Castle River - Dark River, 21 - 30 January 2012
Day 1: I walked from the Eglinton River mouth to Camp Bay, Lake Te Anau. Day 2: Taking advantage of a calm lake, I paddled to Worsley Hut, then walked up Worsley Stream to the Castle River junction. Day 3: Up the Castle River to the head of the valley. Day 4: I climbed through bluffs out of the Castle River cirque, then scrambled up the east ridge of Barrier Peak (wonderful solid granite!) before descending into the head of the Dark River. Day 5: Down the Dark River and into Starvation Creek. Day 6: Wild weather, and a welcome pit day. Day 7: Over Hunter Pass and down into Prospect Creek. Day 8: Out Prospect Creek to Worsley Stream. Day 9: Down the true left of Worsley Stream to Holdaway Memorial Hut (Worsley Hut). Day 10: I paddled to Glade House
Pterosaurus? Camp Bay, Lake Te Anau
Camp BayClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingdriftwoodpterosaurusCastleDark017
Calm morning on Lake Te Anau. Looking up into McQueen Creek (left), Indecision Creek (centre), Foliage Hill (right)
ClimbingFiordlandFoliage HeadFoliage HillGlaisnock WildernessIndecision CreekLake Te AnauMcQueen CreekMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingCastleDark027
View up Lake Te Anau. McQueen Creek left, Indecision Creek at centre image
ClimbingFiordlandFoliage HeadGlaisnock WildernessIndecision CreekLake Te AnauMcQueen CreekMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingCastleDark032a
The Milford Track boat in front of Foliage Head, Lake Te Anau. Skelmorlie Peak top left
ClimbingFiordlandFoliage HeadFoliage HillGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMilford TrackMountaineeringNew ZealandSkelmorlie PeakTrampingCastleDark042
The Milford Track boat approaches Glade House, Lake Te Anau
ClimbingFiordlandFoliage HeadGlade HouseGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMilford TrackMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingCastleDark051
Taking a break at Sandfly Point, Worsley Arm, Lake Te Anau. Skelmorlie Peak is just right of centre image
ClimbingFiordlandFoliage HeadFoliage HillGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandSandfly PointSkelmorlie PeakTrampingWorsley Armalpacka raftpack raftpack raftingCastleDark062
Taking a break at Sandfly Point, Worsley Arm, Lake Te Anau. Worsley Stream at centre image
ClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandSandfly PointTrampingWorsley ArmWorsley Streamalpacka raftpack raftpack raftingCastleDark064
View up Worsley Stream from Lake Te Anau
ClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingWorsley ArmWorsley StreamCastleDark072
Worlsey Stream mouth, Lake Te Anau. Skelmorlie Peak is on centre-left
ClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandSkelmorlie PeakTrampingWorsley ArmWorsley Streamalpacka raftpack raftpack raftingCastleDark075
Holdaway Memorial Hut, Worsley Arm, Lake Te Anau
ClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessHoldaway Memorial HutLake Te AnauLen Holdaway Memorial HutMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingWorsley ArmWorsley HutWorsley StreamhutCastleDark084
Campsite at the Castle and Worsley junction
Castle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingWorsley StreamcampcampsiteCastleDark086
View up the Castle River from the first river flats
Castle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingCastleDark097
View down the Castle River from the first river flats
Castle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingWorsley StreamCastleDark106
View up the Castle River from the first river flats. Mt Fisher on the far left
Castle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMount FisherMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingCastleDark120
View up the Castle River. Castle Mount and Mount Fisher in cloud
Castle MountCastle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMount FisherMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingCastleDark121
Whio or Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos), Castle River
BirdBlue duckCastle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessHymenolaimus malacorhynchosLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingwildlifeCastleDark145
Whio or Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos), Castle River
BirdBlue duckCastle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessHymenolaimus malacorhynchosLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingwildlifeCastleDark148
Whio or Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos), Castle River
BirdBlue duckCastle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessHymenolaimus malacorhynchosLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingwildlifeCastleDark149
Whio or Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos), Castle River
BirdBlue duckCastle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessHymenolaimus malacorhynchosLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingwildlifeCastleDark153
Whio or Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos), Castle River
BirdBlue duckCastle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessHymenolaimus malacorhynchosLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingwildlifeCastleDark156
Whio or Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos), Castle River
BirdBlue duckCastle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessHymenolaimus malacorhynchosLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingwildlifeCastleDark161
The Castle River flows through a lovely chasm at the head of the valley
Castle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingCastleDark209
The Castle River flows through a lovely chasm at the head of the valley
Castle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingCastleDark225
The Castle River flows through a lovely chasm at the head of the valley
Castle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingCastleDark230
Campsite at the head of the Castle River
Barrier PeakCastle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTent flyTrampingcampcampsitetentCastleDark244a
Route out of the Castle River cirque
Castle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingbluffsroute topoCastleDark246a
Nicholas Peaks (pt 1792m) from the shelves above the bluffs at the head of the Castle River. The saddle at centre image is the crux on the route around Lake Quill
Castle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandNicholas PeaksTrampingCastleDark255
The ridge between Nicholas Peaks and Castle Mount
Castle MountCastle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandNicholas PeaksTrampingCastleDark266
View down the Castle River from the ridge separating the Castle from the Dark
Barrier PeakCastle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingCastleDark271
View down the Castle River from the ridge separating the Castle from the Dark
Barrier PeakCastle RiverClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingCastleDark278
The lake at the head of the Dark River, and unnnamed peak pt 1682m
Castle RiverClimbingDark RiverFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTrampingCastleDark281
Route over Hunter Pass, as seen from Barrier Peak
Barrier PeakClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessHunter PassLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandStarvation CreekTrampingroute topoCastleDark292c
View into Prospect Creek from the east ridge of Barrier Peak
Barrier PeakClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake BrownleeLake SumorLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandProspect CreekTrampingCastleDark299
View into Terminus Creek from the east ridge of Barrier Peak
Barrier PeakClimbingFiordlandGlaisnock WildernessLake Te AnauMountaineeringNew ZealandTerminus CreekTrampingCastleDark300
Neil Sloan
on August 29, 2012Hi Danilo
Those whio pics are so sharp! Beautiful. What camera / lenses do you use in the hills?
Dennis Page
on June 22, 2012Awesome trip, Danilo - Formidable but spectacular country and impressive effort for a solo trip! Quite breath-taking. And great photos too!!