Waterfall Creek - Hut Creek, 9 - 10 April 2011

A late season foray into the Earl Mountains. An old track servicing an abandoned bait-line took us into the hanging valley of Waterfall Creek, where we set up camp before attempting an ascent of Triton Peak. A notch in the south ridge halted progress 80m below the summit - will take a rope next time! On Sunday, we crossed a pass into Hut Creek, then returned to the Eglinton Valley. Party: Jaz Morris, Nina Dickerhof, Kat Manno, Robert Schadewinkel, Claire McElwain, 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
Someone forgot their boots at home... Jaz's sneakers will never look this shiny again!
Earl Mountains Fiordland Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping footwear sneakers Waterfall Creek Hut 002
Triton Peak at the head of Waterfall Creek
Earl Mountains Fiordland Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Triton Peak Waterfall Creek Waterfall Creek Hut 004
The excellent route through the bluffs at the head of Waterfall Creek. The arrow points to a notch in the south ridge of Triton Peak, where a deep gulch disects the mountain. Take a rope!
Earl Mountains Fiordland Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Triton Peak Waterfall Creek route topo Waterfall Creek Hut 004a
At the head of Waterfall Creek. The Livingstone Mountains are on the horizon, with unnmaed peak 2004m just visible at centre image, and the David Peaks on the far left.
David Peaks Earl Mountains Fiordland Livingstone Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Waterfall Creek Waterfall Creek Hut 009
Looking down Waterfall Creek from the south ridge of Triton Peak. The Livingstone Mountains are on the horizon. The most prominent elevations are the David Peaks (left) and Moffat Peak (centre right)
David Peaks Earl Mountains Fiordland Livingstone Mountains Moffat Peak Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Triton Peak Waterfall Creek Waterfall Creek Hut 014
Looking down Waterfall Creek from the south ridge of Triton Peak. The Livingstone Mountains are on the horizon in the left half of the image. The Disappearing Peaks are at centre image, while Skelmorlie Peak is on the far right.
David Peaks Disappearing Peaks Earl Mountains Fiordland Livingstone Mountains Moffat Peak Mountaineering New Zealand Skelmorlie Peak Tramping Triton Peak Waterfall Creek Waterfall Creek Hut 021a
Looking south into the Glade Burn and Lake Te Anau from the south ridge of Triton Peak. Skelmorlie Peak is near the left edge of the image
Earl Mountains Fiordland Glade Burn Lake Te Anau Mountaineering New Zealand Skelmorlie Peak Tramping Triton Peak Waterfall Creek Hut 032a
A deep narrow gulch disects the south ridge of Triton Peak. This image shows the view into the Glade Burn
Earl Mountains Fiordland Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Triton Peak cleft gulch Waterfall Creek Hut 037
Flat Top Peak from the south ridge of Triton Peak
Earl Mountains Fiordland Flat Top Peak Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Triton Peak Waterfall Creek Hut 044
The summit of Triton Peak. So close yet so far, just across a notch in the south ridge.
Earl Mountains Fiordland Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Triton Peak Waterfall Creek Hut 057
On the pass between Waterfall Creek and Hut Creek
Disappearing Peaks Earl Mountains Fiordland Hut Creek Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Triton Peak Waterfall Creek Waterfall Creek Hut 059
Scrambling to the pass between Waterfall Creek and Hut Creek
Earl Mountains Fiordland Hut Creek Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Waterfall Creek scrambling Waterfall Creek Hut 062
Scrambling to the pass between Waterfall Creek and Hut Creek
Earl Mountains Fiordland Hut Creek Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Waterfall Creek scrambling Waterfall Creek Hut 066
Looking south from the pass between Waterfall Creek and Hut Creek
Disappearing Peaks Earl Mountains Fiordland Hut Creek Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Waterfall Creek Waterfall Creek Hut 068 Edit
Kat would you mind stepping just one meter further...? On the pass between Waterfall Creek and Hut Creek
Disappearing Peaks Earl Mountains Fiordland Hut Creek Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Waterfall Creek Waterfall Creek Hut 074
Flat Top Peak piercing the cloud
Earl Mountains Fiordland Flat Top Peak Hut Creek Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Triton Peak Waterfall Creek Waterfall Creek Hut 076
Triton Peak guards the pass between Waterfall Creek and Hut Creek
Earl Mountains Fiordland Hut Creek Mountaineering New Zealand Tramping Triton Peak Waterfall Creek Waterfall Creek Hut 079
Spot Jaz, crossing a log over Mistake Creek
Earl Mountains Fiordland Log crossing Mistake Creek Mountaineering New Zealand River crossing Tramping Waterfall Creek Hut 081