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Hokitika Gorge Walk, Hokitika Gorge Scenic Reserve, Westland
These colours despite overcast skies.
Mt Haast Route, Victoria Forest Park
Bluffs at the head of the valley.
Pancake Rocks, Paparoa National Park, Punakaiki
Okarito Trig Walk, Okarito, Westland
Walking back over a section of Okarito Lagoon.
Mt Griffin via Wilson Knob, West Coast
There various varieties of dracophyllum on the mountain. Very attractive plants.
Mt Brown Hut & Summit, West Coast
A panorama from near the hut looking south.
Mt Fox to 1646m, West Coast
The top of the Fox Glacier, with other glaciers feeding into it.
Klondyke Spur and Valley Tracks, Victoria Forest Park
A panorama of the upper alpine basin.
Heaphy Track to Big Rock Beach & Swan Burn
Sophia on Big Rock Beach.
Forest Walk & Sentinel Rock, Franz Josef Glacier, Westland Tai Pouhini National Park
The view from Sentinel Rock.
Mt Pfeifer and Pfeifer Bivvy, Arthur's Pass
Panorama SW from the summit.
Mt Griffin via Wilson Knob, West Coast
We camped above the big tarn, and you can just see our green tent in this picture. We left some heavier gear there and climbed the mountain after breakfast.
Heaphy Track to Big Rock Beach & Swan Burn
Our lunch spot on Big Rock Beach. There were enough sandflies to make us get up and walk around.
Buckland Peaks Track, Paparoa National Park
Lots of weka on the West Coast. I saw this one near the base of the mountain.
Buckland Peaks Track, Paparoa National Park
We went back up and explored the highest points on the plateau the next morning in different lighting.
Mt Pfeifer and Pfeifer Bivvy, Arthur's Pass
Views from the summit of Mt Pfeifer (1704m). Mt Franklin (2145m) is prominent on the left, and a distant Mt Rolleston can be seen on the right.
Mt Brown Hut & Summit, West Coast
It was a toss up between this and the red gnarly trees for my favourite shots of the trip. That's the Kokatahi River running to the coast.
Mt Fox to 1646m, West Coast
The Mt Fox glacial valley.
Mt Pfeifer and Pfeifer Bivvy, Arthur's Pass
Looking up the Taramakau River with Lake Kaurapataka and the Otehake River in the midground.
Klondyke Spur and Valley Tracks, Victoria Forest Park
Arriving at the upper tarns.
Hokitika Gorge Walk, Hokitika Gorge Scenic Reserve, Westland
Mt Fox to 1646m, West Coast
Aoraki Mt Cook
Buckland Peaks Track, Paparoa National Park
Sophia posing with the views inland behind her.
Mt Griffin via Wilson Knob, West Coast
Views NE from Wilson Knob. We couldn't see any of this on the way up.
Pororari River Track to Lookout, Paparoa National Park
Mt Pfeifer and Pfeifer Bivvy, Arthur's Pass
Mt Alexander (1958m) on the right, and I realised later Kellys Hill on the left, which we've climbed before.
Pakihi Walk, Westland Tai Pouhini National Park
Very nice forest on the way up.
Buckland Peaks Track, Paparoa National Park
Dramatic topography in Paparoa National park viewed from the Buckland Peaks.
Cape Foulwind Walkway, Westport
Down on the beach. Seagulls nesting on the rocky island in the centre of the picture dive bombed us and successfully deterred us from getting any closer.
Cape Foulwind Walkway, Westport
This section looked landscaped.
Pancake Rocks, Paparoa National Park, Punakaiki
There were terns nesting, or at least hanging out, in amongst the rocks.
Mt Haast Route, Victoria Forest Park
I thought the views south-west would be the best, but in fact these views north over the Victoria Range were my favourite of the day. You can play count the glacial valleys in this scene.
Sluice Box Bridge Short Walk, Lewis Pass Reserve
The Sluice Box gorge.
Forest Walk & Sentinel Rock, Franz Josef Glacier, Westland Tai Pouhini National Park
The view from the end of the Forest Walk. A 100 years ago the glacier used to extend to where I took this picture. In living memory it used to at least reach the valley floor.
