Wilkin - Mueller, 14 - 21 February 2011

A tough transalpine trip through South Westland, from Makarora to Okuru. Day 1: A 7pm start after driving from Dunedin, it took us one and a half hours to ford a swollen and dirty Makarora River. We bivvied under the first trees in the Wilkin. Day 2: Up the Wilkin River to Top Forks Hut. Day 3: On to Lucidus Lake, Lake Castalia and Leda Peak. We bivvied on the ridge, 50m below the summit. Day 4: A quick ascent of Leda Peak, then along the ridge to Mt Achilles, Te Naihi Saddle, Lake Axius and to the tarns below Mt Dispute. Day 5: Down the Mueller River to the top end of Alpine Flat. Day 6: Mueller River to the Tiny Brook. Day 7: Turnbull River to a campsite downstream of Ease Down Creek. Day 8: Turnbull River out to Okuru. Party: George O'Sullivan and Danilo Hegg

Trip map. 1 grid square = 10km. Left click on map then select "Sizes -> Original" in bottom right corner of screen to view full size
Trip map. 1 grid square = 1km. Left click on map then select "Sizes -> Original" in bottom right corner of screen to view full size
Morning mist in the Wilkin. Mt Aeolus is lit by the first rays of sun
Mount Aeolus Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River Wilkin Mueller 003
Kerin Forks Hut, Wilkin River
Kerin Forks Hut Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River hut Wilkin Mueller 009
Jumboland and Mount Turner
Jumboland Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Turner New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River Wilkin Mueller 021
Top Forks Hut, Wilkin River
Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Top Forks hut Tramping Wilkin River hut Wilkin Mueller 028
Sunrise on Pollux and Castor from Wilkin Top Forks. HDR Photograph
Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Castor Mount Pollux New Zealand Southern Alps Top Forks hut Tramping Wilkin River Wilkin Mueller 040a
Lucidus Lake and Mount Castor. HDR Panorama
Lucidus Lake Mercury Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Castor New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River Wilkin Mueller 055c
Bivvy rock on the Lucidus Lake moraine
Lucidus Lake Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Rock bivvy Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River bivvy rock Wilkin Mueller 056
Mount Castor from the route to Lake Castalia
Lake Castalia Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Castor New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River Wilkin Mueller 059
Pickelhaube dominates the Wilkin River South Branch
Lake Castalia Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Pickelhaube Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River Wilkin Mueller 070
Pollux and Castor from the route to Lake Castalia
Lake Castalia Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Castor Mount Pollux New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River Wilkin Mueller 072
Lake Castalia and Mercury Peak
Lake Castalia Mercury Peak Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River Wilkin Mueller 082a
Lake Castalia and Pickelhaube
Lake Castalia Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Pickelhaube Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River Wilkin Mueller 089
The route to Leda Peak through the bluffs above Lake Castalia.
Lake Castalia Leda Peak Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River Wilkin Mueller 096a Edit
George on the sloping ledge en route to Leda Peak
Lake Castalia Leda Peak Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River ledge Wilkin Mueller 102
George on the sloping ledge en route to Leda Peak. Lakes Lucidus and Castalia below
Lake Castalia Leda Peak Lucidus Lake Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River ledge Wilkin Mueller 110
On the south ridge of Leda Peak. Mt Arne (left) and Mt Juno above
Leda Peak Mount Arne Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Juno New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River Wilkin Mueller 114
Mt Ragan, Mt Pollux and Mt Castor from the south ridge of Leda Peak
Lake Castalia Leda Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Castor Mount Pollux Mount Ragan Moutn Betsy Jane New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River Wilkin Mueller 119
Mt Alba from the east shoulder of Leda Peak. Newland Pass is in the shade; Mt Achilles to the left.
Leda Peak Mount Achilles Mount Alba Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Newland Pass Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin Mueller 123
View from the east shoulder of Leda Peak
Leda Peak Mount Achilles Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Axius New Zealand Newland Pass Southern Alps Te Naihi River Te Naihi Saddle Tramping Trident Peak Wilkin Mueller 127a
View from the east shoulder of Leda Peak: Fastness Peak, Pickelhaube, Glacier Dome, Popes Nose, Mt Aspiring, Mt Betsy Jane
Fastness Peak Glacier Dome Leda Peak Mount Aspiring Mount Aspiring National Park Moutn Betsy Jane New Zealand Pickelhaube Popes Nose Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin Mueller 130a
View from the east shoulder of Leda Peak: Mt Jumbo on the far left; Mt Arne, Mt Vesta, Mt Iphigenia, Mt Juno in the shade to the right of Wonderland Stream
Leda Peak Mount Arne Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Iphigenia Mount Jumbo Mount Juno Mount Vesta New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wonderland Stream Wilkin Mueller 133
George in front of Mt Aeolus
Leda Peak Mount Aeolus Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin Mueller 140
