Mount Sefton, 12 - 18 January 2010

A trip I had been dreaming of in a long time - and it turned into a dream of a trip! A brilliant combination of green westland rain forests, flowering alpine meadows, glacier travel, a fun, fun climb, and a bath in the hot pools to top it all up. Day 1: up the Karangarua River to Cassel Flat Hut, and Regina Creek to Conical Hill. Day 2: high sidle into the Douglas to Horace Walker Hut. Day 3: we sat out a cold front at the hut, then walked to the toe of the Wicks Glacier. Day 4: Wicks Col and Sierra Range to Welcome Pass - what stunning views! Day 5: ascent of Mount Sefton. Fun! Day 6: Tekano Glacier, then a long descent via the Tekano head basin, upper Bluewater Creek and a tributary of Scott Creek, thus avoiding all waterfalls and river bouldering. A good descent route! And a well deserved hot bath in the end. Day 7: a pleasant walk down the Copland track before driving home. Party: George O'Sullivan and Danilo Hegg

Mount Sefton at sunrise, Mueller Hut
Climbing Mount Sefton Mountaineering Mt Sefton Mueller Hut New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Mount Sefton and Mueller Glacier from Mount Wakefield
Climbing Mount Sefton Mountaineering Mt Sefton Mt Thomson Mt Wakefield Mueller Glacier New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
The Footstool and Mount Sefton from Copland Pass
Climbing Copland Copland Pass Mount Sefton Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps The Footstool Tramping
Trip map. 1 grid square = 1km. Left click on map then select "Sizes -> Original" in bottom right corner of screen to view full size
Flowering rata in the Karangarua, and the Bare Rocky Range in the background. Mt Glower and McGloin Peak at centre image.
Bare Rocky Range Climbing Jagged Spur Karangarua River McGloin Peak Metrosideros umbellata Mountaineering Mt glower New Zealand Southern Alps Southern rata Tramping
Flowering rata in the Karangarua. Jagged Spur in the Bare Rocky Range in the background.
Bare Rocky Range Climbing Jagged Spur Karangarua River Metrosideros umbellata Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Southern rata Tramping
Crossing McTaggart Creek - wearing crocs! But we did keep our boots dry for 6 days :-)
Climbing Karangarua River McTaggart Creek Mountaineering New Zealand River crossing Southern Alps Tramping
Crossing Harkells Creek
Climbing Harkells Creek Karangarua River Mountaineering New Zealand River crossing Southern Alps Tramping
Cassel Flat Hut, Karangarua Valley
Bare Rocky Range Cassel Flat Cassel Flat Hut Climbing Jagged Spur Karangarua River McGloin Peak Mountaineering Mt glower New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Flowering rata on the cliffs above Cassel Flat, Karangarua Valley
Cassel Flat Climbing Karangarua River Metrosideros umbellata Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Southern rata Tramping
The cableway over the Karangarua River at Cassel Flat
Bare Rocky Range Cassel Flat Climbing Karangarua River McGloin Peak Mountaineering Mt glower New Zealand River crossing Southern Alps Tramping cableway
3-wire bridge in Regina Creek
3wire bridge Climbing Karangarua River Mountaineering New Zealand Regina Creek River crossing Southern Alps Tramping three wire bridge walkwire
The amazing view into the Douglas from Conical Hill. Pioneer Peak is on the left, The Gladiator on the right, Mt Thomson, Eagle Peak and Maunga Ma at centre image.
Climbing Conical Hill Douglas River Eagle Peak Karangarua River Maunga Ma Mountaineering Mt Eric Mt Thomson New Zealand Pioneer Peak Regina Creek Southern Alps The Gladiator Tramping
Pioneer Peak and Morse Glacier from Conical Hill
Climbing Conical Hill Douglas River Morse Glacier Mountaineering New Zealand Pioneer Peak Southern Alps Tramping
On the ridge above Conical Hill, looking at the high sidle into the Douglas
Climbing Conical Hill Douglas River Eagle Peak Mountaineering Mt Thomson New Zealand Pioneer Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Sidling above the Douglas River. Conical Hill at centre image, Mt Glower and McGloin Peak to the left, Mt McDonald to the right
Climbing Conical Hill Douglas River Karangarua River McGloin Peak Mountaineering Mt McDonald Mt glower New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
The mountain range between the Douglas and the Karangarua rivers from the north. Mt Burns, Mt Hopkins and Black Tower Peak are on the far left, Mt Glower and McGloin Peak on the far right.
Black Tower Peak Climbing Douglas River Karangarua River MacKnob McGloin Peak Mountaineering Mt Burns Mt Hopkins Mt Mirk Mt glower Mt peculiar New Zealand Notable Peak Red Deer Col Southern Alps The Clue The Helmet Tramping
Looking across Red Deer Col from the high sidle into the Douglas. From left to right are Vampire, Mt Burns, Mt Spence, Mt Hopkins, Black Tower Peak.
Black Tower Peak Climbing Douglas River Mountaineering Mt Burns Mt Hopkins Mt Spence New Zealand Southern Alps The Gladiator Tramping Vampire
Looking into the Horace Walker and Douglas Rivers.
Black Tower Peak Climbing Douglas River Horace Walker River Mountaineering Mt Burns Mt Hopkins Mt Isabel Mt McKerrow New Zealand Red Deer Col Southern Alps The Gladiator Tramping Vampire
Horace Walker Glacier and Mount Glorious
Climbing Horace Walker Glacier Horace Walker River Mountaineering Mt Glorious New Zealand Pilkington Glacier Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping
Horace Walker Hut
Climbing Douglas River Horace Walker Hut Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
At Horace Walker Hut: Danilo, George, Gabriele, Barnie, Zeff (photo taken by Bill). These are the loveliest hunters I have ever met in the hills. 220 years between the 3 of them, and still out there enjoying the wilderness - good on you guys!
Climbing Douglas River Horace Walker Hut Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Alpine bloom on the slopes of Pioneer Peak, Douglas River
Climbing Douglas River Flora Mount Cook Lily Mountaineering New Zealand Pioneer Peak Ranunculus Lyallii Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping
Mount Cook Lily (Ranunculus lyallii). Douglas River, Westland
Climbing Flora Mount Cook Lily Mountaineering New Zealand Pioneer Peak Ranunculus Lyallii Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping
Everlasting daisy (Anaphalioides bellidioides) and violet harebell (Wahlenbergia violacea) on the slopes of Pioneer Peak, Douglas River
Climbing Douglas River Everlasting daisy Flora Helichrysum bellidioides Mountaineering New Zealand Pioneer Peak Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping
Mount Cook Lily (Ranunculus lyallii) on the slopes of Pioneer Peak, Douglas River
Climbing Douglas River Flora Mount Cook Lily Mountaineering New Zealand Pioneer Peak Ranunculus Lyallii Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping
Mount Cook Lily (Ranunculus lyallii) on the slopes of Pioneer Peak, Douglas River
Climbing Douglas River Flora Mount Cook Lily Mountaineering New Zealand Pioneer Peak Ranunculus Lyallii Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping
Mount Cook Lily (Ranunculus lyallii) on the slopes of Pioneer Peak, Douglas River
Climbing Douglas River Flora Mount Cook Lily Mountaineering New Zealand Pioneer Peak Ranunculus Lyallii Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping
Mountain daisy (Celmisia verbascifolia) on the slopes of Pioneer Peak, Douglas River
Celmisia petiolata Climbing Douglas River Flora Mountaineering New Zealand Pioneer Peak Purple stalked daisy Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping
Mountain daisy (Celmisia verbascifolia) on the slopes of Pioneer Peak, Douglas River. The Gladiator in the background
Celmisia petiolata Climbing Douglas River Flora Mountaineering New Zealand Pioneer Peak Purple stalked daisy Sierra Range Southern Alps The Gladiator Tramping
Mountain daisy (Celmisia verbascifolia) on the slopes of Pioneer Peak, Douglas River
Celmisia petiolata Climbing Flora Mountaineering New Zealand Pioneer Peak Purple stalked daisy Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping
Campsite on the slopes of Pioneer Peak. The Wicks Glacier above to the right.
Climbing Douglas River Mountaineering New Zealand Pioneer Peak Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping Wicks Glacier campsite tent
The lower Wicks Glacier from near our campsite on the slopes of Pioneer Peak
Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Pioneer Peak Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping Wicks Glacier
Campsite on the slopes of Pioneer Peak, near the Wicks Glacier
Climbing Mountaineering Mt McDonald New Zealand Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping Wicks Glacier campsite tent
First light on the Wicks Glacier. Mt Hopkins, Black Tower Peak and Mt McKerrow back right
Black Tower Peak Climbing Mountaineering Mt Hopkins Mt McKerrow Mt Spence New Zealand Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping Wicks Glacier
George coiling up the rope at the top of the steep section on the Wicks Glacier. Horace Walker Hut is visible as a white speck on the valley floor, 1000m below us.
Climbing Douglas River Horace Walker Hut Horace Walker River Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wicks Glacier
At the top of the steep section on the Wicks Glacier. Back left are Fettes Peak, Mt Strachan, Mt Dechen and Mt Hooker.
Climbing Douglas River Fettes Peak Horace Walker Hut Horace Walker River Mountaineering Mt Dechen Mt Hooker Mt Strachan New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wicks Glacier
Last obstacle on the Wicks Glacier
Black Tower Peak Climbing Mountaineering Mt Burns Mt Hopkins Mt Isabel Mt McKerrow Mt Spence New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Vampire Wicks Glacier crevasse
Panorama from the Wicks Glacier
Mount Sefton 184a Black Tower Peak Climbing Douglas River Fettes Peak Jackson Peak Mountaineering Mt Burns Mt Dechen Mt Hooker Mt Hopkins Mt Isabel Mt McKerrow Mt Percy Smith Mt Spence Mt Strachan Mt Strauchon Mt Ward New Zealand Red Deer Col Southern Alps The Gladiator Tramping Vampire Wicks Glacier
Panorama from the Wicks Glacier
Black Tower Peak Climbing Douglas River Fettes Peak Jackson Peak Mountaineering Mt Burns Mt Dechen Mt Hooker Mt Hopkins Mt Isabel Mt McKerrow Mt Percy Smith Mt Spence Mt Strachan Mt Strauchon Mt Ward New Zealand Red Deer Col Southern Alps The Gladiator Tramping Vampire Wicks Glacier
On the Wicks Glacier
Climbing Douglas River Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping Wicks Glacier
On the Wicks Glacier
Black Tower Peak Climbing Douglas River Mountaineering Mt Burns Mt Hopkins Mt McKerrow Mt Spence New Zealand Southern Alps The Gladiator Tramping Vampire Wicks Glacier
Looking into the upper Horace Walker Glacier from Wicks Col. From left to right are unnamed peaks Pt 2240m and Pt 2228m, Mt Glorious, New Year Pass, unnamed peak Pt 2458m.
Climbing Horace Walker Glacier Mountaineering Mt Glorious New Year Pass New Zealand Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping Wicks Col Wicks Glacier
Horace Walker Glacier head from Wicks Col. Splinter Peak is right in front of Mt Cook.
Climbing Horace Walker Glacier Mountaineering New Zealand Sierra Range Southern Alps Splinter Peak Tramping Wicks Col
George on Wicks Col
Climbing Horace Walker Glacier Mountaineering New Zealand Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping Wicks Col Wicks Glacier
The plateau at the head of the Horace Walker Glacier. Blizzard Peak to the left, Splinter Peak to the right.
Blizzard Peak Climbing Douglas Neve Horace Walker Glacier Lucy Walker Pass Mountaineering New Zealand Sierra Range Southern Alps Splinter Peak Tramping
Mt Sefton and Mt Thomson from the west
Climbing Douglas Neve Horace Walker Glacier Lucy Walker Pass Mountaineering Mt Sefton Mt Thomson New Zealand Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping
Blizzard Peak at the head of the Horace Walker Glacier
Blizzard Peak Climbing Douglas Neve Horace Walker Glacier Lucy Walker Pass Mountaineering New Zealand Sierra Range Southern Alps Tramping