Heaphy Track to Big Rock Beach & Swan Burn
Looking up the Swan Burn from Swanburn Bridge. We were pretty satisfied with what we'd seen to this point so we chose this as our turnaround point.
Mt Pfeifer and Pfeifer Bivvy, Arthur's Pass
Sophia arriving at the summit. She took a different route up than me, but it was a bit steep and we descended back down the more direct route.
Pancake Rocks, Paparoa National Park, Punakaiki
Hokitika Gorge Walk, Hokitika Gorge Scenic Reserve, Westland
The swing bridge at the start.
Pancake Rocks, Paparoa National Park, Punakaiki
An attractive river scene on the drive down the coast.
Buckland Peaks Track, Paparoa National Park
Cape Foulwind Walkway, Westport
This seal may have been planted by the Westport tourism industry, as it just sat there placidly striking various alluring poses, waiting for me to take my photos.
Pancake Rocks, Paparoa National Park, Punakaiki
A section of forest towards the end of the walk.
Klondyke Spur and Valley Tracks, Victoria Forest Park
Impressive topography to the north-west. Very glacial.
Heaphy Track to Big Rock Beach & Swan Burn
Mt Brown Hut & Summit, West Coast
One of my favourite ever forest shots. This version is a touch blurred in the foreground, but I sharpened another version so can potentially print this one day.
Buckland Peaks Track, Paparoa National Park
The Buckland Peaks and a few initial glimpses of more distant peaks to the south.
Mt Griffin via Wilson Knob, West Coast
The final approach to Mt Griffin.
Mt Haast Route, Victoria Forest Park
The Rahu River Left Branch starts in this valley.
Mt Griffin via Wilson Knob, West Coast
Such rugged ridgelines, but softened by the lush vegetation. The Southern Alps in the background.
Buckland Peaks Track, Paparoa National Park
My camera picked up some extra golden lighting.
Mt Griffin via Wilson Knob, West Coast
Harrington Creek near the start.
Hokitika Gorge Walk, Hokitika Gorge Scenic Reserve, Westland
Truman Track, Paparoa National Park
This looked like it was landscaped, but harakeke / NZ flax in fact grows very well in these harsh conditions and so dominated in this stretch just back from the beach.
Pancake Rocks, Paparoa National Park, Punakaiki
Pakihi Walk, Westland Tai Pouhini National Park
I liked how moss colonised the walls of the track.
Mt Brown Hut & Summit, West Coast
Great light in the morning.
Klondyke Spur and Valley Tracks, Victoria Forest Park
Mt Griffin via Wilson Knob, West Coast
Looking down into Griffin Valley.
Mt Haast Route, Victoria Forest Park
A panorama south-west.
Mt Fox to 1646m, West Coast
Aoraki Mt Cook (3724m), and in front Mt Hicks / St Davids Dome (3198m).
Mt Griffin via Wilson Knob, West Coast
Morning views of Mt Griffin.
Cape Foulwind Walkway, Westport
The Cape Foulwind Lighthouse.
Pororari River Track to Lookout, Paparoa National Park
The Pororari River viewed from the road bridge.
Mt Griffin via Wilson Knob, West Coast
You can just see Sophia top left. The weather was mostly cloudy on the way up, but we got some breaks in the cloud, particularly to the west. Mt Turiwhate centre, and the Taramakau River to the right. Lynch Creek down below.
Mt Griffin via Wilson Knob, West Coast
A panoramic view from the site of an old mine. With views like this I could be a West Coast miner! ;-)
Mt Brown Hut & Summit, West Coast
Lake Kaniere and Mt Tuhua (1125m) after sunset.
Klondyke Spur and Valley Tracks, Victoria Forest Park
Drooping down to the upper basin. The high point of the route is on the right.
Hokitika Gorge Walk, Hokitika Gorge Scenic Reserve, Westland
Truman Track, Paparoa National Park
A great spot at the small car park over the road from the start of the track.
Mt Fox to 1646m, West Coast
Sophia in amongst it at point 1646m.
Mt Pfeifer and Pfeifer Bivvy, Arthur's Pass
Worsley Pass down there.
Mt Pfeifer and Pfeifer Bivvy, Arthur's Pass
A wider angle on those views from 1580m.
