Nereus Peak - Somnus Traverse, 27 - 29 March 2010

A three day loop with an excellent alpine section between Nereus Peak and Somnus. Day 1: Up the Routeburn Track and the North Routeburn to a rock bivvy 300m below North Col. Day 2: North Col, then a traverse from Nereus Peak to Somnus, followed by a bivvy on a ledge at nearly 2000m of elevation. Day 3: Down to Theatre Flat and the Rockburn, and out over Sugarloaf Pass. Party: Heather Rhodes & 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
A guided party starts their canyoning trip down Bridal Veil Stream, Routeburn Track
Bridal Veils Creek Canyoning Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Routeburn Track Southern Alps Tramping Nereus Somnus Traverse 001
A guided party starts their canyoning trip down Bridal Veil Stream, Routeburn Track
Bridal Veils Creek Canyoning Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Routeburn Track Southern Alps Tramping
A guided party starts their canyoning trip down Bridal Veil Stream, Routeburn Track
Bridal Veils Creek Canyoning Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Routeburn Track Southern Alps Tramping
A guided party starts their canyoning trip down Bridal Veil Stream, Routeburn Track
Bridal Veils Creek Canyoning Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Routeburn Track Southern Alps Tramping
A guided party starts their canyoning trip down Bridal Veil Stream, Routeburn Track
Bridal Veils Creek Canyoning Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Routeburn Track Southern Alps Tramping
A guided party starts their canyoning trip down Bridal Veil Stream, Routeburn Track
Bridal Veils Creek Canyoning Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Routeburn Track Southern Alps Tramping
A guided party starts their canyoning trip down Bridal Veil Stream, Routeburn Track
Bridal Veils Creek Canyoning Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Routeburn Track Southern Alps Tramping
Heather in the Routeburn Flats. Somnus and Momus above
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Momus Mountaineering New Zealand Routeburn Flats Routeburn Track Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
Somnus couloir, late summer conditions
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand North Routeburn Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
Mountain cottonwood / tauhinu (Ozothamnus vauvilliersii). North Routeburn
Cassinia vauvilliersii Climbing Flora Humboldt Mountains Mountain cottonwood Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Preparing dinner in the rock bivvy below North Col
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand North Col North Routeburn Rock bivvy Southern Alps Tramping bivvy rock
The west face of Somnus from the rock bivvy below North Col
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand North Routeburn Somnus Southern Alps Tramping Nereus Traverse 059a
Looking down the North Routeburn. Unnamed peaks 1942m and 1952m in the back.
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand North Routeburn Southern Alps Tramping
Heather approaching the summit of Nereus Peak
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering Nereus Peak New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Heather on the summit of Nereus Peak. Somnus and the North Routeburn in the back.
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering Nereus Peak New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
The Central Darrans between the Te Puoho Glacier (left) and Alice Peak (right) from Nereus Peak
Alice Peak Climbing Darran Mountains Hollyford River Humboldt Mountains Karetai Peak Mountaineering Mt Madeline Mt Milne Mt Syme Mt Tarewai Mt Te Wera Mt Tutoko Nereus Peak New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Waitiri
The Darran Mountains from the summit of Nereus Peak
Alice Peak Barrier Peak Climbing Darran Mountains Hollyford River Humboldt Mountains Karetai Peak Mountaineering Mt Christina Mt Crosscut Mt Gifford Mt Madeline Mt Milne Mt Revelation Mt Syme Mt Talbot Mt Tarewai Mt Te Wera Mt Tuhawaiki Mt Tutoko Nereus Peak New Zealand Puketuroto Peak Sabre Peak Southern Alps Tramping Waitiri Nereus Somnus Traverse 088b
Park Pass Glacier and the Forbes Mountains from the summit of Nereus Peak
Albert Peak Amphion Peak Beresford Peak Cerberus Climax Peak Climbing Cosmos Peaks Destiny Peak Humboldt Mountains Looking northeast from the summit of Nereus Peak Minos Peak Mountaineering Mt Aspiring Mt Earnslaw Mt Edward Mt Head Mt Ian Mt Lydia Mt Nox Nereus Peak New Zealand Niobe Peak O'Leary Peak Park Pass Glacier Poseidon Peak Sarpedon Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping Nereus Somnus Traverse 093b
Heather traversing the tops south of Nereus Peak
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering Nereus Peak New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
Heather traversing the tops south of Nereus Peak
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering Nereus Peak New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
Heather descending from the saddle south of pt 1943m
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering Nereus Peak New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
Heather descending from the saddle south of pt 1943m
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering Nereus Peak New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
Heather descending from the saddle south of pt 1943m
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering Nereus Peak New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
Taking a rest at the bottom of the final snow field on Somnus. At the top, our route follows the system of snowy ramps and ledges climbing diagonally to the left.
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
Pluto Peak, O'Leary Peak and Mt Earnslaw West Peak from high up on Somnus
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering Mt Earnslaw New Zealand O'Leary Peak Pluto Peak Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
Heather on the summit of Somnus
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering Mt Earnslaw New Zealand O'Leary Peak Pluto Peak Sir William Peak Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
Looking north-east from the summit of Somnus
Climbing Forbes Mountains Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering Mt Earnslaw New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Poseidon Peak Sir William Peak Somnus Southern Alps Tramping Nereus Traverse 123a
Pluto Peak, O'Leary Peak and Mt Earnslaw West Peak from the summit of Somnus
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering Mt Earnslaw New Zealand O'Leary Peak Pluto Peak Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
Looking south from the summit of Somnus. Momus is on the left in front of Lake Wakatipu, Mt Bonpland at centre image, and unnamed peak 2117m to the right, with Jane Peak behind.
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Jane Peak Lake Wakatipu Momus Mountaineering Mt Bonpland New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping Nereus Traverse 141a
Looking south from Somnus. Momus is in front of Lake Wakatipu, and Mt Bonpland to the right
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Lake Wakatipu Momus Mountaineering Mt Bonpland New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
Unnamed peak 2117m in the Humboldt Mountains; Jane Peak behind.
Climbing Humboldt Mountains Jane Peak Mountaineering New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
Park Pass Glacier and the Olivine Range from the summit of Somnus
Albert Peak Alexander Amphion Peak Ark Betty Peak Climax Peak Climbing Cosmos Peaks Destiny Peak Humboldt Mountains Intervention Ridge Irvine Peak Mallory Peak McClimont Peak Minos Peak Mountaineering Mt Chaos New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Poseidon Peak Sarpedon Somnus Southern Alps Todd Tramping Nereus Traverse 162b
The Darran Mountains between the Te Puoho Glacier and Mt Tutoko from the summit of Somnus.
Alice Peak Climbing Darran Mountains Hollyford River Humboldt Mountains Karetai Peak Mountaineering Mt Madeline Mt Milne Mt Syme Mt Tarewai Mt Te Wera Mt Tutoko New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping Waitiri Nereus Traverse 173
Looking through the gorge north of Somnus and into the head of the Rock Burn.
Amphion Peak Climbing Humboldt Mountains Minos Peak Mountaineering New Zealand Park Pass Glacier Rockburn Somnus Southern Alps Theatre Flat Tramping

Southern Alps Photography

Nereus Peak - Somnus Traverse, 27 - 29 March 2010

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