Mount Huxley, 16 - 18 December 2009

We walked up the South Temple - some excitement was provided by a pair of nesting falcons that attacked us - then traversed into the head of the Ahuriri and over V-Notch Pass into the head of the South Huxley, where we set up camp on a sloping ledge at 1600m. The climb to Mt Huxley was challenging in warm weather and with fresh snow making travel tiring and tricky on rock. It took us 11 and a half hours return from the campsite to the summit. On the third day we walked out the South Huxley and the Hopkins in a typical nor'west dust storm. Party: Ben 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
Helmets do have a purpose! The falcons told us without any compliments what they thought of our presence in their territory
Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Temple Stream South Branch Tramping sign warning
South Temple Hut and Mt Maitland
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Maitland New Zealand South Temple Hut Southern Alps Temple Stream South Branch Tramping
South Branch Temple Stream and Belfry Peak
Belfry Peak Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Temple Stream South Branch Tramping
Gunsight Pass and Bruce Peak at the head of the South Temple
Bruce Peak Climbing Gunsight Pass Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Steeple Peak Temple Stream South Branch Tramping
Gunsight Pass and Bruce Peak at the head of the South Temple
Bruce Peak Climbing Gunsight Pass Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Bruce Peak, Steeple Peak and unnamed peak 2200m at the head of the South Temple
Bruce Peak Climbing Gunsight Pass Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Steeple Peak Temple Stream South Branch Tramping
Bruce Peak, Steeple Peak and unnamed peak 2200m at the head of the South Temple
Bruce Peak Climbing Gunsight Pass Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Steeple Peak Tramping
Mt Huxley from the saddle between the South Temple and the Ahuriri
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Huxley New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Belfry Peak and Bruce Peak from the saddle between the South Temple and the Ahuriri
Belfry Peak Bruce Peak Climbing Gunsight Pass Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Descending into the South Huxley from V-Notch Pass
Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Vnotch pass
Descending into the South Huxley from V-Notch Pass
Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Vnotch pass
Campsite at 1600m on the slopes of Mt Huxley. College Peak, Protuberance Peak, Stevenson Peak and Soloist Peak in the back
Climbing College Peak Mountaineering Mt Huxley New Zealand Protuberance Peak Soloist Peak South Branch Huxley River Southern Alps Stevenson Peak Tramping
The bluffs on Mt Huxley from our campsite
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Huxley New Zealand South Branch Huxley River Southern Alps Tramping
The summit pyramid of Mt Huxley. We climbed around the back (right), then descended the steep snow slope on the left
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Huxley New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
The Huxley Range from the glacier on Mt Huxley
Abseil Peak Climbing College Peak Mountaineering Mt Hammorack Mt Huxley Mt Strauchon New Zealand Protuberance Peak Soloist Peak Southern Alps Stevenson Peak Tramping
Approaching the summit pyramid of Mt Huxley from the north. We climbed the obvious snow ramp on the left.
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Huxley New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Panorama from the summit of Mt Huxley: from left to right, Mt McCullaugh, Mt Hooker, Mt Dechen, Mt Strachan, Fettes Peak, Mt Ward. Mt Cook is in cloud.
Climbing Fettes Peak Mountaineering Mt Dechen Mt Hooker Mt Huxley Mt McCullaugh Mt Strachan Mt Ward New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
George on the summit of Mt Huxley. The Barrier Range behind.
Barrier Range Climbing Mountaineering Mt Huxley New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Looking west from the summit of Mt Huxley: Mt Brewster, Mt Tole, Mt Enderby
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Brewster Mt Enderby Mt Huxley Mt Tole New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Descending the summit pyramid of Mt Huxley
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Huxley New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Descending the summit pyramid of Mt Huxley
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Huxley New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
The deep ravine at the head of the South Huxley
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Huxley New Zealand South Branch Huxley River Southern Alps Tramping
Huxley River South Branch and Rabbiters Peak. Notice the damage to the forest on the true right, caused by an avalanche that has crossed the valley floor.
Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Rabbiters Peak South Branch Huxley River Southern Alps Tramping
Huxley River South Branch; Rabbiters Peak and Temple Peak above.
Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Rabbiters Peak South Branch Huxley River Southern Alps Temple Peak Tramping
Mt Huxley from the north
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Huxley New Zealand South Branch Huxley River Southern Alps Tramping
Mt Huxley from the north, with our route up the mountain. The dashed line is the descent from V-Notch Pass to the South Huxley valley floor
Climbing Mountaineering Mt Huxley New Zealand South Branch Huxley River Southern Alps Tramping
South Huxley Biv and Rabbiters Peak
Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Rabbiters Peak South Branch Huxley River South Huxley Biv Southern Alps Tramping
South Huxley Biv
Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand South Branch Huxley River South Huxley Biv Southern Alps Tramping
Huxley Forks Huts
Climbing Huxley Forks Hut Huxley River Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Hopkins dust storm
Climbing Hopkins River Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping dust storm