Mount Madeline, 1 - 4 December 2009

On the first day we had an early start for the long walk in to Turner's Biv. Rain, a difficult crossing at Leader Creek and navigational issues in fog in the upper part of the route meant we were caught by nightfall 100m below the bivvy. The next day, we reached the bivvy rock to find it occupied by a party of five that had flown in. After an attempt on Mt Syme, aborted 80m below the summit on the ridge separating the Tutoko valley from the Hollyford in complete whiteout, we settled for an uncomfortable, crammed rock 150m below Turner's Biv. On the third day, we climbed Mt Madeline in perfect weather and conditions, then descended to an idyllic campsite at the head of Leader Creek. Party: Benjamin Hepp, George O'Sullivan, Danilo Hegg

Trip map. 1 grid square = 1km. Left click on map then select "Sizes -> Original" in bottom right corner of screen to view full size
Lake Gunn sunset
Lake Gunn New Zealand Landscapes Sunset Fiordland
Tutoko Valley in mist
Climbing Tutoko River New Zealand Tutoko Valley Tramping Fiordland Mountaineering
Tutoko Valley below Leader Creek
Climbing Tutoko River New Zealand Tutoko Valley Tramping Fiordland Mountaineering
Leader Creek: a difficult crossing
Climbing River crossing Tutoko Valley New Zealand Tramping Mountaineering Fiordland Leader Creek
Getting wet in Leader Creek
Climbing River crossing Tutoko Valley New Zealand Tramping Mountaineering Fiordland Leader Creek
Leader Creek above the falls
Climbing Tutoko Valley New Zealand Tramping Mountaineering Fiordland Leader Creek
The Age Glacier at the head of Leader Creek. The route to Turner's Biv climbs the scrubby bluff at centre image, then gets lost in cloud. And so did we...
Turners Biv New Zealand Age Glacier Tutoko Valley Climbing Tramping Mountaineering Fiordland Leader Creek
Looking down Leader Creek
Climbing Tutoko Valley New Zealand Tramping Mountaineering Fiordland Leader Creek
Our campsite just below Turner's Biv. The south face of Tutoko and Turner Pass behind
Climbing New Zealand Mt Tutoko Turner Pass Age Glacier Tutoko Valley Darran Mountains Tramping Fiordland Mountaineering
Avalanche on the south face of Tutoko
Climbing avalanche New Zealand Mt Tutoko Age Glacier Tutoko Valley Darran Mountains Tramping Fiordland Mountaineering
Packing up our first campsite. Turner's Biv is shown by the 'X'
Turners Biv New Zealand Tutoko Valley Darran Mountains Climbing Tramping Mountaineering Fiordland Leader Creek
Climbing towards Mt Syme, just above Turner's Biv
Climbing New Zealand Mt Tutoko Mt Syme Age Glacier Tutoko Valley Darran Mountains Turners Biv Tramping Fiordland Mountaineering
Descending Mt Syme's western slopes
Turners Biv New Zealand Mt Syme Tutoko Valley Darran Mountains Climbing Tramping Fiordland Mountaineering
Mt Tutoko in a fierce easterly wind
Climbing New Zealand Mt Tutoko Turner Pass Age Glacier Tutoko Valley Darran Mountains Turners Biv Tramping Fiordland Mountaineering
Mt Tutoko in a fierce easterly wind
Climbing New Zealand Mt Tutoko Age Glacier Tutoko Valley Darran Mountains Turners Biv Tramping Fiordland Mountaineering
Turner's Biv, occupied by 5 climbers who flew in (shame on you!) George shows his disapproval
Turners Biv New Zealand Tutoko Valley Darran Mountains Climbing Tramping Mountaineering Fiordland Leader Creek
Turner's Biv interior
Turners Biv New Zealand Tutoko Valley Darran Mountains Climbing Tramping Mountaineering Fiordland Leader Creek
First sunlight from the slopes of Mt Madeline. Mt Syme is in the foreground; Mt Underwood is the sun-lit snowy peak to the left
Climbing Mt Elliot Castle Mount Mt Syme Mt Underwood Mt Madeline Darran Mountains Tramping New Zealand Fiordland Mountaineering
Enlarged detail from the above photograph
Climbing Coronation Peak Mt Elliot Castle Mount Mt Syme Tramping Barrier Peak Mt Madeline New Zealand Darran Mountains Mt Underwood Mt Titiroa Mt Lyall Fiordland Mountaineering
George takes a rest on the slope of Mt Madeline. Mt Christina back right
Climbing Mt Christina Darran Mountains New Zealand Tramping Mt Madeline Fiordland Mountaineering
Approaching the summit of Mt Madeline. Mt Tutoko behind
Climbing New Zealand Mt Tutoko Ngapunatoru Pass Mt Grave Mt Madeline Darran Mountains Tramping Ngapunatoru Plateau Fiordland Mountaineering
Mt Madeline bergschrund
Climbing bergschrund New Zealand Mt Madeline Darran Mountains crevasse glacier Tramping Fiordland Mountaineering
Ben and George summiting on Mt Madeline. Mt Tutoko and Ngapunatoru Plateau in the back
Climbing New Zealand Mt Tutoko Ngapunatoru Pass Ngapunatoru Plateau Mt Madeline Darran Mountains Tramping Fiordland Mountaineering
Climax Peak and Destiny Peak (left) and Mt Aspiring from Mt Madeline
Climbing New Zealand Mallory Peak Tramping Irvine Peak Mt Aspiring Darran Mountains Climax Peak Mt Madeline Destiny Peak Fiordland Mountaineering
Ngapunatoru Plateau, Donne Glacier and Alice Peak from Mt Madeline. Lake McKerrow back right in the shade
Climbing Donne Glacier New Zealand Ngapunatoru Pass Ngapunatoru Plateau Mt Madeline Darran Mountains Tramping Mountaineering Alice Peak Fiordland Lake McKerrow
