2. Tramping and mountaineering in New Zealand
  3. Aspiring Region

East Matukituki-Waiatoto-Drake-Te Naihi-Wilkin, 23 December 2016 - 2 January 2017

This year's Christmas trip saw us heading to a seldom visited, spectacular corner of Mt Aspiring NP encountering tricky river crossings, thick bush and fickle weather along the way. Team: James Thornton and Nina Dickerhof
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Descending steep tussock to the flats in the Bettne (centre image), the head of the Waiatoto with its lake below.
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Descending steep tussock to the flats in the Bettne (centre image), the head of the Waiatoto with its lake below.

  • <br><small><a href="http://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap?v=2&amp;ll=-44.18393,168.77916&amp;z=14" style="text-align:left">View Larger Topographic Map</a></small>
  • East Matukituki meandering under schist bluffs.
  • Every good trip starts up the Matukituki - at Junction Flat admiring Popes Nose above the Kitchener Cirque.
  • Negotiating burnt scrub below Albert Burn Saddle - Aspiring Flats and Kitchener Cirque behind.
  • Camp downstream of Ruth Flat looking up to Lois and Aspinall Peaks.
  • At Ruth Flat looking up Ruth Stream to the East Face of Fastness.
  • Approaching Rabbit Pass under Mt Pickelhaube. I am about to notice at the base of the climb to Rabbit Pass that I lost my sunglasses. The next 7 hours were spent going back to bushline under Albert Burn Saddle to find them so we could continue our trip as planned.
  • Starting the climb up to Rabbit Pass the next morning.
  • Pickelhaube and the waterfall draining Rabbit Pass.
  • Pretty steep and exposed for a marked route.
  • On easier ground - starting the descent to Rabbit Pass, Pickelhaube above.
  • Approaching Pearson Saddle.
  • View into Pearson Stream from Pearson Saddle. The route into the Waiatoto sidles above bluffs on the left to the prominent shoulder across the valley.
  • James heading for the sidle around Beauty Ridge.
  • James on the sidle with Taurus above.
  • Looking back to Pearson Saddle.
  • After some navigating through cloud we got our first glimpse of the Waiatoto.
  • Descending steep tussock to the flats in the Bettne (centre image), the head of the Waiatoto with its lake below.
  • Looking down the Waiatoto to Waiatoto Saddle, Haast Range on the left.
  • Admiring ice avalanches crashing off the Haast Range into the Waiatoto Lake.
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