High Burn - Mount Shrimpton, 17 - 19 December 2015

A solo trip in the mountains in the back of Makarora. I started this trip without a set route or destination in mind. Instead, I just walked for three days with eyes wide open, letting the landscape around me dictate where I could go and where I could not. A brilliant wee trip across a stunning bit of country.

Day 1: From Cameron Flat up Camerons Creek for lunch at Cameron Hut, then across the river and onto the tops. Sidle under Pt 1866m and Pt 2020m to a scenic campsite on the saddle Pt 1547m above Cascade Creek.
Day 2: Sidling under Pt 1931m, then right over Pt 1940m before a descent to an unnamed lake on the saddle separating Cascade Creek from Camerons Creek. Over the tops south of the lake, then down into the High Burn. The hut was blown over by the wind and is lying on its roof. Across the river and up to a camp above scrub-line, 150m below the High Burn - Big Hopwood Burn Saddle.
Day 3: Up to the saddle above the Big Hopwood Burn, then a long sidle westwards to just under Pt 1960m. I had not intended to climb Mount Shrimpton, but when I saw an elegant snow ramp leading straight to the summit, I could not resist. I then descended the Mount Shrimpton Track to Makarora.

Young Range tops at the head of Waterfall Creek
High Burn Shrimpton 344 New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Waterfall Creek Young Range
The lake on the saddle separating Waterfall Creek from Camerons Creek South Branch. Pt 2016m (McKerrow Range) is in the background.
High Burn Shrimpton 350 Camerons Creek McKerrow Range New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Waterfall Creek Young Range
The lake on the saddle separating Waterfall Creek from Camerons Creek South Branch. Pt 2016m (McKerrow Range) is in the background.
High Burn Shrimpton 362 Camerons Creek McKerrow Range New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Waterfall Creek Young Range
Pt 2016m (McKerrow Range) from the ridge dividing Waterfall Creek from the High Burn.
High Burn Shrimpton 363 High Burn McKerrow Range New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Waterfall Creek Young Range
Young Range tops between Camerons Creek South Branch and Waterfall Creek.
High Burn Shrimpton 373a Camerons Creek New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Waterfall Creek Young Range
Route topo for the crossing over the shoulder of Pt 1940m, on the divide between Camerons Creek South Branch and Waterfall Creek.
High Burn Shrimpton 373b Camerons Creek New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Waterfall Creek Young Range
View down the High Burn from the west shoulder of Pt 1858m, Young Range. Triplet Mountain is the highest point on the skyline, right of centre image.
High Burn Shrimpton 382 High Burn New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Triplet Mountain Young Range
View of the High Burn from the west shoulder of Pt 1858m, Young Range.
High Burn Shrimpton 404a High Burn McKerrow Range Mount Constitution Mount Shrimpton New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Triplet Mountain Young Range
View of the High Burn from the west shoulder of Pt 1858m, Young Range.
High Burn Shrimpton 404b High Burn McKerrow Range Mount Constitution Mount Shrimpton New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Triplet Mountain Young Range
High Burn valley head and Mount Shrimpton
High Burn Shrimpton 405 High Burn Mount Shrimpton New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
View across the High Burn. Mount Constitution is at centre image.
High Burn Shrimpton 407 High Burn Mount Constitution New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
Route out of the High Burn to the saddle with the Big Hopwood Burn. There's a bit of scrub to contend with in places.
High Burn Shrimpton 407a Big Hopwood Burn High Burn Mount Constitution New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range route topo
High Burn Hut
High Burn Shrimpton 408 High Burn High Burn hut New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range hut
High Burn Hut
High Burn Shrimpton 415 High Burn High Burn hut New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range hut
High Burn Hut
High Burn Shrimpton 429 High Burn High Burn hut New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range hut
High Burn Hut
High Burn Shrimpton 435 High Burn High Burn hut New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range hut
High Burn Hut
High Burn Shrimpton 436 High Burn High Burn hut New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range hut
High Burn Hut
High Burn Shrimpton 440 High Burn High Burn hut New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range hut
High Burn Hut
High Burn Shrimpton 463 High Burn High Burn hut New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range hut
High Burn, view up valley
High Burn Shrimpton 467 High Burn New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
The descent route from the shoulder of Pt 1858m to High Burn Hut. This is a very good route. The circle indicates the location of the remains of High Burn Hut.
High Burn Shrimpton 469a High Burn High Burn hut New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range route topo
View of the McKerrow Range over the saddle Pt 1166m at the head of the High Burn. Pt 1850m is at centre image.