Pororari River Track to Lookout, Paparoa National Park
Mt Griffin via Wilson Knob, West Coast
Another cloudy shot.
Heaphy Track to Big Rock Beach & Swan Burn
Klondyke Spur and Valley Tracks, Victoria Forest Park
Some really nice patches of forest on the Klondyke Valley Track.
Buckland Peaks Track, Paparoa National Park
Getting dark.
Buckland Peaks Track, Paparoa National Park
This panorama was taken a bit closer to the campsite than the others.
Forest Walk & Sentinel Rock, Franz Josef Glacier, Westland Tai Pouhini National Park
Okarito Trig Walk, Okarito, Westland
Okarito Lagoon
Klondyke Spur and Valley Tracks, Victoria Forest Park
Sophia admiring the view from the walk's high point - 1541m.
Mt Brown Hut & Summit, West Coast
My camera was bamboozled by the golden lighting, making everything look like it was on fire.
Truman Track, Paparoa National Park
Lush forest and cliffs at a roadside lookout on the way down the coast.
Buckland Peaks Track, Paparoa National Park
One of my favourite panoramas of the day.
Klondyke Spur and Valley Tracks, Victoria Forest Park
The big tarn in the upper basin.
Mt Haast Route, Victoria Forest Park
Sophia arriving at the summit.
Mt Griffin via Wilson Knob, West Coast
My wife Sophia on the summit of Mt Griffin (1517m), surrounded by West Coast splendour.
Buckland Peaks Track, Paparoa National Park
In the morning.
Sluice Box Bridge Short Walk, Lewis Pass Reserve
The Sluice Box viewed from down on the riverbed.
Buckland Peaks Track, Paparoa National Park
Sophia posing in one of many epic panoramas that I took.
Heaphy Track to Big Rock Beach & Swan Burn
Views towards the coast from Swanburn Bridge.
Nikau Walk, Kohaihai
The Kōhaihai River. We left the track and headed through a few metres of bush to visit this spot.
Heaphy Track to Big Rock Beach & Swan Burn
Scotts Beach
Mt Pfeifer and Pfeifer Bivvy, Arthur's Pass
Views roughly south from 1580m. Loved the deep channels cut by Whaiti Stream.
Mt Brown Hut & Summit, West Coast
Lake Kaniere at sunset.
Klondyke Spur and Valley Tracks, Victoria Forest Park
A varied patchwork of different vegetation types surrounding the lower tarns.
Mt Haast Route, Victoria Forest Park
A nice mix of plants above the bushline.
Mt Fox to 1646m, West Coast
Panorama of the highest mountains in the Southern Alps Kā Tiritiri o te Moanna from 1646m on Mt Fox.
Pancake Rocks, Paparoa National Park, Punakaiki
Klondyke Spur and Valley Tracks, Victoria Forest Park
There were lots of small and attractive cascades along the Klondyke Valley Track.
Pororari River Track to Lookout, Paparoa National Park
This bend in the river was picturesque. There were a couple of goats down there taking it easy.
Buckland Peaks Track, Paparoa National Park
This tarn made for a nice foreground subject. We used it for water.
Alex Knob and Lake Wombat, Westland Tai Poutini National Park
Alex Knob and Lake Wombat, Westland Tai Poutini National Park
The only clear shot I got of the Franz Josef Glacier before the mist closed in. Taken at Rata Lookout which is less than halfway into the walk (as I remember it).
Mt Pfeifer and Pfeifer Bivvy, Arthur's Pass
Views of Deception Valley were a highlight. You get these from the ridge either side of point 1364m. You can cut across and miss this bit out but I recommend taking the ridge at least in one direction.
Pancake Rocks, Paparoa National Park, Punakaiki
The most distinctive section of layered rocks.
Mt Griffin via Wilson Knob, West Coast
This was the clearest view of this scene that we got. Mt Turiwhate and the Taramakau River.
Mt Fox to 1646m, West Coast
La Perouse (3078m), looking somewhat different than the Sydney suburb of the same name.
Alex Knob and Lake Wombat, Westland Tai Poutini National Park
A natural arch here.
Truman Track, Paparoa National Park
Sophia was examining potential food.
