Sir William Peak, 20 - 21 February 2010

A highly rewarding weekend tramp which started up the Rees Valley with a climb to Kea Basin, Luncheon Col and O'Leary Peak, followed by a descent to Shepherds Pass and into the Bedford Valley. After bivvying next to the stream, we climbed Sir William Peak via the Frances Glacier and the north-west ridge, then walked out Surveyor Spur to the Dart River and Chinamans Bluff. 27 hours walking and a 3100m elevation gain over two days took some effort! Party: Jaz Morris, Lara Wilcocks, Nina Dickerhof, 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
Lennox Falls, Rees Valley. Black Peak and Mt Earnslaw above.
Black Peak Climbing Forbes Mountains Lennox Creek Lennox Falls Mount Earnslaw Mountaineering Mt Earnslaw New Zealand Rees Valley Southern Alps Tramping
Jaz at Earnslaw Hut, Kea Basin track, Rees Valley
Climbing Earnslaw Hut Forbes Mountains Kea Basin Mountaineering New Zealand Rees Valley Southern Alps Tramping
The Richardson Mountains, across the Rees River from the spur north of Kea Basin.
Centaur Peaks Cleft Peak Climbing Forbes Mountains Kea Basin Lapith Peak Little Lochnagar Lochnagar Mountaineering Mt Ferguson New Zealand Rees River Rees Valley Richardson Mountains Southern Alps Tramping
The Richardson Mountains, across the Rees River from the spur north of Kea Basin.
Centaur Peaks Cleft Peak Climbing Forbes Mountains Kea Basin Lapith Peak Little Lochnagar Lochnagar Mountaineering Mt Ferguson New Zealand Rees River Rees Valley Richardson Mountains Southern Alps Tramping
Black Peak, Mt Earnslaw East Peak and the east shoulder of O'Leary Peak from the spur north of Kea Basin
Birley Glacier Black Peak Climbing Forbes Mountains Kea Basin Mount Earnslaw Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Peak Rees Valley Southern Alps Tramping
Looking down the Rees Valley from the spur north of Kea Basin. Lennox Pass on the far right.
Climbing Forbes Mountains Kea Basin Lennox Pass Mountaineering New Zealand Rees River Rees Valley Southern Alps Tramping
Tall gentian (Gentianella corymbifera). Above Kea Basin, Rees Valley
Flora Forbes Mountains Gentiana corymbifera Kea Basin New Zealand Rees Valley Southern Alps Tall Gentian
Tall gentian (Gentianella corymbifera). Above Kea Basin, Rees Valley
Flora Forbes Mountains Gentiana corymbifera Kea Basin New Zealand Rees Valley Southern Alps Tall Gentian Ailsa Mountains Fiordland gentian grassland gentian Routeburn Track Tramping
Jaz on the north-east ridge of O'Leary Peak. Sir William Peak in the background, south ridge on the left, north-east ridge on the right.
Climbing Forbes Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Peak Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping
View into Hunter Creek West Branch from the north-east ridge of O'Leary Peak. From left to right are Head Peak, Mt Head, Moira Peak, OSONZAC Twins and Mt Clarke. Mt Edward and Mt Aspiring are visible in the back on the far right.
Climbing Forbes Mountains Head Peak Hunter Creek Hunter Creek West Branch Moira Peak Mountaineering Mt Clarke Mt Head New Zealand O'Leary Peak OSONZAC Twins Southern Alps Tramping
Nina on Luncheon Col. The West Peak of Mt Earnslaw in the back.
Climbing Forbes Mountains Luncheon Col Mount Earnslaw Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Looking south from Luncheon Col, over the east face of Mt Earnslaw and the Rees River. The Remarkables are visible on the horizon.
Climbing Forbes Mountains Luncheon Col Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Peak Rees River Rees Valley Richardson Mountains Southern Alps The Remarkables Tramping
Nina and Jaz admire the view into the Bedford Valley from the summit of O'Leary Peak.
Bedford Stream Bedford Valley Climbing Cosmos Peaks Forbes Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Peak Pluto Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Mt Earnslaw and Pluto Peak from O'Leary Peak.
Climbing Forbes Mountains Mount Earnslaw Mountaineering Mt Earnslaw New Zealand O'Leary Peak Pluto Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Sir William Peak and the Frances Glacier from O'Leary Peak
Climbing Forbes Mountains Frances Glacier Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Peak Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping
On the summit of O'Leary Peak. From left to right on the sky-line are Mt Maoriri, Mt Edward, Mt Aspiring, Mt Avalanche, Rob Roy Peak (in cloud), Headlong Peak, Mt Tyndall.
Climbing Forbes Mountains Headlong Peak Mountaineering Mt Aspiring Mt Avalanche Mt Clarke Mt Edward Mt Maoriri Mt Tyndall New Zealand O'Leary Peak Southern Alps Tramping cup cake muffin
Sir William Peak and Frances Glacier from the Bedford Valley
Bedford Valley Climbing Forbes Mountains Frances Glacier Mountaineering New Zealand Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Bedford valley head. Shepherds Pass and O'Leary Peak above.
Bedford Valley Climbing Forbes Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand O'Leary Peak Shepherds Pass Southern Alps Tramping
