Whitbourn - Arawhata, 30 January - 7 February 2010

Nine days of awesomeness - steady hot sunny weather saw us through some spectacular alpine country in Mt Aspiring National Park. We started from Raspberry Flat (Matukituki Valley), crossed Cascade Saddle, descended into the Dart then walked up the Whitbourn, climbed Mt Edward, then over Whitbourn Saddle down to Williamson Flat. After a side trip onto the Waipara Range to climb Mt Ionia from a high camp on Turks Head, we continued up the Arawhata River to the Arawhata rock biv, then crossed Arawhata Saddle to Liverpool Hut. A wonderful trip! Party: Aaron Whitehead, George O'Sullivan, 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
Aaron at bushline en route to Cascade Saddle, West Matukituki Valley. Fog Peak, Sharks Tooth Peak and Craigroyston Peak behind.
Cascade Saddle Climbing Craigroyston Peak Fog Peak Matukituki Valley Mountaineering New Zealand Sharks Tooth Peak Southern Alps Tramping
South Island edelweiss (Leucogenes grandiceps), Cascade Saddle route.
Cascade Saddle Flora Leucogenes grandiceps New Zealand South Island edelweiss Southern Alps
On the way to Cascade Saddle, looking into the West Matukituki Valley
Cascade Saddle Climbing Glengyle Peak Matukituki Valley Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
On the way to Cascade Saddle. Glengyle Peak behind.
Cascade Saddle Climbing Glengyle Peak Matukituki Valley Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
View from the Pylon above Cascade Saddle: Marion Tower, Mt Edward, Mt Maoriri
Cascade Saddle Climbing Dart Glacier Marion Tower Mountaineering Mt Edward Mt Maoriri New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
The mountains at the head of the Dart Glacier from the Pylon above Cascade Saddle
Cascade Saddle Climbing Dart Glacier Governors Ridge Islington Dome Marion Tower Mountaineering Mt Edward Mt Maori Mt Maoriri New Zealand Plunket Dome Southern Alps Tramping
Rob Roy Peak and Glengyle Peak from the Pylon above Cascade Saddle
Cascade Saddle Climbing Glengyle Peak Mountaineering New Zealand Rob Roy Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Large mountain daisy (Celmisia semicordata) in front of Mt Aspiring, Cascade Creek head basin.
Cascade Creek Cascade Saddle Celmisia semicordata Climbing Flora Large mountain daisy Mountaineering Mt Aspiring New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Large mountain daisy (Celmisia semicordata) in front of Mt Aspiring, Cascade Creek head basin.
Cascade Creek Cascade Saddle Celmisia semicordata Climbing Flora Large mountain daisy Mountaineering Mt Aspiring New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Large mountain daisy (Celmisia semicordata), Cascade Creek head basin.
Cascade Saddle Celmisia semicordata Climbing Flora Large mountain daisy Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Mt Tyndall and the Isobel Glacier above Cascade Creek
Cascade Creek Cascade Saddle Climbing Isobel Glacier Mountaineering Mt Tyndall New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
The nepali prayer flags near Cascade Saddle. Mt Tyndall and the Isobel Glacier above.
Cascade Saddle Climbing Isobel Glacier Mountaineering Mt Tyndall New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping prayer flag
Looking into the West Matukituki Valley from Cascade Saddle. Heads Leap to the right.
Cascade Saddle Climbing Craigroyston Peak Fog Peak Glengyle Peak Heads Leap Matukituki Valley Mountaineering Mt Aspiring Mt Avalanche New Zealand Rob Roy Peak Sharks Tooth Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Dart Hut and the swingbridge over Snowy Creek
Climbing Dart Hut Dart River Mountaineering New Zealand Snowy Creek Southern Alps Tramping
Dart Hut - the weather forecast issued on Sunday, January 31st...
