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Lake Hope and 2090m, Hector Mountains

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Arthur's Pass in Portrait

Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park
Some of those rocky paths through the beech forest.

Woolshed Hill Track, Arthur's Pass — Woolshed Hill Track, Arthur's Pass
Interesting beech forest here.

Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park — Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park
The 112m Devils Punchbowl Falls.

Mt O'Malley ascent, Arthur's Pass — Mt O'Malley ascent, Arthur's Pass
Devils Punchbowl Creek again. It cuts a very narrow gorge.

Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park
I had done this walk partially to get a good look at this valley, which I had seen from Avalanche Peak just three days before. I probably took a few too many pictures of it from various angles and elevations.

Goat Hill via Barrack Creek Route, Arthur's Pass — Goat Hill via Barrack Creek Route, Arthur's Pass
It was a steep track through the forest.

Mt Binser ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Binser ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park
Looking up at the low peak. It was a fairly steep ridge we had to climb. Sophia standing about a third of the way up.

Mt Pfeifer and Pfeifer Bivvy, Arthur's Pass — Mt Pfeifer and Pfeifer Bivvy, Arthur's Pass
A kea takes off from point 1580m. You can see the hut and toilet above the left wing.

Mt Cassidy - Blimit Traverse, Arthur's Pass

Mt Cassidy - Blimit Traverse, Arthur's Pass

Mt Barron Route, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Barron Route, Arthur's Pass National Park
I took this shot because I thought I should record some of the plants in the subalpine zone, but it ended up getting quite a few likes on Facebook. I think I'm focussed mainly on capturing the big epic views, so that I sometimes pass by these subtler but still very attractive scenes.

Mt O'Malley ascent, Arthur's Pass — Mt O'Malley ascent, Arthur's Pass
Making my way back.

Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park — Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park
The Crow Valley.

Mt Cassidy - Blimit Traverse, Arthur's Pass — Mt Cassidy - Blimit Traverse, Arthur's Pass
That plant on the left makes me think of the West Coast.

Bealey Spur Track to point 1545m, Arthur's Pass National Park — Bealey Spur Track to point 1545m, Arthur's Pass National Park
The Bealey River joining the Waimakariri River.

Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park
Another view up Devils Punchbowl Creek, this time in early afternoon light as we descended. There's more to come. I couldn't help myself.

Woolshed Hill Track, Arthur's Pass — Woolshed Hill Track, Arthur's Pass
A portrait shot from the summit.

Kellys Hill via Carroll Hut, Arthur's Pass — Kellys Hill via Carroll Hut, Arthur's Pass
Lush West Coast forest on our way up.

Mt Cassidy - Blimit Traverse, Arthur's Pass — Mt Cassidy - Blimit Traverse, Arthur's Pass
Really attractive forest all the way up.

Woolshed Hill Track, Arthur's Pass — Woolshed Hill Track, Arthur's Pass
Waimakariri River

Mt O'Malley ascent, Arthur's Pass — Mt O'Malley ascent, Arthur's Pass
The track is generally pretty steep. The beech forest is quite stunted in places so you get views even before the treeline. (Obviously not if you are walking up through a cloud inversion!)

Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park — Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park
A New Zealand Falcon / kārearea. It just sat there patiently on the short summit ridge, and it was such an unusual opportunity to get a good shot of a rare and beautiful bird that I felt quite nervous, and my hands were shaking as I was trying to take the photograph. Good job my Lumix GX85 has stabilisation in the body and the lens!

Mt Binser ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Binser ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park
Looking up the Waimakariri Valley in afternoon light.

Mt Cassidy - Blimit Traverse, Arthur's Pass

Mt Pfeifer and Pfeifer Bivvy, Arthur's Pass — Mt Pfeifer and Pfeifer Bivvy, Arthur's Pass
There was precious little shade on this walk, but there were a few nice sections.

Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park
I took a slight detour south to get this shot.

Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park — Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park
We had never done a proper snowy winter walk until this one. It was fun to get in amongst it.

Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park — Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park
The 80m Avalanche Creek Falls.

Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park
Getting rockier as we ascended.

Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National ParkAvalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park — Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park
Sophia looking down from the ridge to the summit. You can also see one of two young women we passed having lunch in that spot. They were walking on snow for the first time and were not confident to take on the ridge, but I suggested they give a go because the views of the Crow Valley were so good. I hope they made it.

Mt Binser ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Binser ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park
The bare rocky slopes dropping steeply from the low peak.

Devils Punchbowl Track, Arthur's Pass National Park — Devils Punchbowl Track, Arthur's Pass National Park
Devils Punchbowl Falls

Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park
Devils Punchbowl Creek in early morning light. My two cameras depicted this scene very differently and I don't really remember what it looked like in reality.

Mt Barron Route, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Barron Route, Arthur's Pass National Park
It's not everyday you see a boulder up a tree.

The Dome ascent, Arthur's Pass — The Dome ascent, Arthur's Pass
Mmm...

Mt Pfeifer and Pfeifer Bivvy, Arthur's Pass — Mt Pfeifer and Pfeifer Bivvy, Arthur's Pass
Looking down Paratu Stream.

Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park
Here's Sophia looking up Devils Punchbowl Creek. A great piece of topography :-)

Mt Barron Route, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Barron Route, Arthur's Pass National Park
This was my first decent bird shot in a long time. A tomtit / miromiro. It waited long enough for me to fit my telephoto lens. Lucky me.

Mt Binser ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Binser ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park
Looking down steep bare slopes to the west.

Mt O'Malley ascent, Arthur's Pass — Mt O'Malley ascent, Arthur's Pass
Back into the forest.

Goat Hill via Barrack Creek Route, Arthur's Pass — Goat Hill via Barrack Creek Route, Arthur's Pass
A werewere-kokako. These blue mushtooms are on New Zealand's $50 bill. Very cute. My wife Sophia noticed this - she's not all that attentive, but is mad about mushrooms.

Kelly Range Tarns, Arthur's Pass National Park — Kelly Range Tarns, Arthur's Pass National Park
This small dracophyllum looked a little isolated. Very attractive plants.

Mt Cassidy - Blimit Traverse, Arthur's Pass — Mt Cassidy - Blimit Traverse, Arthur's Pass
Mt Franklin

Goat Hill via Barrack Creek Route, Arthur's Pass — Goat Hill via Barrack Creek Route, Arthur's Pass
Climbing the last bit towards the summit of Goat Hill (1656m).

Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park — Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park
Mt Rolleston. I've probably included a few too many pictures of this mountain, but it looked rather grand all dressed up in white. I think this particular angle was from the summit of Avalanche Peak.

Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park — Avalanche Peak Circuit, Arthur's Pass National Park
Mt Rolleston

The Dome ascent, Arthur's Pass — The Dome ascent, Arthur's Pass
Sophia backed by our target for the day, Dome.

Mt Binser ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Binser ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park
Above the bushline here, on a steep ascent to the first peak at 1753m. Spear grass making a nice foreground, with the Waimakariri River in the background.

Bealey Spur Track to point 1545m, Arthur's Pass National Park — Bealey Spur Track to point 1545m, Arthur's Pass National Park
Power Stream formed a gorge on its mid sections.

Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park — Mt Aicken ascent, Arthur's Pass National Park
It was an attractive climb up through beech forest.

Mt O'Malley ascent, Arthur's Pass — Mt O'Malley ascent, Arthur's Pass
What a beauty!

Mt O'Malley ascent, Arthur's Pass — Mt O'Malley ascent, Arthur's Pass
So many interesting mushrooms. This is just a selection.

Woolshed Hill Track, Arthur's Pass — Woolshed Hill Track, Arthur's Pass
A friendly South Island Robin. Love these guys.