Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

An ascent of Tapuae-o-Uenuku and a visit to Sawcut Gorge

Thursday, 06 February 2014
Setting up camp for the night next to our awesome van - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Setting up camp for the night next to our awesome van

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Young Raymond amused himself by playing on the bridge - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Young Raymond amused himself by playing on the bridge

Looking up the Hodder river - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Looking up the Hodder river

Heading off Thursday morning - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Heading off Thursday morning

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Shin hut where Sir Ed stayed (wow, awesome history huh!) - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Shin hut where Sir Ed stayed (wow, awesome history huh!)

A short drop and we were in the river - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

A short drop and we were in the river

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
There were loads of wild goats that didn't seem too bothered by humans - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

There were loads of wild goats that didn't seem too bothered by humans

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Marlborough Rock Daisy - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Marlborough Rock Daisy

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
We had to climb around a couple of waterfalls - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

We had to climb around a couple of waterfalls

Looking back at the river - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Looking back at the river

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
The Spaniard was stunning (if not deadly) in flower - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

The Spaniard was stunning (if not deadly) in flower

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Approaching Hodder huts after 18km - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Approaching Hodder huts after 18km

Tararua hut (L) and Murray Adrian hut (R) which was our accommodation for the next two nights - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Tararua hut (L) and Murray Adrian hut (R) which was our accommodation for the next two nights

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
The start of our trip the next day - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

The start of our trip the next day

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Nev, Queen Elisabeth and young Raymond enjoying a cuppa and admiring the view - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Nev, Queen Elisabeth and young Raymond enjoying a cuppa and admiring the view

We started around 8am Friday - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

We started around 8am Friday

and straight into some steep climbing (our theme for the day) - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

and straight into some steep climbing (our theme for the day)

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Alarm (2877mtrs) - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Mt Alarm (2877mtrs)

The Tapuae-o-Uenuku basin was above this waterfall - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

The Tapuae-o-Uenuku basin was above this waterfall

Vegetable sheep in flower - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Vegetable sheep in flower

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Peaks poking out of the cloud - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Peaks poking out of the cloud

Marian - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Marian

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
We had to wait for the group in front to finish climbing their steep route as they knocked down some large rocks (we crossed the snow field a bit higher than where they are and sidled right - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

We had to wait for the group in front to finish climbing their steep route as they knocked down some large rocks (we crossed the snow field a bit higher than where they are and sidled right

This was the way we were originally going to go up, but there was quite a bit of snow - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

This was the way we were originally going to go up, but there was quite a bit of snow

So we cramponed up, crossed one of the snow fields and headed up the middle right - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

So we cramponed up, crossed one of the snow fields and headed up the middle right

It was the steepest climb of the day - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

It was the steepest climb of the day

The top was just 150mtrs away - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

The top was just 150mtrs away

But first some late lunch - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

But first some late lunch

Something out of LOTR - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Something out of LOTR

The view was magnificent - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

The view was magnificent

Owen - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Owen

We had a few snow flurries heading up - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

We had a few snow flurries heading up

We made the top - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

We made the top

2885mtrs - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

2885mtrs

Now the down bit - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Now the down bit

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
The Clarence river - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

The Clarence river

The second snow field (right of photo) is what we'd sidled across on the way up - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

The second snow field (right of photo) is what we'd sidled across on the way up

We descended down the right hand gut which proved to be a better route than the way we'd gone up - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

We descended down the right hand gut which proved to be a better route than the way we'd gone up

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
The valley was cloudy as we departed Saturday morning - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

The valley was cloudy as we departed Saturday morning

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
We reached the car park safely - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

We reached the car park safely

GPS map - around 50kms - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

GPS map - around 50kms

The next agenda item was Sawcut Gorge - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

The next agenda item was Sawcut Gorge

It was quite different country and a pleasant stroll after the last three days effort - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

It was quite different country and a pleasant stroll after the last three days effort

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Sawcut Gorge - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Sawcut Gorge

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
It was an amazing place - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

It was an amazing place

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Isolation hut - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Isolation hut

There were some very cool Moeraki type boulders in the river - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

There were some very cool Moeraki type boulders in the river

Sue and her pet rock (she wanted to put it in her pack and take it home) - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

Sue and her pet rock (she wanted to put it in her pack and take it home)

Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February
GPS map - around 10kms - Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku and Sawcut Gorge Waitangi Day Extended 6-9 February

GPS map - around 10kms

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