High Burn Shrimpton 483 High Burn McKerrow Range New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
Evening light at camp in the High Burn
High Burn Shrimpton 504 High Burn New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
Evening light at camp in the High Burn
High Burn Shrimpton 507 High Burn New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
Evening light at camp in the High Burn
High Burn Shrimpton 516 High Burn New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range camp campsite tent
View into the Big Hopwood Burn from the saddle with the High Burn.
High Burn Shrimpton 520 Big Hopwood Burn High Burn New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
View down the Big Hopwood Burn
High Burn Shrimpton 522 Big Hopwood Burn New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
The saddle at the head of the Big Hopwood Burn North Branch, and Mount Ernest.
High Burn Shrimpton 525 Big Hopwood Burn Mount Ernest New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
Pt 1914m and Mount Ernest, McKerrow Range, Big Hopwood Burn.
High Burn Shrimpton 526 Big Hopwood Burn McKerrow Range Mount Ernest New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
The high sidle above the Big Hopwood Burn requires crossing numerous ravines. This one turned out to be hardest, because of broken-up avalanche debris that filled the easiest crossing point at the top end.
High Burn Shrimpton 527 Big Hopwood Burn Mount Ernest New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range ravine
View of the same snow-filled ravine from lower down. Crossing on snow appeared too dangerous - I had to descend 100m.
High Burn Shrimpton 528 Big Hopwood Burn New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range ravine
View down the Big Hopwood Burn. Triplet Mountain is the triangular peak above the river flats.
High Burn Shrimpton 529 Big Hopwood Burn New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Triplet Mountain Young Range
Jagged peaks on the Big Hopwood Burn - High Burn divide.
High Burn Shrimpton 536 Big Hopwood Burn High Burn New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
View down the Big Hopwood Burn. Triplet Mountain is the triangular peak above the river flats.
High Burn Shrimpton 537 Big Hopwood Burn New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Triplet Mountain Young Range
Jagged peaks on the Big Hopwood Burn - High Burn divide.
High Burn Shrimpton 541 Big Hopwood Burn High Burn New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
View of Mount Shrimpton from Pt 1960m, McKerrow Range
High Burn Shrimpton 543 McKerrow Range Mount Shrimpton New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
My original plan had been to cross the col on the far left and descend directly to Makarora. But when I saw the snow ramp leading to Mt Shrimpton, I could not resist...
High Burn Shrimpton 543a McKerrow Range Mount Shrimpton New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range route topo
Unnamed Peak Pt 1944m south-east of Mount Shrimpton, McKerrow Range.
High Burn Shrimpton 545 Mount Shrimpton New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
Jagged tops south-east of Mount Shrimpton. The col at centre image provides an excellent crossing into the Big Hopwood Burn.
High Burn Shrimpton 551a Mount Shrimpton New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
Unnamed Peak Pt 1944m south-east of Mount Shrimpton, McKerrow Range.
High Burn Shrimpton 552 McKerrow Range Mount Shrimpton New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
Young range tops east of Mount Shrimpton. Pt 1960m is on the left.
High Burn Shrimpton 554 Mount Shrimpton New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
McKerrow Range tops north of Mount Shrimpton. Pt 2016m is just left of centre image.
High Burn Shrimpton 555 McKerrow Range Mount Shrimpton New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
McKerrow Range tops north of Mount Shrimpton. Pt 2016m is on the right.
High Burn Shrimpton 556 McKerrow Range Mount Shrimpton New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
McKerrow Range tops south of Mount Shrimpton. Mount Constitution is at centre image; Triplet Mountain on the far left.
High Burn Shrimpton 559 McKerrow Range Mount Constitution Mount Shrimpton New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Triplet Mountain Young Range
View down the High Burn from the summit of Mount Shrimpton.
High Burn Shrimpton 561 High Burn Mount Shrimpton New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
View of the Huxley Range from the summit of Mount Shrimpton. Mount Huxley is just left of centre image; Mount Barth is on the far right.
High Burn Shrimpton 563 Huxley Range Mount Barth Mount Calvin Mount Huxley New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range
View from Mount Shrimpton: Makarora and Wilkin rivers.
High Burn Shrimpton 564 Makarora River McKerrow Range Mount Shrimpton New Zealand Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Wilkin River Young Range
View from Mount Shrimpton into the Leven and Ore Streams. Eyetooth stands out back right.
High Burn Shrimpton 565 Eyetooth Leven Stream McKerrow Range Mount Shrimpton New Zealand Ore Stream Otago Otago Alps Southern Alps Tramping Young Range

Southern Alps Photography

High Burn - Mount Shrimpton, 17 - 19 December 2015

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