Mt Alba and Mt Awful from the east shoulder of Leda Peak
Leda Peak Mount Achilles Mount Alba Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Awful New Zealand Newland Pass Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin Mueller 148
Selborne Range panorama from the east shoulder of Leda Peak
Leda Peak Mount Achilles Mount Alba Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Awful Mount Dispute New Zealand Newland Pass Selborne Range Southern Alps Tramping Trident Peak Wilkin Mueller 166a
Mt Alba and Mt Awful from the east shoulder of Leda Peak
Leda Peak Mount Achilles Mount Alba Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Awful New Zealand Newland Pass Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin Mueller 176
Sunset on Mt Alba. View from the east shoulder of Leda Peak
Leda Peak Mount Alba Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin Mueller 184a
The Selborne Range from the east shoulder of Leda Peak. Mt Calliope in the foreground; Mt Selborne on the far right
Leda Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Calliope Mount Selborne New Zealand Selborne Range Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin Mueller 189
Mt Brewster from the east shoulder of Leda Peak
Leda Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Brewster New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin Mueller 193
Panorama from the summit of Leda Peak. Mt Aspiring, Pollux and Castor at sunrise
Leda Peak Mercury Peak Mount Aspiring Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Castor Mount Pollux Mount Ragan New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin Mueller 205a
Looking into the Te Naihi River from the summit of Leda Peak
Leda Peak Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Te Naihi River Tramping Wilkin Mueller 210
View from the summit of Leda Peak. Pickelhaube, Popes Nose, Mt Aspiring, Mt Betsy Jane at sunrise
Leda Peak Mount Aspiring Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Betsy Jane New Zealand Pickelhaube Popes Nose Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin Mueller 211
Mt Aeolus and the Sentinel from the north
Mount Aeolus Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Te Naihi River The Sentinel Tramping Wilkin Mueller 222
The river flats in the Te Naihi River South Branch, with the Drake Range above. From left to right are Mercury Peak, Drake Saddle and Mt Tyndar
Drake Range Drake Saddle Mercury Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Tyndar New Zealand Southern Alps Te Naihi River Tramping Wilkin Mueller 229a
Mt Achilles, Newland Pass and Mt Alba
Mount Achilles Mount Alba Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Newland Pass Southern Alps Te Naihi River Tramping Wilkin Mueller 237
The Sentinel, with unnamed peak 1841m to the left
Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Te Naihi River The Sentinel Tramping Wilkin Mueller 240
Mt Achilles, Newland Pass and Mt Alba
Mount Achilles Mount Alba Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Newland Pass Southern Alps Te Naihi River Tramping tarn Wilkin Mueller 249a
Lake Axius, Mt Dispute, Souter Peak, Trident Peak from the summit of Mt Achilles
Lake Axius Mount Achilles Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Dispute New Zealand Souter Peak Southern Alps Te Naihi River Tramping Trident Peak Wilkin Mueller 256
Newland Stream, framed by Mt Kuri (left) and Mt Aeolus (right), from the summit of Mt Achilles
Mount Achilles Mount Aeolus Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Kuri New Zealand Newland Stream Southern Alps Te Naihi River Tramping Wilkin Mueller 260
George at Lake Axius. Mt Alba above
Lake Axius Mount Alba Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Dispute New Zealand Selborne Range Southern Alps Te Naihi River Tramping Trident Peak Wilkin Mueller 270a
Mt Alba, Newland Pass, Lake Axius, Mt Achilles, Te Naihi Saddle, Mt Axius
Lake Axius Mount Achilles Mount Alba Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Axius New Zealand Newland Pass Selborne Range Southern Alps Te Naihi River Te Naihi Saddle Tramping Wilkin Mueller 282a
130m waterfall at the Lake Axius outlet, Te Naihi River
Lake Axius Mount Aspiring National Park New Zealand Southern Alps Te Naihi River Tramping Wilkin Mueller 298a
Te Naihi River panorama: Mt Alba, Newland Pass, Mt Achilles, Te Naihi Saddle, Mt Axius
Mount Achilles Mount Alba Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Axius New Zealand Newland Pass Southern Alps Te Naihi River Te Naihi Saddle Tramping Wilkin Mueller 308a
Tarns below Mt Dispute, at the head of the Mueller River
Dispute Glacier Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Dispute Mueller River New Zealand Selborne Range Southern Alps Tramping tarn Wilkin Mueller 317
Tarns below Mt Dispute, at the head of the Mueller River
Dispute Glacier Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Dispute Mueller River New Zealand Selborne Range Southern Alps Tramping tarn Wilkin Mueller 321
Tarns below Mt Dispute, at the head of the Mueller River
Dispute Glacier Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Dispute Mueller River New Zealand Selborne Range Southern Alps Tramping tarn Wilkin Mueller 330a
Tarns below Mt Dispute, at the head of the Mueller River
Dispute Glacier Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Dispute Mueller River New Zealand Selborne Range Southern Alps Tramping tarn Wilkin Mueller 334

Southern Alps Photography

Wilkin - Mueller, 14 - 21 February 2011

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