Jaz navigates his way through crevasses on the Frances Glacier, on the way to Sir William Peak.
Bedford Valley Climbing Forbes Mountains Frances Glacier Mountaineering New Zealand Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Sidling into the north face of Sir William Peak.
Climbing Forbes Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Jaz and Nina on the summit of Sir William Peak. Mt Earnslaw and Pluto Peak in the background.
Climbing Forbes Mountains Mount Earnslaw Mountaineering Mt Earnslaw New Zealand O'Leary Peak Pluto Peak Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Looking north from Sir William Peak. Mt Head and Moira Peak. Mt Aspiring in the distance.
Climbing Forbes Mountains Moira Peak Mountaineering Mt Head New Zealand Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Pluto Peak from Sir William Peak. The Dart River and Chinamans Bluff below.
Chinamans Bluff Climbing Dart River Forbes Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Pluto Peak Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping
O'Leary Peak (front left) and Mt Earnslaw from Sir William Peak.
Climbing Forbes Mountains Mount Earnslaw Mountaineering Mt Earnslaw New Zealand O'Leary Peak Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Jaz descending Sir William Peak
Climbing Forbes Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Jaz descending Sir William Peak
Climbing Forbes Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping rock climbing
Jaz descending Sir William Peak
Climbing Forbes Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping rock climbing
Descending Sir William Peak
Climbing Forbes Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Jaz below the Frances Glacier. Mt Earnslaw West Peak and Pluto Peak behind.
Climbing Forbes Mountains Frances Glacier Mount Earnslaw Mountaineering Mt Earnslaw New Zealand Pluto Peak Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Gentian (Gentianella divisa), with a slender chickweed (Stellaria gracilenta) to the right. Bedford Stream, Dart Valley
Common New Zealand Gentian Flora Forbes Mountains Gentiana bellidifolia New Zealand New Zealand chickweed Southern Alps Stellaria gracilenta
Gentian (Gentianella divisa). Bedford Stream, Dart Valley
Common New Zealand Gentian Flora Forbes Mountains Gentiana bellidifolia New Zealand New Zealand chickweed Southern Alps Stellaria gracilenta
Gentian (Gentianella divisa), with a slender chickweed (Stellaria gracilenta) to the right. Bedford Stream, Dart Valley
Common New Zealand Gentian Flora Forbes Mountains Gentiana bellidifolia New Zealand New Zealand chickweed Southern Alps Stellaria gracilenta
Nina in the Bedofrd Valley. O'Leary Peak (centre) and Mt Earnslaw East Peak (right) above.
Bedford Stream Bedford Valley Climbing Forbes Mountains Mountaineering Mt Earnslaw New Zealand O'Leary Peak Shepherds Pass Southern Alps Tramping Wright Col
Looking into the Dart Valley from the bluffs at the toe of Pluto Peak's north-west ridge.
Bold Peak Chinamans Bluff Climbing Cosmos Peaks Dart River Emily Peak Forbes Mountains Lake Mystery Minos Peak Momus Mountaineering Mt Bonpland Mt Chaos Mt Nox New Zealand Pluto Peak Slip Stream Somnus Southern Alps Sugarloaf Pass Tramping Upper Peak
Looking into the Dart Valley from the bluffs at the toe of Pluto Peak's north-west ridge.
Bold Peak Chinamans Bluff Climbing Cosmos Peaks Dart River Emily Peak Forbes Mountains Lake Mystery Minos Peak Momus Mountaineering Mt Bonpland Mt Chaos Mt Nox New Zealand Pluto Peak Slip Stream Somnus Southern Alps Sugarloaf Pass Tramping Upper Peak
Sidling out of the Bedford Valley, at the toe of Pluto Peak's north-west ridge. The Frances Glacier and Sir William Peak above
Bedford Valley Climbing Forbes Mountains Frances Glacier Mountaineering New Zealand Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping
The bluffs on the lower section of Pluto Peak's north-west ridge
Climbing Forbes Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Pluto Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Taking in the views from the bluffs at the toe of Pluto Peak's north-west ridge. Slip Stream is under the Cosmos Peaks; the deep valley at centre image is the McBride Burn, with the McBride Peaks to the right.
Bedford Valley Climbing Cosmos Peaks Forbes Mountains McBride Burn McBride Peaks Mountaineering New Zealand Pluto Peak Slip Stream Southern Alps Tramping
Bedford Stream chasm, at the bottom of the hanging valley. The fan of Slip Stream where it flows into the Dart River below.
Bedford Stream Bedford Valley Climbing Dart River Forbes Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Slip Stream Southern Alps Tramping
Descending towards Surveyor Spur. The Dart River and Chinamans Bluff below.
Bedford Valley Chinamans Bluff Climbing Dart River Forbes Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Surveyor Spur Tramping

Southern Alps Photography

Sir William Peak, 20 - 21 February 2010

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Colin Bell