Climbing Dart Hut Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping weather forecast
The Dart River from the Whitbourn swingbridge
Climbing Dart River Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn River
Looking into the Dart River from the Whitbourn swingbridge
Climbing Dart River Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn River swingbridge
Mt Lydia, Snowdrift Saddle and Mt Alpha from the Whitbourn River
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Alpha Mt Lydia New Zealand Snowdrift Range Snowdrift Saddle Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn River
Spaniards in Whitbourn River flats. Mt Lydia, Snowdrift Saddle and Mt Alpha above.
Aciphylla Climbing Mountaineering Mt Alpha Mt Lydia New Zealand Snowdrift Range Snowdrift Saddle Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn River spaniard
Mt Lydia from the top of the Whitbourn River flats. As a photographer, this place has me stumped. It is one of the most amazing locations I have ever visited, yet I couldn't think of how to render its three dimensional verticality on film without using IMAX technology, or similar.
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Lydia New Zealand Snowdrift Range Snowdrift Saddle Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn River
The narrow gorge in the Whitbourn River
Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn River
South Island edelweiss (Leucogenes grandiceps), Whitbourn River.
Climbing Flora Leucogenes grandiceps Mountaineering New Zealand South Island edelweiss Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn River
South Island edelweiss (Leucogenes grandiceps), Whitbourn River.
Climbing Flora Leucogenes grandiceps Mountaineering New Zealand South Island edelweiss Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn River
The Whitbourn Glacier from our second campsite. From left to right are Mt Delta, Snowball Saddle, Pivot Peak, Whitbourn Saddle, Mt Maoriri and Mt Edward.
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Delta Mt Edward Mt Maoriri New Zealand Pivot Peak Snowball Saddle Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn Glacier Whitbourn Saddle
Campsite by the Whitbourn Glacier. Mt Maoriri and Mt Edward above.
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Edward Mt Maoriri New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn Glacier Whitbourn Saddle campsite tent
Whitbourn Saddle, Mt Maoriri and Mt Edward from the west
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Edward Mt Maoriri New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn Glacier Whitbourn Saddle
Last evening light on Mt Maoriri and Mt Edward
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Edward Mt Maoriri New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn Glacier
First daylight on the Snowdrift Range, from up high on Mt Edward. Mt Ian and Mt Lydia to the left, the Snowball Glacier to the right.
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Delta Mt Ian Mt Lydia New Zealand Snowball Glacier Snowdrift Range Southern Alps Tramping
Up high on the south-west ridge of Mt Edward. Marion Tower, Mt Ian and Mt Lydia are in sun-light; Mt Madeline and Mt Tutoko in the far back.
Climbing Marion Tower Mountaineering Mt Edward Mt Ian Mt Lydia Mt Madeline Mt Tutoko New Zealand Snowdrift Range Southern Alps Tramping
Up high on the south-west ridge of Mt Edward. Sunrise over the Forbes Mountains (left), Darran Mountains (centre-right) and Snowdrift Range (front).
Climbing Forbes Mountains Marion Tower Moira Peak Mountaineering Mt Earnslaw Mt Edward Mt Head Mt Ian Mt Lydia Mt Madeline Mt Tutoko New Zealand Pluto Peak Sir William Peak Snowdrift Range Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn Glacier
Marion Tower, Mt Madeline, Mt Tutoko and Mt Ian in first sun-light.
Climbing Marion Tower Mountaineering Mt Edward Mt Ian Mt Madeline Mt Tutoko New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn Glacier
Mt Aspiring and the peaks above the Dart Glacier from Mt Edward.
Climbing Dart Glacier Datamos Eros Fingals Head Islington Dome Maiti iti Mountaineering Mt Alba Mt Aspiring Mt Avalanche Mt Castor Mt Edward Mt Liverpool Mt Maori Mt Maoriri Mt Maruiwi Mt Pollux Mt Wahine Munro Peak New Zealand Plunket Dome Rob Roy Peak Rosy Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Mt Aspiring and the peaks above the Dart Glacier from Mt Edward.
