Camping in Autumn
A beautiful spot , high camp below Mt Tapuaenuku and Mt Alarm
The weather this Autumn has been very settled giving me a busy time busy traveling and camping with family and friends. The last 6 weeks have definitely had a holidaying air to them. Unfortunately again one of my best friends passed away recently , Oggi from Mongolia with whom I spent many years racing with in countries all over the world and whom I twice visited him in Mongolia - an exceptional and unique guy . He was involved in an automobile accident whilst coaching the Mongolian cycling team. For awhile Mongolian cycling was Oggi and he will be sorely missed by all his family and friends in Mongolia and around the world. Condolences to Ariuna his wife and Tsatsaa his daughter. RIP
Oggi , on a bike !! This picture taken during my last visit to Mongolia over 10 years ago on the rolling steppes west of Ulan Batar.
Pictures of Autumn trips.
Dawn from a camp on Mt Arthur ridge. An easy overnight trip for Leo , Isabelle and myself.
Keas - the New Zealand Alpine parrots make friends with the kids.
Leo , discovering the incredible karst country of weather worn limestone en route to the summit.
Drone photo - our tent is the blue dot.
Moke lake , near Queenstown , a lovely camping spot.
Isabelle on the Moke lake walking circuit.
Kids and friends , high in Nelson lakes.
The midnight bonfire
Isabelle at our Nelson lakes campsite.
Dawn
Kids on the rocks
doing some rock climbing at the same site
A mission in the Raglan ranges gave this lovely view to the East ,and the snowy peaks of Mt Tapuaenuku and Alarm to the left and Manakau to the right. In Autumn normally these are the only peaks high enough in the Northern south Island to get a permanent cover of snow..
Carl and Ryan about to start the hike up the Hodder river.
Embrace the river one is told if you want to climb Tapuaenuku The Hodder involves 80 to 100 crossings over about 5 hours to reach the site of the huts.
We slogged on above the huts which are situated at about 1450m to pitch camp at about 2000m. The snow was deep and fresh , very hard work with heavy packs.
Carl climbing a large snow gully on the way up to the top.
Hot work for Ryan , we hadn’t got to the ridge where a bitter wind awaited us.
Ryan contemplating the view with Alarm behind.
Carl plods on , most of Tapuaenuku was just hard work with soft snow under a thin crust making it extra hard.
The summit sweeping majestically up above us.
Ryan ahead
Carl Behind
Beyond the Seaward Kiakorua’s, the Grand Pacific!
Looking way North - to Motueka!
West to Mitre peak
From the summit North to Pinnacle.
Dusk falls , happy campers Ryan and Carl after a success full day.
In Dunedin with family , Leo, Isabelle , Aleksander and Marco.
Found someone on the beach.
Beach times.
Beach again
Leo finds the Moreaki boulders
and Isabelle
The art of camping.
Lake Ohau at Dawn.