More photographic aspects of my recent Rees to Dart tramping trip

Last week it was easy to simply indulge in my penchant for New Zealand landscape photography and publish what I'd call the classic landscape images I made, but this week I've decided to introduce the people element to show another side to this glorious wander..

Mandy, Glenn, Tom and Dougal...

Glenn and Mandy lunching in the near derelict 25 Mile Hut in the Rees...

Glenn and 25 Mile Hut...

The first true alpine meadow we encountered on our first [exhausting] day in the Rees...

A welcome sight - Shelter Rock Hut in the Rees...

The next day fellow tramper Michelle and myself found ourselves accompanying each other to Snowy Saddle - there were many in front of us and some behind, but being spread out was great...

Michelle silhouetted on a bump just above the saddle...

Greta, Bronny and Michelle - our companions found on the trail and we've travelled together for a couple of days. They were great company...

A bull chamois near Dart Hut...

Tom, Andrew and Dougal - our boys on this trip, as part of their Duke Of Ed. Award they're seeking. Cory was running late for this photo and can be seen below...

Typical travel down the Dart - Mandy and Glenn...

A well used huge 10 star bivy rock by Cattle Flat in the Dart...

A friendly Robin...

Sandy Bluff has to be surmounted so-to-speak on the long walk down the Dart, but the views are worth the puffing and the track blasted into the rock bluffs is spectacular...

Glenn...

This jet boat signified to us that we were near the end of our tramp...

To me the Dart is one of New Zealand's wildest most beautiful rivers, but it's not one I'd care to tangle with when it's in this mood...

Back out on the road I stopped my truck for a view backwards and to make a picture of Mt. Chaos left, and Poseidon Peak for fellow mt.eer/blogger Bob [Bob help yourself to a copy]...

The trip over the crew transfers gear into our two vehicles - one left at each end...

Thanks team for an awesome little adventure - I'd go anywhere with you anytime :)

Some of my favourite wild places in New Zealand

Happy New Year readers - may 2010 treat you well!

Thanks for the well wishes I've received re. my tooth problem. It's now sorted and all I can say is it's left me with a reminder that good health is everything, and an unbelievable need for sleep.

Some more scans of my slide collection - some from my early days of New Zealand mountain and landscape photography - some of my favourite shots and places really.

Classic view of Mt Cook and Mt Tasman from the Malte Brun Range...


Summer snow...


Sunrise on Mt Cook from Tasman Saddle Hut...


Ron...


Storm from door of old Muellar Hut...


Hooker Valley and Mt Cook in early winter...


Skiing the Tasman Glacier between storm fronts...


Chris and Sarah on Mt Hooker...


Muchison Glacier [I forget the mountain names I'm afraid]...

A celebration of our wild New Zealand landscape and National Parks - and a "heads up"

Quentin Smith of Wanaka has recently formed a FaceBook group: Hands off Mt Aspiring NP and a few days ago membership stood at 5000, and it's now well over 6000!

... which relates to the noises our new, seemingly unenlightened and uninspired, New Zealand Government are making to initiate mining investigations in our National Parks. Not only my local Mt Aspiring National Park I might add!

While they say it's only a stock-take even that is a transgression and impossible to do without major disturbances and destruction of our heritage put aside for all coming generations.

Having got this off my chest [link below] I'm here sharing some of my favourite landscape photos I've made of our wild New Zealand landscape.

This is Mt Brewster - somewhat in the middle of the area of Mt Aspiring National Park our National Government has it's beady eyes on [and in bed with which multi national corporation that historically is always in the background taking profits when it comes to mining resources in any country?]...


Marks Flat under Mt Hooker - a huge tract of land designated at Conservation Estate in South Westland. Should it be part of the World Heritage Site in this area [Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand]?


You can "mine" great powder on the slopes of Mt Cook in Mount Cook National Park...


Alma hut in Westland National Park, with Franz Josef neve behind...


Mt Aspiring from Cascade Saddle


Lake Hankinson in Fiordland National Park [not far from the Milford Track]...


Looking down one of the significant glaciers in Westland National Park


There is a FaceBook generated link here, to view, or I suggest join the group: Hands off Mt Aspiring NP.

