Castle River - Dark River, 21 - 30 January 2012

An exciting solo trip through some of Fiordland's most amazing wilderness. Highlights included pack-rafting up Lake Te Anau, exploring a route from the Castle River into the Dark River, finding a better route over Hunter Pass, and an ascent of Barrier Peak via the east ridge.
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

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
Trip map - detail of walking section. 1 grid square = 1km. Left click on map then select "Sizes -> Original" in bottom right corner of screen to view full size
Camp at Camp Bay, Lake Te Anau
Camp Bay Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tent fly Tramping alpacka raft camp campsite pack raft pack rafting tent Castle Dark 001
Camp at Camp Bay, Lake Te Anau
Camp Bay Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tent fly Tramping alpacka raft camp campsite pack raft pack rafting tent Castle Dark 006
Camp Bay, Lake Te Anau
Camp Bay Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 007
Pterosaurus? Camp Bay, Lake Te Anau
Camp Bay Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping driftwood pterosaurus Castle Dark 017
Calm morning on Lake Te Anau. Looking up into McQueen Creek (left), Indecision Creek (centre), Foliage Hill (right)
Climbing Fiordland Foliage Head Foliage Hill Glaisnock Wilderness Indecision Creek Lake Te Anau McQueen Creek Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 027
View up Lake Te Anau. McQueen Creek left, Indecision Creek at centre image
Climbing Fiordland Foliage Head Glaisnock Wilderness Indecision Creek Lake Te Anau McQueen Creek Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 032a
The Milford Track boat in front of Foliage Head, Lake Te Anau. Skelmorlie Peak top left
Climbing Fiordland Foliage Head Foliage Hill Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Milford Track Mountaineering New Zealand Skelmorlie Peak Tramping Castle Dark 042
The Milford Track boat approaches Glade House, Lake Te Anau
Climbing Fiordland Foliage Head Glade House Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Milford Track Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 051
Taking a break at Sandfly Point, Worsley Arm, Lake Te Anau. Skelmorlie Peak is just right of centre image
Climbing Fiordland Foliage Head Foliage Hill Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Sandfly Point Skelmorlie Peak Tramping Worsley Arm alpacka raft pack raft pack rafting Castle Dark 062
Taking a break at Sandfly Point, Worsley Arm, Lake Te Anau. Worsley Stream at centre image
Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Sandfly Point Tramping Worsley Arm Worsley Stream alpacka raft pack raft pack rafting Castle Dark 064
View up Worsley Stream from Lake Te Anau
Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Worsley Arm Worsley Stream Castle Dark 072
Worlsey Stream mouth, Lake Te Anau. Skelmorlie Peak is on centre-left
Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Skelmorlie Peak Tramping Worsley Arm Worsley Stream alpacka raft pack raft pack rafting Castle Dark 075
Holdaway Memorial Hut, Worsley Arm, Lake Te Anau
Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Holdaway Memorial Hut Lake Te Anau Len Holdaway Memorial Hut Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Worsley Arm Worsley Hut Worsley Stream hut Castle Dark 084
Campsite at the Castle and Worsley junction
Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Worsley Stream camp campsite Castle Dark 086
View up the Castle River from the first river flats
Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 097
View down the Castle River from the first river flats
Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Worsley Stream Castle Dark 106
View up the Castle River from the first river flats. Mt Fisher on the far left
Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mount Fisher Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 120
View up the Castle River. Castle Mount and Mount Fisher in cloud
Castle Mount Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mount Fisher Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 121
Whio or Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos), Castle River
Bird Blue duck Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping wildlife Castle Dark 145
Whio or Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos), Castle River
Bird Blue duck Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping wildlife Castle Dark 148
Whio or Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos), Castle River
Bird Blue duck Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping wildlife Castle Dark 149
Whio or Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos), Castle River
Bird Blue duck Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping wildlife Castle Dark 153
Whio or Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos), Castle River
Bird Blue duck Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping wildlife Castle Dark 156
Whio or Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos), Castle River
Bird Blue duck Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping wildlife Castle Dark 161
Castle River
Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 168
Castle River
Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 185
Castle River
Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 197
Castle River
Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 205
The Castle River flows through a lovely chasm at the head of the valley
Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 209
The Castle River flows through a lovely chasm at the head of the valley
Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 225
The Castle River flows through a lovely chasm at the head of the valley
Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 230
Castle River valley head
Barrier Peak Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 236
Campsite at the head of the Castle River
Barrier Peak Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tent fly Tramping camp campsite tent Castle Dark 244a
Route out of the Castle River cirque
Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping bluffs route topo Castle Dark 246a
My route up Barrier Peak
Barrier Peak Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 250a
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 River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Nicholas Peaks Tramping Castle Dark 255
The ridge between Nicholas Peaks and Castle Mount
Castle Mount Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Nicholas Peaks Tramping Castle Dark 266
View down the Castle River from the ridge separating the Castle from the Dark
Barrier Peak Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 271
View down the Castle River from the ridge separating the Castle from the Dark
Barrier Peak Castle River Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 278
The lake at the head of the Dark River, and unnnamed peak pt 1682m
Castle River Climbing Dark River Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Castle Dark 281
View south from the east ridge of Barrier Peak
Barrier Peak Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Hunter Pass Lake Brownlee Lake Sumor Lake Te Anau Mount Irene Mount Lyall Mountaineering New Zealand Prospect Creek Starvation Creek Terminus Creek Tramping Castle Dark 292a
View south from the east ridge of Barrier Peak
Barrier Peak Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Hunter Pass Lake Brownlee Lake Sumor Lake Te Anau Mount Irene Mount Lyall Mountaineering New Zealand Prospect Creek Starvation Creek Terminus Creek Tramping Castle Dark 292b
Route over Hunter Pass, as seen from Barrier Peak
Barrier Peak Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Hunter Pass Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Starvation Creek Tramping route topo Castle Dark 292c
View into Prospect Creek from the east ridge of Barrier Peak
Barrier Peak Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Brownlee Lake Sumor Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Prospect Creek Tramping Castle Dark 299
View into Terminus Creek from the east ridge of Barrier Peak
Barrier Peak Climbing Fiordland Glaisnock Wilderness Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Terminus Creek Tramping Castle Dark 300

Southern Alps Photography

Castle River - Dark River, 21 - 30 January 2012

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