Anthony, Jed, and I tramping/hiking/trekking in the Nelson Lakes National Park for a circuit at Lake Rotoroa. Our choice is to go up the D'Urville river and over Moss Pass down to Blue Lake and then down the Sabine River back to Lake Rotoroa. There are huts in the area that we have not bothered to visit in the past, now that I have an interest in bagging huts, they will be visited.
All three of us are using the Macpac Pursuit 40 Alpine Series for this trip of five days four nights.
Thursday 21/04/2016
Drove to Lake Rotoroa and got the water taxi up the lake to the D'Urville Hut jetty. Perfect weather.
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| Heading to D'Urville Jetty - Lake Rotoroa |
We dropped off our stuff at the D'Urville Hut and then headed off up the Mt Misery track to visit Mt Misery Hut. On the way there where a few streams to cross and we thought dry feet would be best.
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| Jed and Anthony keeping dry shoes |
The track up Mt Misery is an easy first kilometer and then climbs from 700 meters to 1500 meters over a kilometer, at 1200 meters it becomes a well formed ridge.
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| Lake Rotoroa from up near Mt Misery |
It was a slog up that hill, did get to the Mt Misery Hut for a few minutes.
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| Mt Misery Hut |
Back down in the valley at the D'Urville River by five, having completed a good day walk.
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| Jed and Anthony in the D'Urville |
There was late night eel action at the end of the jetty. We had the hut to ourselves, not bad for a long weekend.
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| Longfin eels off the D'Urville jetty |
Friday 22/04/2016
Another great weather day here at Nelson Lakes National Park.
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| NE from the D'Urville jetty |
Watched the eels again in the morning, so friendly inquisitive.
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| Longfin eel D'Urville jetty |
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| Longfin eels D'Urville jetty |
We left D'Urville hut heading up the valley for lunch at Morgans Hut, first I had a side trip to complete. I dropped my pack at the start of the Tiraumea Track and jogged to the Tiraumea Hut and back. Stopped at the hut just long enough to check out the hut book and take a few photos. The hut is in a nice location and the track from the D'Urville is a very gentle cruise.
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| Tiraumea Hut |
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| Tiraumea Hut inside |
Got back to my pack and decided that I would take the river rather than the track, much better views. A lot of the best travel is on the true right.
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| Looking South up the D'Urville River |
About 400 meters from Morgan Hut I scared a deer that was having a sit down. Anthony and Jed had finished lunch and where just leaving Morgan Hut as I arrived. My first visit to the new Morgan Hut, I was last up this valley in the late 90's.
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| Morgan Hut |
Stopped at the hut for half an hour and fed myself, caught up with the others an hour or so before George Lyon Hut.
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| Anthony and Jed in the forest |
An empty hut, so far this way was proving to be uncrowded! Did some fire wood collecting as it was a cold evening.
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| Anthony and Jed at George Lyon Hut |
Closer to dark a Belgium guy with a name I cant spell or pronounce arrived, still not a crowded hut.
Saturday 23/04/2016
Out of bed late as the day is not perfect. Played in the river for a bit building damns as we tried to decide what we should do.
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| Jed and Ian playing in the river |
We left the hut a bit late as the weather was not looking any better.
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| Jed and Anthony leaving George Lyon Hut for Moss Pass |
We went approx 30 minutes up the Moss Pass and rain started coming. The clouds where getting lower and there would not be any views on the top so we all agreed we should head back to George Lyon Hut and crash for the day. We got back to the hut before the heavy rain and enjoyed some relaxing sleep.
Sunday 24/04/2016
Today is Moss Pass day and it really is a blue sky day.
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| Blue sky above George Lyon Hut |
No rush to leave as this is the main day of our trip and we want it to a nice long slow day of views.
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| Looking up the valley from the swing |
The steep bit up in the forest was quite cold and in a few places slippery on the rocks, as we got higher we got good views.
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| Looking across to Ella Range |
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| Fresh fungi |
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| South up the D'Uville valley |
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| South up the D'Uville valley |
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| South up the valley and Ella Range |
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| Looking South |
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| Ella Range |
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| Anthony and Jed out of the forest |
We meet a group from Wellington out of the forest and they told us of full huts in the Sabine Valley, and people sleeping on floors. Looks like doing the trip this way is good for multiple reasons. We have avoided crowds so far and we are not doing a thousand meter down hill.
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| Ella Range |
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| South to Mt Dorothy |
We continued on to Moss Pass, stopping often for the views.
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| Moss Pass up to the far left |
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| Looking across to Ella |
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| Ten minutes from Moss Pass |
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| Peak South of Moss Pass |
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| Moss Pass |
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| Looking North into the Sabine |
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| Anthony and Jed with Blue Lake in background |
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| Dropping into the bush not far from Blue Lake |
We got down to Blue Lake hut and decided that we would not stay the night, instead we would head to West Sabine hut. Blue Lake hut is not so dark as it used to be.
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| Blue Lake |
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| Blue Lake Hut |
Arrived at a near full West Sabine hut.
Monday 25/04/2016
ANZAC day, I stayed in bed waiting for the hut to empty out so I could enjoy a bowl of porridge in peace and quiet. Left the hut just after 0900 hours, a few minutes after Anthony and Jed
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| West Sabine Hut |
A nice easy out day, a brisk walk down the valley to the Sabine Hut and a wait for the water taxi.
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| Looking South to Franklin Ridge |
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| Looking South to Franklin Ridge | |
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| Anthony and Jed crossing again |
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| Sabine River |
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| On the way out |
Walking back to the car, still smiling, good trip guys.
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| Anthony and Jed |
Map of Trip
View Larger Topographic Map
Trip Times
Friday 22/04/2016
0933 Headed to Tiraumea Hut
1027 At Tiraumea Hut
1032 Left Tiraumea Hut
1135 Back at Tiraumea Junction, heading to Morgan Hut
1332 Morgan Hut
1400 Left Morgan Hut
1618 Arrived at George Lyon Hut
Sunday 24/04/2016
0832 Left George Lyon Hut
1246 Arrived Moss Pass for lunch
1326 Headed off from Moss Pass to Blue Lake
1458 Blue Lake Hut
1546 Left Blue Lake Hut
1758 West Sabine Hut
Monday 25/04/2016
0903 Left West Sabine Hut
1329 Arrived Sabine Hut
Seek Freedom and bibles
Did manage to find a few bibles in the valley, collected one each from D'Urville, Morgan, and George Lyon huts. These will be heading back to the bible Society to return to the Seek Freedom person who left them in the hut.
