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

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 340
At the head of the Mueller River. The route to Mt Dispute climbs the rather scrubby slope to the right
Mount Aspiring National Park Mueller River New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin Mueller 344a
Alpine Flat, Mueller River. Mt Calliope (right) above
Alpine Flat Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Calliope Mueller River New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin Mueller 349
The chataract through the Mueller River gates, between Reecho Ravine and Deep Down Creek
Deep Down Creek Mount Aspiring National Park Mueller River New Zealand Reecho Ravine Southern Alps Tramping chataract Wilkin Mueller 354
Giant pot-holes by the chataract through the Mueller River gates, between Reecho Ravine and Deep Down Creek
Deep Down Creek Mount Aspiring National Park Mueller River New Zealand Reecho Ravine Southern Alps Tramping chataract Wilkin Mueller 360
A giant tree root spans a 5m hole between boulders at the toe of Murdoch Spur, Mueller River
Mount Aspiring National Park Mueller River Murdoch Spur New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping tree root Wilkin Mueller 367