View from the summit of Mt Madeline, looking south
Climbing Tramping Darran Mountains New Zealand Mt Madeline Mt Syme Fiordland Mountaineering
The peaks above the Milford Track from Mt Madeline
Climbing Mt Elliot Tramping Terror Peak Llawrenny Peaks New Zealand Mt Madeline Mt Longsight Darran Mountains Mt Danger Mitre Peak Lady of the Snows Fiordland Mountaineering
Panorama from the summit of Mt Madeline, looking south-west
Climbing Tramping Mt Elliot Castle Mount Mt Syme Llawrenny Peaks Terror Peak Mt Madeline New Zealand Darran Mountains Mt Danger Mitre Peak Lady of the Snows Fiordland Mountaineering
Mt Tutoko and Ngapunatoru Plateau from the summit of Mt Madeline
Climbing New Zealand Mt Tutoko Ngapunatoru Pass Ngapunatoru Plateau Mt Madeline Darran Mountains Tramping Fiordland Mountaineering
Lake Alabaster. Ark, Intervention Ridge and Forgotten River Col on the right-hand horizon
Climbing Intervention Ridge New Zealand Forgotten River Col Mt Madeline Tramping Darran Mountains Pyke River Lake Alabaster Ark Fiordland Mountaineering
Lake Turner and the Central Darrans from the south ridge of Mt Madeline: Mt Te Wera, Karetai Peak, Mt Patuki, Mt Underwood, Mt Syme
Climbing Mt Te Wera New Zealand Mt Syme Mt Patuki Mt Underwood Mt Madeline Karetai Peak Darran Mountains Tramping Lake Turner Turner Falls Fiordland Mountaineering
Mt Syme
Climbing Tramping Darran Mountains New Zealand Mt Madeline Mt Syme Fiordland Mountaineering
The mountains above the Arthur River: Lady of the Snows, Mt Danger, Terror Peak, Llawrenny Peaks and Mitre Peak
Climbing New Zealand Llawrenny Peaks Tramping Mt Madeline Terror Peak Darran Mountains Mt Danger Mitre Peak Lady of the Snows Fiordland Mountaineering
Mt Grave
Climbing Tramping Darran Mountains New Zealand Mt Madeline Mt Grave Fiordland Mountaineering
Mt Tutoko
Climbing New Zealand Mt Tutoko Age Glacier Mt Madeline Darran Mountains Tramping Fiordland Mountaineering
Mt Madeline from the south
Climbing Darran Mountains New Zealand Tramping Mt Madeline Fiordland Mountaineering
Mt Madeline south ridge
Climbing Darran Mountains New Zealand Tramping Mt Madeline Fiordland Mountaineering
Mt Madeline. The mountain was named after the daughter of Samuel Turner, who claimed the first ascent in 1920
Climbing Darran Mountains New Zealand Tramping Mt Madeline Fiordland Mountaineering
Mt Tutoko
Climbing New Zealand Mt Tutoko Age Glacier Mt Madeline Darran Mountains Tramping Fiordland Mountaineering
Ben studies the view from the spur below Turner's Biv. Unnamed peak 1934 behind.
Turners Biv New Zealand Tutoko Valley Darran Mountains Climbing Mt Elliot Tramping Fiordland Mountaineering
On the way down from Turner's Biv
Climbing Darran Mountains New Zealand Turners Biv Tramping Fiordland Mountaineering
The water supply at our campsite at the head of Leader Creek. Gorgeous!
Climbing Tutoko Valley Darran Mountains New Zealand Tramping Mountaineering Fiordland Leader Creek
The water supply at our campsite at the head of Leader Creek
Climbing Tutoko Valley Darran Mountains New Zealand Tramping Mountaineering Fiordland Leader Creek
The water supply at our campsite at the head of Leader Creek
Climbing Tutoko Valley Darran Mountains New Zealand Tramping Mountaineering Fiordland Leader Creek
Campsite at the head of Leader Creek
Climbing Tutoko Valley Darran Mountains New Zealand Tramping Mountaineering Fiordland Leader Creek
Scrub-bashing at the head of Leader Creek. At least it looks pretty and smells nice! Common tree daisy (Olearia arborescens)
Climbing New Zealand Tutoko Valley olearia arborescens Darran Mountains Tramping common tree daisy Mountaineering Fiordland Leader Creek
South Island mountain foxglove (Ourisia macrocarpa), Limerick Creek
Climbing Limerick Creek New Zealand Tutoko Valley ourisia macrocarpa south island mountain foxglove Tramping Mountaineering Fiordland Leader Creek

Gilda Otway
on May 2, 2011
Some facts for the young lads:- I & several others in photo have walked in & out several times before! & Turners Bivy was buried under snow! our marginal rock continously filled with water & no mention of flying restrictions by pilot. We, who get into the hills once a year due to family committments were unaware of these maybe new rules - please forgive but we also love to get into the outdoors.
Danilo
on October 19, 2010
No, they walked out. And it is illegal to fly in after December 1st. They flew in on November 30th, then occupied the bivvy for 4 nights. Nice way around the regulations, hugh? Fully agree, they missed out big times...
Jon Taylor
on October 18, 2010
Nice photos Danilo. Interested to hear and see that people flew in to Turner's since, as far as I was aware, it is illegal except in winter. Details will be in the Alpine Club guidebook, possibly Robin's latest Moir's. If it is legal, then these slackarses missed out on a great expedition and mountain journey. I wonder if they flew out too?

Southern Alps Photography

Mount Madeline, 1 - 4 December 2009

Gallery comments

Gilda Otway

Danilo

Jon Taylor