
Climbing Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Head Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Pass Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 113
180 degree panorama from our campsite above O'Leary Pass.
Soundtrack: Air on the G String, by J.S. Bach
Marion Plateau 125a
Climax Peak and Destiny Peak at sunrise, from our campsite above O'Leary Pass
Climax Peak Climbing Destiny Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Pass Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 130
Climax Peak, Destiny Peak and Passchendale Peak from our campsite above O'Leary Pass
Climax Peak Climbing Destiny Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Pass Olivine Wilderness Passchendaele Peak Tramping Marion Plateau 140
The Barrier Range from our campsite on O'Leary Pass. The most prominent peaks are Albert Peak, Watkins and Mount Gates
Albert Peak Climbing Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Gates Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Pass Olivine Wilderness Tramping Watkins Marion Plateau 141
Sidling from O'Leary Pass to the Marion Plateau. Albert Peak (left) and Mt Gates (centre right) in the back
Albert Peak Climbing Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Gates Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Pass Olivine Wilderness Tramping Watkins Marion Plateau 143
Mt Victoria and the Victoria Glacier icefall from the sidle between O'Leary Pass and the Marion Plateau. Gable Peak back left
Climbing Gable Peak Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Victoria Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Pass Olivine Wilderness Tramping Victoria Glacier Marion Plateau 152
Albert Peak, Mt Gates, Climax Peak and Destiny Peak from the western slopes of Ferrier Peak
Albert Peak Climax Peak Climbing Destiny Peak Ferrier Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Gates Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 163
View into the Joe River from the western slopes of Bernard Peak. Albert Peak, Mt Gates, Climax Peak and Destiny Peak are on the skyline
Albert Peak Climax Peak Climbing Destiny Peak Ferrier Peak Joe River Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Gates Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Victor Creek Marion Plateau 174
Traversing from O'Leary Pass to the Marion Plateau
Climbing Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Pass Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 184
Traversing from O'Leary Pass to the Marion Plateau
Climbing Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Pass Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 191
Traversing from O'Leary Pass to the Marion Plateau
Climbing Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Pass Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 202
Traversing from O'Leary Pass to the Marion Plateau
Climbing Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Pass Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 207
View into Victor Creek and the Joe River
Climbing Joe River Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Pass Olivine Wilderness Tramping Victor Creek Marion Plateau 214
Sidling to the Marion Plateau
Climbing Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Victoria Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Victoria Glacier Marion Plateau 224
View into Victor Creek and the Joe River
Climbing Joe River Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Victor Creek Marion Plateau 243
Sidling to the Marion Plateau
Climbing Joe River Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Victor Creek Marion Plateau 246
Marion Plateau
Climbing Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping crevasse glacier Marion Plateau 256
Marion Plateau and Mt Lydia (right) from the north west ridge of Mt Ian
Climbing Lydia Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Lydia Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 259a
On the north west ridge of Mt Ian. Destiny Peak and Passchendale Peak in the back
Climbing Destiny Peak Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Ian Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Passchendaele Peak Tramping Marion Plateau 264
Mount Ian's summit pyramid from the north. The easiest route to the summit seems to be via the small couloir on the far left, although there are a number of lines zig-zagging up the west face that would also go
Climbing Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Ian Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 274
On the Marion Plateau - a very powerful microwave oven!
Climbing Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping sun burn sun screen zinc Marion Plateau 281
Mount Ian from the north
Climbing Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Ian Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 289
Mount Aspiring from Boys Col, squeezed between Pivot Peak (left) and Mount Maori (right)
Boys Col Climbing Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Maori Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Pivot Peak Tititea Tramping Marion Plateau 301
Mount Aspiring, Mount Maoriri, Mount Edward and the Whitbourn Glacier from Boys Col
Boys Col Climbing Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Edward Mount Maoriri Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tititea Tramping Whitbourn Glacier Marion Plateau 306
Mount Ian from Boys Col. The original route climbs the south-east facing snow slopes directluy below the summit. It still goes, but a schrund is opening across the couloir
Boys Col Climbing Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Ian Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 316
Approaching the summit of Mt Lydia
Climbing Lydia Marion Plateau Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Lydia Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Marion Plateau 327
On the summit of Mt Lydia. A bit bright without sunglasses!
Climbing Lydia Mount Aspiring Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Edward Mount Lydia Mount Maoriri Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tititea Tramping Marion Plateau 337
On the summit of Mt Lydia
Climbing Lydia Mount Aspiring Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Lydia Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tititea Tramping Marion Plateau 340
The Snowball Glaciers (left) and the Whitbourn Glacier (right) from the summit of Mt Lydia. Prominent peaks on the skyline are Mt Aspiring, Mt Maoriri and Mt Edward
Climbing Lydia Mount Aspiring Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Edward Mount Lydia Mount Maoriri Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tititea Tramping Marion Plateau 342
Williamson Flat (bottom right) and McArthur Flat (top left) from Mt Lydia
Climbing Lydia McArthur Flat Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Lydia Mountaineering New Zealand Olivine Wilderness Tramping Williamson Flat Marion Plateau 349

Southern Alps Photography

Marion Plateau - Mount Lydia, 3 - 8 January 2013

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