Climbing Dart Glacier Datamos Eros Fingals Head Islington Dome Maiti iti Mountaineering Mt Alba Mt Aspiring Mt Avalanche Mt Castor Mt Edward Mt Liverpool Mt Maori Mt Maoriri Mt Maruiwi Mt Pollux Mt Wahine Munro Peak New Zealand Plunket Dome Rob Roy Peak Rosy Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Mt Aspiring from Mt Edward
Bonar Glacier Climbing Dart Glacier Mountaineering Mt Alba Mt Aspiring Mt Edward New Zealand Popes Nose Southern Alps Tramping
The Forbes Mountains from Mt Edward
Climbing Forbes Mountains Moira Peak Mountaineering Mt Earnslaw Mt Edward Mt Head New Zealand Pluto Peak Sir William Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Looking west from Mt Edward
Albert Peak Ark Climax Peak Climbing Darkness Peak Destiny Peak Farrell Peak Gyrae Intervention Ridge Mountaineering Mt Christina Mt Earnslaw Mt Edward Mt Gates Mt Head Mt Ian Mt Lydia Mt Madeline Mt Te Wera Mt Tutoko New Zealand Pic D'Argent Pluto Peak Sir William Peak Snowdrift Range Southern Alps Tramping Trinity Whitbourn Glacier
Looking west from Mt Edward
Albert Peak Ark Climax Peak Climbing Darkness Peak Destiny Peak Farrell Peak Gyrae Intervention Ridge Mountaineering Mt Christina Mt Earnslaw Mt Edward Mt Gates Mt Head Mt Ian Mt Lydia Mt Madeline Mt Te Wera Mt Tutoko New Zealand Pic D'Argent Pluto Peak Sir William Peak Snowdrift Range Southern Alps Tramping Trinity Whitbourn Glacier
Big grins - not a breath of wind, not a single cloud in the sky. Mt Edward summit.
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Edward Mt Ian Mt Madeline Mt Tutoko New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Near Mt Edward
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Edward New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn Glacier
Mt Ionia, Eros, Mt Athene and the Mercer Glacier from Whitbourn Saddle
Climbing Eros Mercer Glacier Mountaineering Mt Athene Mt Ionia New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Waipara Range Whitbourn Glacier Whitbourn Saddle
Mount Ionia from Whitbourn Saddle
climbing mercer glacier mountaineering mt ionia new zealand southern alps tramping waipara range whitbourn saddle ionia Mount Ionia
Our route on Mount Ionia from Whitbourn Saddle. On the way down, we hopped over the ridge at the base of the summit pyramid, then descended the northern slopes.
climbing mercer glacier mountaineering mt ionia new zealand southern alps tramping waipara range whitbourn saddle Ionia Mount Ionia
Map reading on Whitbourn Saddle. Mt Maoriri above.
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Maoriri New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn Glacier Whitbourn Saddle
Map reading on Whitbourn Saddle. Mt Maruiwi, Mt Maori, Mt Wahine and Mt Liverpool behind.
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Liverpool Mt Maori Mt Maruiwi Mt Wahine New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn Glacier Whitbourn Saddle
The Snow White Glacier from our campsite north of Pivot Peak. Mt Ionia, the Mercer Glacier and Mt Aspiring above.
Climbing Eros Mercer Glacier Mountaineering Mt Aspiring Mt Athene Mt Ionia New Zealand Snow White Glacier Southern Alps Tramping Waipara Range Whitbourn Saddle
Mt Aspiring from our campsite north of Pivot Peak. Mt Bevan and Mt Barff in front.
Bevan Col Climbing Mountaineering Mt Aspiring Mt Barff Mt Bevan New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
The upper Snow White Glacier from our campsite north of Pivot Peak. From left to right are Mt Aspiring, Maiti-iti, Mt Maruiwi, Mt Maoriri, Whitbourne Saddle, Pivot Peak.
Climbing Maiti iti Mountaineering Mt Aspiring Mt Maoriri Mt Maruiwi New Zealand Pivot Peak Snow White Glacier Southern Alps Tramping Whitbourn Saddle

Southern Alps Photography

Whitbourn - Arawhata, 30 January - 7 February 2010

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Blair Macdonald