Garden of Eden, 23 - 31 December 2002

The Garden of Eden was not on our planned itinerary - it wasn't even on the same map. But a steady nor'west prevented us from reaching the Bracken snowfield and from venturing further west. Without any route descriptions or local knowledge of any sort, we set out to explore the landscape and moved on as weather and conditions allowed. It turned into an amazing journey across extensive snow-fields and remote mountain ranges. Party: Lara Wilcocks, Danilo Hegg.

Trip map. 1 grid square = 10km. Left click on map then select "Sizes -> Original" in bottom right corner of screen to view full size
Trip map detail. 1 grid square = 1km. Left click on map then select "Sizes -> Original" in bottom right corner of screen to view full size
On the road from Lake Clearwater to Erewhon Station. Mt D'Archiac in the background
Climbing Erewhon Station Havelock River Lake Clearwater McClure Peak Mount D'Archiac Mountaineering New Zealand Rangitata River Southern Alps Tramping
Lawrence River
Climbing Lawrence River Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Lawrence Biv
Climbing Lawrence Biv Lawrence River Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping hut
Hells Gates (left) and peak 2118m above Lawrence Biv (right)
Climbing Hells Gates Lawrence Biv Lawrence River Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Lawrence Biv and the Upper Lawrence. North Peak in the background
Climbing Lawrence Biv Lawrence River Mountaineering New Zealand North Peak Southern Alps Tramping hut
Lawrence Biv
Climbing Lawrence Biv Lawrence River Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping hut
Jollie Range and Lawrence River upstream of the biv
Climbing Jollie Range Lawrence River Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Butler Stream, on route to Butler Saddle
Butler Saddle Butler Stream Climbing Lawrence River Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Lake Ramsey, Louper Peak and Whitcombe Pass from Butler Saddle
Butler Saddle Climbing Lake Ramsey Louper Peak Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping Whitcombe Pass
Louper Peak and Whitcombe Pass from Butler Saddle
Butler Saddle Climbing Louper Peak Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping Whitcombe Pass
Lawrence River from Butler Saddle
Butler Saddle Climbing Lawrence River Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Couloir Peak and Mt Arrowsmith from Butler Saddle
Butler Saddle Climbing Couloir Peak Mount Arrowsmith Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Lake Lyell from above Butler Saddle
Butler Saddle Climbing Lake Lyell Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping
North Peak from above Butler Saddle
Butler Saddle Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand North Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Tarn on Meins Knob
Climbing Meins Knob Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping
Rakaia Lyell Branch: Lake Lyell, Mt Goethe and Mt Nicholson from Meins Knob (left), Lake Lyell and the face of Mt Kinkel (right)
Climbing Lake Lyell Meins Knob Mount Goethe Mount Kinkel Mount Nicholson Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping
Rakaia Lyell Branch
Climbing Lyell Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping
Mount Whitcombe
Climbing Lyell Mount Whitcombe Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping
On the slopes of Mt Prelude. Mt Kinkel on the left
Climbing Lyell Mount Kinkel Mount Prelude Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping
Mt Nicholson and Malcolm Peak
Climbing Lyell Malcolm Peak Mount Nicholson Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping
Lake Lyell. Mt Nicholson, Malcolm Peak and peak 2253 in the background
Climbing Lake Lyell Lyell Malcolm Peak Mount Nicholson Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping
Lake Lyell, Mt Goethe, Mt Nicholson and Malcolm Peak
Climbing Lake Lyell Lyell Malcolm Peak Mount Goethe Mount Nicholson Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping
Lake Lyell
Climbing Lake Lyell Lyell Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping
At the head of Lake Lyell
Climbing Lake Lyell Lyell Lyell Glacier Malcolm Peak Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping
Lake Lyell
Climbing Lake Lyell Lyell Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping
Lyell Glacier Moraine
Climbing Lyell Glacier Malcolm Peak Mount Nicholson Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping
Lake Lyell and North Peak
Climbing Lake Lyell Lyell Glacier Mountaineering New Zealand North Peak Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping
Lyell Glacier Moraine and Cockayne Glacier ice-fall
Climbing Cockayne glacier Lyell Glacier Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
On the Lyell Glacier
Climbing Lake Lyell Lyell Glacier Mountaineering New Zealand North Peak Rakaia River Southern Alps Tramping
On the Lyell Glacier; the Heim Plateau ice-fall above
Climbing Heim Plateau Malcolm Peak Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping ice fall
On the Lyell Glacier. Mt Nicholson in the background
Climbing Lyell Glacier McCoy Col Mount Nicholson Mountaineering New Zealand Rakaia River Rangitata Col Southern Alps Tramping
Campsite on McCoy Col. Malcolm Peak, Heim Plateau and Blair Peak in the background
Blair Peak Climbing Heim Plateau Lyell Glacier Malcolm Peak McCoy Col Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping campsite tent
On McCoy Col. Blair Peak and Heim Plateau on the left
Blair Peak Climbing Heim Plateau Lyell Glacier McCoy Col Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Malcolm Peak and Blair Peak from McCoy Col
Blair Peak Climbing Heim Plateau Malcolm Peak McCoy Col Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Mc Coy Col, looking south-west
Climbing Cloudy Peak Range McCoy Col Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Malcolm Peak and Blair Peak from below Rangitata Col
Blair Peak Climbing Heim Plateau Malcolm Peak Mountaineering New Zealand Rangitata Col Southern Alps Tramping
Blair Peak and Lake Lyell from below Rangitata Col
Blair Peak Climbing Heim Plateau Lake Lyell Lyell Glacier Malcolm Peak Mountaineering New Zealand North Peak Rakaia River Rangitata Col Southern Alps Tramping
Malcolm Peak from the south-west
Climbing Malcolm Peak Mountaineering New Zealand Rangitata Col Southern Alps Tramping
Looking onto the Lambert Glacier. Newton Peak and Mt Tyndall on the left, Mt Lambert right
Climbing Lambert Glacier Mount Lambert Mount Tyndall Mountaineering New Zealand Newton Peak Rangitata Col Southern Alps Tramping
Mt Cook from above Rangitata Col. Outram Peak in the foreground
Climbing Mount Cook Mountaineering New Zealand Outram Peak Rangitata Col Southern Alps Tramping
Lambert Glacier
Climbing Lambert Glacier Mount Tyndall Mountaineering New Zealand Newton Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Whiteout on the Frances Glacier
Climbing Frances Glacier Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping whiteout
Mt Lambert, Garden of Allah
Climbing Lambert Glacier Mount Lambert Mountaineering New Zealand Rangitata Col Southern Alps Tramping
On the Lambert Glacier
Climbing Lambert Glacier Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
On the Lambert Glacier
Climbing Lambert Glacier Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
On the Lambert Glacier
Climbing Lambert Glacier Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping

Ay Göktürk Sel
on December 8, 2013
stunning place, I wonder who came up with the name Garden of Allah? if that's what you say then I definitely agree, it is the Garden of God.
Nathanael Boehm
on November 24, 2012
Wow, so beautiful, came here after discovering Garden of Eden on a topo map — I wish I could explore the real NZ wilderness and mountains, but not ready for that yet.
Thomas Johnson
on August 22, 2010
Awesome set of photos. I'm thinking of heading to that area in spring. I'm not so much into the mountaineering side of things probably looking at going through Whitcombe pass.