New Zealand Landscapes

Lake Hope and 2090m, Hector Mountains

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Glenorchy in Portrait

Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park — Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park
Fabulous fungus!

Routeburn Track NZ: Routeburn Flats to Harris Saddle and Conical Hill — Routeburn Track NZ: Routeburn Flats to Harris Saddle and Conical Hill
A waterfall just above the Falls Hut.

Sugarloaf Pass to pt. 1290m, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ — Sugarloaf Pass to pt. 1290m, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ
Mossy.

Mt Alaska ascent (winter), near Glenorchy NZ — Mt Alaska ascent (winter), near Glenorchy NZ
We should have put on our crampons in this section, which we avoided on the way down. I've chosen this wrong route twice now, when the easier way is more directly up the rocks on the right (to Sophia's left).

Invincible Mine Track, near Glenorchy NZ — Invincible Mine Track, near Glenorchy NZ
Old mining equipment containing frozen water.

Bold Peak from Glacier Burn Track, Humboldt Mountains — Bold Peak from Glacier Burn Track, Humboldt Mountains
Sleepy Hollow close up. For those who like a where's Wally exercise there's a helicopter in this shot.

Invincible Mine Track, near Glenorchy NZ

Routeburn Track NZ: Routeburn Flats to Harris Saddle and Conical Hill — Routeburn Track NZ: Routeburn Flats to Harris Saddle and Conical Hill
Fabulous colours after the sun came out. This clearing of the weather triggered a further photo taking binge on the way back. I'm a desperate addict driven by photo FoMO.

Caples Track to Mid Caples Hut return — Caples Track to Mid Caples Hut return
The same gorge about 35 minutes later when the sun had changed angle.

Routeburn Track to Routeburn Flats, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ

Sugarloaf Pass to pt. 1290m, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ — Sugarloaf Pass to pt. 1290m, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ
Lots of compression on this one meant I could use the grand vertical rock face of Mt Earnslaw as backdrop to my wife.

Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park — Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park
There were a few of these attractive pools to find our way around.

Sugarloaf Pass to Point 1290m, Mt Aspiring NP — Sugarloaf Pass to Point 1290m, Mt Aspiring NP
Climbing steeply through beech forest after turning off the Routburn Track.

Routeburn Track NZ: Routeburn Flats to Harris Saddle and Conical Hill — Routeburn Track NZ: Routeburn Flats to Harris Saddle and Conical Hill
Mountain Daisies

Mt Alaska ascent (winter), near Glenorchy NZ — Mt Alaska ascent (winter), near Glenorchy NZ
One of my favourite shots from the day. A good sense of scale.

Sugarloaf Pass to pt. 1290m, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ — Sugarloaf Pass to pt. 1290m, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ
This kea followed us for 5 or 10 minutes, and made for an accommodating subject.

Invincible Mine Track, near Glenorchy NZ — Invincible Mine Track, near Glenorchy NZ
Not sure about the name of this creek, but probably Invincible Creek, which is a bit beyond the mine.

Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park — Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park
Very ferny.

Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park — Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park
Looking down the Rockburn from Park Pass.

Caples Track to Mid Caples Hut return — Caples Track to Mid Caples Hut return
A deep and narrow gorge.

Earnslaw Burn Track, near Glenorchy — Earnslaw Burn Track, near Glenorchy
The Earnslaw Glacier with the Earnslaw Burn in the foreground.

Mt Alaska ascent, Whakaari Conservation Area — Mt Alaska ascent, Whakaari Conservation Area
The view from near Bonnie Jean Hut.

Caples Track to Mid Caples Hut return — Caples Track to Mid Caples Hut return
The same gorge.

Routeburn Track to Routeburn Flats, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ — Routeburn Track to Routeburn Flats, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ
I liked this shot.

Earnslaw Burn Track, near Glenorchy — Earnslaw Burn Track, near Glenorchy
Sophia enjoying the view of the Earnslaw Glacier at the turnaround point.

Bold Peak from Glacier Burn Track, Humboldt Mountains — Bold Peak from Glacier Burn Track, Humboldt Mountains
Beginning the climb up the scree filled gully.

Sugarloaf Pass to pt. 1290m, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ — Sugarloaf Pass to pt. 1290m, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ
A South Island Robin. This shot makes me look like a competent wildlife photographer, but was in fact taken at point blank range with my telephoto lens.

Bold Peak from Glacier Burn Track, Humboldt Mountains — Bold Peak from Glacier Burn Track, Humboldt Mountains
There were mushrooms about.

Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park — Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park
Some of the mossiest forest I've seen, encountered just before Theatre Flat.

Routeburn Track to Routeburn Flats, Mt Aspiring National Park — Routeburn Track to Routeburn Flats, Mt Aspiring National Park
Very hard to capture the height of the cliffs lining the Route Burn, but I had a go here.

Bold Peak from Glacier Burn Track, Humboldt Mountains — Bold Peak from Glacier Burn Track, Humboldt Mountains
Very ferny in places.

Routeburn Track NZ: Routeburn Flats to Harris Saddle and Conical Hill — Routeburn Track NZ: Routeburn Flats to Harris Saddle and Conical Hill
Mt Xenicus looming rather from this angle.

Routeburn Track NZ: Routeburn Flats to Harris Saddle and Conical Hill — Routeburn Track NZ: Routeburn Flats to Harris Saddle and Conical Hill
I decided this photo needs a cheesy motivational quote to complement it. How about: "Always take the path in life with the most flowers, but beware of an occasional Spaniard". Mmm, needs some work, especially that bit which insults a whole nation of people. But that plant on the left is sometimes called a Spaniard, and they will draw blood if you so much as glance against them. So even if my motivational quote achieves nothing else, at least you will be wary of these beautiful but lethal plants (also known as spear grass, appropriately, at least the spear part).

Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park — Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park
A collage with a few of the plants we saw along the way. Top right is dracophyllum which was quite common on the route. Bottom right is a bulbinella: some species are endemic to NZ and others to South Africa. Harakeke/ flax bottom left. And a mushroom shot by my wife.

Mt Alaska ascent (winter), near Glenorchy NZ — Mt Alaska ascent (winter), near Glenorchy NZ
My wife Sophia looking intrepid on this photo.

Sugarloaf Pass to pt. 1290m, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ

Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park — Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park
The Rockburn

Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park — Lake Nerine Circuit, Mt Aspiring National Park
Our camp site at North Col (1589m). We ended up having a very calm night.

Invincible Mine Track, near Glenorchy NZ — Invincible Mine Track, near Glenorchy NZ
Old mining equipment.

Mt Alaska ascent, Whakaari Conservation Area — Mt Alaska ascent, Whakaari Conservation Area
Looking down the Stony Burn valley.

Sugarloaf Pass to pt. 1290m, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ — Sugarloaf Pass to pt. 1290m, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ
That kea looking a little bit fearsome, but was in fact quite friendly.

Sugarloaf Pass to pt. 1290m, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ

Mt Alfred ascent, near Glenorchy NZ — Mt Alfred ascent, near Glenorchy NZ
Climbing the last bit up onto the summit ridge.