Barrier Knob, 9 - 10 January 2014

A very promising forecast for an aurora australis prompted a night camping on top of Barrier Knob, Darran Mountains. The CME struck 11 hours late which means the aurora was visible in Scandinavia, not in New Zealand... nevertheless, a gorgeous night surrounded by myriads of Fiordland peaks coated in fresh snow!

Trip map. 1 grid square = 1km. Left click on map then select "Sizes -> Original" in bottom right corner of screen to view full size.
House ahead! Negotiating the bridge just north of Mandeville
Gore Mandeville New Zealand house house ahead house on truck sign Barrier Knob 001
House ahead! I decided not to take the shortcut between Mandeville and Balfour after being stuck behind a house travelling on the road
Gore Mandeville New Zealand house house ahead house on truck sign Barrier Knob 003
Crowd entertainment while waiting for the green light. Homer Tunnel, western portal
Cleddau River Cleddau Valley Homer Tunnel Milford Sound Nestor notabilis crowd entertainment kea Barrier Knob 012
Black Lake and Mount Crosscut
Black Lake Darran Mountains Fiordland Gertrude Saddle Gertrude Valley Mount Crosscut New Zealand Tramping Barrier Knob 013
The Cleddau River and Milford Sound from Gertrude Saddle. The most prominent peaks from left to right are Sheerdown Peak, Mitre Peak and Mount Pembroke
Cleddau River Cleddau Valley Darran Mountains Fiordland Gertrude Saddle Milford Sound Mitre Peak Mount Pembroke New Zealand Sheerdown Peak Tramping Barrier Knob 015
View from the summit of Barrier Knob. Mount Tutoko and Mount Madeline stand out behind Mts Underwwod, Patuki, Karetai Peak and Te Wera
Barrier Knob Darran Mountains Fiordland Karetai Peak Mount Madeline Mount Patuki Mount Te Wera Mount Tutoko Mount Underwood New Zealand Tramping Barrier Knob 016
View from the summit of Barrier Knob: Lake Adelaide and the central Darran Mountains
Darran Mountains Fiordland Karetai Peak Lake Adelaide Mount Madeline Mount Patuki Mount Te Wera Mount Tuhawaiki Mount Tutoko Mount Underwood Taiaroa Peak Tramping Barrier Knob 019
View from the summit of Barrier Knob: Mount Tuhawaiki and the waterfall draining the Korako Glacier are in the foreground on the left. In the background are the Park Pass Glacier, the Cosmos Peaks, Mts Lydia and Ian, Mount Aspiring, Mount Edward, Mount Head
Barrier Knob Cosmos Peaks Darran Mountains Fiordland Korako Glacier Moraine Creek Mount Aspiring Mount Edward Mount Head Mount Ian Mount Lydia Mount Tuhawaiki Park Pass Glacier Tramping Barrier Knob 022
Adelaide Peak, Sabre Peak and Marian Peak from the summit of Barrier Knob
Adelaide Peak Barrier Knob Darran Mountains Fiordland Marian Peak New Zealand Sabre Peak Tramping Barrier Knob 024
Mount Crosscut from Barrier Knob
Barrier Knob Darran Mountains Fiordland Mount Crosscut New Zealand Tramping Barrier Knob 025
Milford Sound from Barrier Knob. From left to right are the Llawrenny Peaks (back), Sheerdown Peak (front), Mitre Peak (back), Mount Pembroke
Barrier Knob Darran Mountains Fiordland Llawrenny Peaks Milford Sound Mitre Peak Mount Pembroke New Zealand Sheerdown Peak Tramping Barrier Knob 027
View from the summit of Barrier Knob: Lake Adelaide and the central Darran Mountains
Darran Mountains Fiordland Karetai Peak Lake Adelaide Mount Madeline Mount Patuki Mount Te Wera Mount Tuhawaiki Mount Tutoko Mount Underwood Taiaroa Peak Tramping Barrier Knob 032
View from Barrier Knob at sunset: Mount Tutoko, Mount Patuki, Mount Madeline
Barrier Knob Darran Mountains Fiordland Mount Madeline Mount Patuki Mount Tutoko New Zealand Tramping Barrier Knob 038
Barrier Knob sunset: Mount Grave, Mount Underwood, Mount Tutoko, Mount Patuki, Mount Madeline, Karetai Peak, Mount Te Wera, Mount Revelation, Taiaroa Peak
Barrier Knob Darran Mountains Fiordland Karetai Peak Mount Grave Mount Madeline Mount Patuki Mount Revelation Mount Te Wera Mount Tutoko Mount Underwood New Zealand Sunset Taiaroa Peak Tramping Barrier Knob 044a
View from the summit of Barrier Knob at sunset: Lake Adelaide and the central Darran Mountains
Darran Mountains Fiordland Karetai Peak Lake Adelaide Mount Madeline Mount Patuki Mount Te Wera Mount Tuhawaiki Mount Tutoko Mount Underwood Taiaroa Peak Tramping Barrier Knob 047
View from the summit of Barrier Knob at sunset: Milford Sound
Barrier Knob Darran Mountains Fiordland Milford Sound Mitre Peak Mount Pembroke New Zealand Sheerdown Peak Tramping Barrier Knob 050
View from Barrier Knob at dusk: Mount Grave, Mount Underwood, Mount Tutoko, Mount Patuki, Mount Madeline, Karetai Peak, Mount Te Wera, Mount Revelation, Taiaroa Peak
Barrier Knob Darran Mountains Fiordland Karetai Peak Mount Grave Mount Madeline Mount Patuki Mount Revelation Mount Te Wera Mount Tutoko Mount Underwood New Zealand Sunset Taiaroa Peak Tramping Barrier Knob 057a
Campsite on top of Barrier Knob
barrier knob climbing milford sound mountaineering new zealand tramping camp campsite night photography night sky stars tent
Star trails over Barrier Knob, Darran Mountains
barrier knob climbing milford sound mountaineering new zealand tramping camp campsite night photography night sky stars tent star trails
Barrier Knob timelapse
Darran Mountains panorama from Barrier Knob - Milford Sound to Lake Adelaide.
Barrier Knob 077a
360° panorama from the summit of Barrier Knob
barrier knob 078b
The Gertrude Valley, Barrier Knob and Barrier Peak
Barrier Knob Barrier Peak Darran Mountains Fiordland Gertrude Valley New Zealand Tramping Barrier Knob 081
The bridge in the lower Gertrude Valley
Darran Mountains Fiordland Gertrude Valley New Zealand Tramping bridge Barrier Knob 084