Wanaka - Mt Roy Trek

18.03.2010

Mt Roy – 3hs up and 2.5hs down (normally... Seems that I always take double time downwards when walking... wonder why!?!?)

It's a long and windy way up, but still not very interesting, as it's mostly wide enough to get up in a 4WD car :( The view from the top is spectacular and is a nice reward for the climb, still it's not interesting enough for a 2^nd time (despite you take a bike up with u ;) It's really a pity that didn't work out!!! That's on the must do list for the 2^nd visit with that nice helmet cam during sunrise ;) )

if only the path was like that all the way up! That'd be fantastic!! Was only the last few meters to the top actually. Of course better then nothing! :)

View down the other side (seen from Wanaka)

looks great from the top, eh?! ;)

township of Wanaka

the sun was already setting when we started our descend. Was not really necessary that it took sooooo long, but anyway...

Wanaka - Sunset

14.03.2010

was a stunning sunset!!!
there's no color corrections going on this time ;)
the pix are just in front of "out house"

Wanaka - Rob Roy Glacier Trek

08.03.2010

1^st trek after pausing for waaaayyyyy too long was the Rob Roy Glacier, together with Amanda and Damien.

Was more a nice walk as the way itself was not too challenging, but nevertheless it was a really nice day!!! :)

To road out there was a looong gravel road. If the car is still working after the way out and back, u can be sure it won't break down too soon ;)

The fords were at least dry and not flooded...

on the way out we stopped for some pics at this nice camping area...

...and to just hang around a little while :)

carpark and start of the walk up. It's supposed to be round 5h back, if I remember it right

nice to have views like this every once a while

Amanda and Damien on the way up

every step brings us closer to the glacier :)

lot's of waterfalls everywhere...

in the Te Pappa museum in Welly I saw a video about some guys doing base jumps down there. That must be such a stunning thing to do!!!

the setting of it all is just sooo nice

hat's already a bit further then the “official” end of the trek. If a trek ends and it's not yet the the top of the mountain it just doesn't feel right... but after several more meters on paths that were more or less (depends on your imagination ;) ) visible, we decided to turn round. We could have walked there for some more hours I guess, still without reaching something like a summit. Was fun anyway :)

thats the ice opposite of the treks end. Every few mins we could hear and sometimes see some little ice avalanches going down

was already towards sunset, so the light was once more fantastic and got better and better

Amanda and Damien on the swing bridge 15mins away from the carpark

singletrail?! ;)

last view back... Was a real lovely day out here!! Perfect for the 1^st walk/trek after few weeks :)

Wanaka - Sticky Forest photo session

06.03.2010

The 1^st photo session on the trails of Sticky Forest (I think my bike was already broke by that time *grmpf*). We both didn't know it'd take THAT long till the next one...

getting used to being the model :)

1^st try without bike...

hen with bike :)

the step up

landing zone and spot for me taking the pic were actually only few cms from each other ;)

Franz Josef - Alex Knob Trek

05.02.2010

Plan was to leave late in the day for this 8h return trek to arrive on top in the evening, then pitch the tent to take some nice sunset and sunrise pics and walk down next morning.

Most of my stuff was waiting for me in DOC center, to be picked up afterwards. Then I just wanted to make the 30kms to Fox.

That was the plan and it does still sound nice and I still wold recommend it to everybody who's equipped for it.

Left Franz Jo village at 1 midday. Start of the trek is 4km outside (typical for NZ was the fact that they advertised for an "eco friendly shuttle service" by bus to the start. Couldn't figure out what exactly made it eco friendly, as everybody who's fit enough for the trek itself would sure be able to walk that bit on the roadside aswell ;) )

was a cloudy day so far with only few holes in the clouds during the morning. Still the trek and the atmosphere around was great

love treks like that! Some roots and rocks everywhere to keep it interesting :) Was sooo funny to meet Katie (we worked together in Punakaiki) right at this spot again :D She was on her way down already. We didn't even know we were in Franz Jo during the same time :)

perhaps Santa was hiding in the clouds somewhere. Couldn't find him though

Without the clouds it might not have been that nice actually

then on top it really looked like it was about to clear as I was hoping. Was only a thin layer of clouds above me

and then the very moment I had made myself comfortable - with some nuts and raisins to reward myself for the climb - it cleared right in front of me :D

thats Franz Josef glacier just in front of me :)

was just soooo perfect!!! Was really excited about pitching my tent up here later for a nice clear night. Nobody around at all (last person I saw was Katie some 3 hours ago and won't see anybody for the first few hours of my way back down aswell)

but then while walking round on top in search for a nice spot for panorama picture I tripped into a little, grass covered hole in the ground and twisting my left ankle badly. Realized directly it was not necessarily broken but still not to be ignored :( After 30mins of waiting and thinking bout the opportunities I had, I came to the conclusion that the only thing to do, was to go down again and try to find a doc in Franz Jo or at least some ice. It was supposed to rain next day and I had to get down anyway. Even if somebody elso was around, the track was way too narrow for walking besides each other. Was clear that biking to Fox and over Haast was not possible anymore, so hitching a ride or fetching a bus to Wanaka - as that would be the nearest place for a hospital or at least somethng like that.

That was then the only pic I took on the way down (started 6.30 in the evening and took till 2 at night including twisting it a 2^nd time even though I taped it and was “walking” with the help of a stick). It was - as far as I could tell – a perfectly clear night, the sunset must have been just stunning on top, not to mention the sunrise the following morning... ;(((((((