Or failing above then click on Groups in your FaceBook account and type in "Hands off Mt Aspiring NP"

And on a related matter this week I found out that New Zealand has 56,000 Kms of public roads that are not public, and our current New Zealand Government, and the preceding one it seems, have apparently been doing their best to sweep these "paper roads" under the carpet by use of cunning legal moves to give the land to those [many of whom have already fenced them off], in exchange for easements. The former offer us, the recreational users and owners unfettered access, the latter, easements, do absolutely nothing for us - only for self serving interests of those who've squatted on our rights.

Firewood, reflections and more on snow

One of my favourite local spots is the NE corner of Lake Hawea, and as I've been burning firewood at an alarming rate this winter it's the preferred spot to not only gather some driftwood, but sample sunset, skip stones on the lake surface and do yet some more iconic New Zealand landscape photography...



Looking across the lake to Kidds Bush...


In between lots of yoga practice this week gone, and having the grief and shock of three deaths that affect me in one way or another, I've kept on keeping on doing ski tours at the Snow Farm late in the day and into the dark, being mindful that it's avalanche season. All good therapy!

You can see the severe loading in the middle to right of this hillside...


And here all slopes have a sort of pregnant pillow look...


I've never seen the head of the Roaring Meg stream here so choked up with snow...

Low cloud, inversions and frost and things

We've had a week now of inversion cloud sitting low over Wanaka town. It really is warmer up on the ski areas than down at lake level.

However traveling up a little to where the land meets the cloud is well worth the effort from a landscape photography perspective.

By the entrance to the Snow Farm, Cardrona Valley...


The Branch Burn up the Cardrona Valley...




A dead tree on top of the Crown Range pass. It's always intrigued me and I've made photos of it in the past. The monuments mark and record the early history of the use of this expedient high altitude road route from Wanaka to Queenstown...


This week's nice web site: Three days exploring Lake Manapouri, New Zealand, by photographer Bill Hatcher

Using keywords to blog and draw attention to issues such as the renewed threat to the Clutha

Over the nearly two years I've been publishing this blog those of you original readers will note my subject matter has ranged somewhat, but been tied together by New Zealand landscape photography themes.

This has been a little deliberate as initially the whole concept was an experiment on how to use keywords to promote a web site, which is a part of my work. However before long family were the first to comment and their kind words prompted me to keep a limited public diary that has now grown into a useful place for approx. 100 readers per week to drop into.

The last few weeks many of you will have noticed a new theme: "Save Our Clutha River" [link to my previous post]. Well I'm unashamedly getting in early using keywords and phrases right here to attract visitors to links and photos, thereby raising awareness!

Today I did some more exploring of the Clutha - this time a curvy area known as Reko's near the Wanaka Airport. I figure it's now time to digitally document parts of this wonderful vibrant river and then publish often...


I can confirm to those of you with a landscape photography bent that I've tinkered somewhat playfully, breaking rules even, with exposure to bring out a tad of the low key look. It's just that the high quality tangental lighting of our early winter can be used on so many interesting levels when making a landscape image.



But wait there is more [we can do on Sundays]: This week's interesting heads up to Bob McKerrow's blog item "Mixed-gender dancing, drunkenness, and general merry-making on Sundays"

Mist clouding the future of the Clutha

Following on from last week's post about a series of dams on the Clutha, it's obvious there are attempts to fog the real intention as locally we've been asked to indicate for or against.

Autumn fog and river mist on the Clutha in the early early dawn near Albert Town...


...because in the last week I've learnt that a guy who rents a cottage and land from one of the big energy companies such as Contact Energy or Electrocorp beside the river down Luggate way has been told he will not be able to renew his lease or renting deal!



So it seems there is real intent for one dam at least! And it's interesting, alarming and ominous that this information is being withheld.

Typical Clutha river bank between Lake Wanaka and Luggate...


If you've missed last week's links and post there are a number of links to check out re aspects of the river and walkways/park that are planned.

Meanwhile I've had a pretty busy but worthwhile and fun weekend [bit late with this my Sunday post 'tho] because I was involved helping run an Outdoor First Aid Course with the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council

A scenario down by the Wanaka Yacht Club building...


As one of the students remarked it was a good weekend for it, what with the early onset of winter weather prevailing. I see from my New Zealand landscape photography files that a few of us started Nordic skiing [touring] at the end of May last year, so it looks like climate change for us means earlier and earlier snow falls!

Mt Aspiring from the Snow Farm...


This week's link to a good blog with a winter theme: Bob McKerrow and others aiming to be the first to reach the North Pole without outside help back in '86.