bg
on May 9, 2012
Awesome pics. I've been up Sefton and Footstool, and burnt my feet in the hot pools. Loved every second. Greetings from Australia.
Mark Watson
on March 18, 2012
Great shots of some awesome country. Heading in at easter...
Guest
on December 14, 2010
Hi Danilo

I'm researching doing a trip into Fettes Peak, so it has been great to see your photos on line. Do you know anything about access to that peak (via the Landsborough)? Would you be okay to email me a picture of Fettes peak? One that's a bit closer up would be ideal. My email is julie-ann.clyma@bluewin.ch. Thanks, and beautiful pictures of a great trip.
Danilo
on July 12, 2010
Hi Dean, by all means. The route via the Pilkington Glacier is one of the options we considered. We had a good view of the high ledges above the Horace Walker Glacier, and they offer no difficulties whatsoever. The crux (which we couldn't see) would be getting onto the ramp 700m south of peak 1852m, at 1500m of elevation. There are some deep ravines there, and a practical route through may or may not exist. Worth checking out, I'd love to know if it goes! If it doesn't, you can always drop to Horace Walker Hut. Access to the Sierra Range from there is either via Wicks Col (the way we went), or via the slopes west of peak 2192m to the snow slopes north of Pioneer Peak (a route that has also been used before).
Dean
on July 12, 2010
Hey mate
Looking at a trip at the end of this year very similar to yours. Your photos have provided great beta, but we do have a question about a possible route you may be able to help us with. Rather than dropping into the Douglas and Horace Walker Hut do you think it would be possible to contrive a way up the ridge from conical hill to the Sierra Range via Pilkington Glacier?
Thanks!
Dean
Ernst and Lukas
on January 24, 2010
Hi Danelo
It was great meeting you at Welcome Flat and thanks for the privilege of “being part” on your great trip from last weekend through your amazing photo gallery. We thoroughly enjoyed your photos and comments.
Ernst and Lukas (the two Swiss-New Zealanders!)

Southern Alps Photography

Mount Sefton, 12 - 18 January 2010

Gallery comments

bg

Mark Watson

Guest

Danilo

Dean

Ernst and Lukas