Mt. Earnslaw

I'd had enough of the foul weather (see picture at right) around Mt. Aspiring and thought I'd venture out with James (also from Melbourne) and John, a friendly chap I met on the Aspiring trip, to find some sun and yet more adventure.
After a spell lounging in Queenstown bars and cafes (thankyou Indri and Mook for your warm hospitality!) it was time to get muddy feet - remember that every climb in NZ begins and ends with wet feet - and head past Glenorchy to Mt. Earnslaw. After a gorgeous sunny, swampy, wet walk in (much of which was spent looking for the track up the lower slopes after the ford) and an ascent to Kea basin, we pitched tents by a tarn and hit the sack.

An alpine rise at 4am was rewarded with.. "What the f*#k is that?" from John. I peer out of the tent... "By Gosh! Could it be the aurora?" Totally cool! I had wanted to see the aurora and there it was across the peaks to the South.

 

We then promptly fell asleep again and awoke an hour later at a more sociable hour. Hot cuppa, breaky and we're off.

 

Picture: John and James on the slopes beneath Earnslaw (East summit visible).
...I'll fill this page out as soon as I scan some more photos... stay tuned!

NZ trip