Mt Taylor Traverse, 8 - 10 August 2009

A good solo mission. 16km of ridgelines where the ice was more solid than the rock. Travel was entertaining, always, exciting, at times, required faith - in my crampons!

Trip map. 1 grid square = 1km. Left click on map then select "Sizes -> Original" in bottom right corner of screen to view full size
The new Woolshed Creek Hut
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mt somers woolshed creek hut hakatere conservation area
Woolshed Creek headwaters. Knob 1700m at centre image
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor hakatere conservation area
Knob 1700m at the head of Woolshed Creek
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor hakatere conservation area
Knob 1700m at the head of Woolshed Creek
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor hakatere conservation area
Looking south into the Stour River
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor stour river hakatere conservation area
Looking south into the Stour River
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor stour riv er hakatere conservation area
Mt Somers
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor hakatere conservation area
Knob 1700m on the way to Quaker Saddle
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor hakatere conservation area
Looking north from Knob 1700m - a long way to go to Mt Taylor
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor old man peak quaker saddle hakatere conservation area
Mt Winterslow and Mt Somers from Knob 1700m
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers mount winterslow hakatere conservation area
Mount Somers from Knob 1700m
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers hakatere conservation area
The Arrowsmith Range and Lake Heron from peak 1755m
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills lake heron mt arrowsmith mount somers range mt taylor hakatere conservation area
Lake Emily and the Dogs Range from Peak 1755m. Mt Cook, Tasman and D'Archiac on the horizon.
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor dogs range lake emily mt cook mt tasman mt d archiac hakatere conservation area
Looking west from peak 1755m
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor lake heron mt arrowsmith hakatere conservation area
Clent Hills (foreground) and Lake Clearwater from Peak 1755m
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor clent hills lake clearwater hakatere conservation area
Near Quaker Saddle
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor quaker saddle hakatere conservation area
Arrowsmith Range and Lake Heron from Quaker Saddle
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor quaker saddle lake heron mt arrowsmith hakatere conservation area
Swiss cheese snow on Quaker Saddle. Holes were over 4m deep. A bit scary really!
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor quaker saddle hakatere conservation area
Moonrise over Christchurch
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor christchurch full moon hakatere conservation area
Night view from peak 2093m, Mt Somers Range. The lights of Ashburton are visible between Mt Winterslow and Mt Somers. Left of Mt Winterslow is Methven, and Christchurch on the far left
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor mt winterslow christchurch ashburton methven hakatere conservation area
Arrowsmith Range and Lake Heron from Peak 2093m
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor mt arrowsmith lake heron hakatere conservation area
Still a wee way to go to Mt Taylor (far right). Lake Heron and the Arrowsmith Range on the left
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor lake heron mt arrowsmith hakatere conservation area
Looking west from the summit of Mt Taylor
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mount somers range mt taylor lake heron mt arrowsmith hakatere conservation area
Mt Taylor from the north
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mt taylor hakatere conservation area
Peak 2281m - the only section of the traverse where I did not follow the ridge...
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mt taylor range hakatere conservation area
Looking down into Boundary Creek and towards Mt Hutt (right)
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mt taylor boundary creek mt hutt hakatere conservation area
Peak 2281m
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mt taylor hakatere conservation area
On the west ridge of peak 2281m. Mt Taylor at the centre of the image
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mt taylor range mt somers range hakatere conservation area
Lake Heron
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mt taylor lake heron hakatere conservation area
Swin River south branch
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mt taylor swin river south branch hakatere conservation area
Double Hut
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mt taylor swin river double hut hakatere conservation area
Arrowsmith Range at dawn
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills swin river. lake heron mt arrowsmith hakatere conservation area
Taylor and Mount Somers Range at dawn. View from the Swin River bed
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mt taylor range swin river hakatere conservation area
Lake Heron
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills lake heron mt arrowsmith hakatere conservation area
Mt Taylor and Mt Somers Range from Hakatere Heron Road
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills mt taylor range mt somers range hakatere conservation area
Hakatere Station
new zealand tramping canterbury foothills hakatere station hakatere conservation area
360 degree panorama from the summit of Mount Taylor. Select 'Hi-Def' in the top menu bar to enjoy full screen!
Taylor Panorama