Thousand Acre Plateau 27-31 December
Lake Matiri Hut
Lake Matiri
Rest break on the 800m climb from Lake Matiri to the Plateau
Rata in flower
Cliffs at the edge of the 1000 Acres Plateau
Part of the 1000 Acres Plateau - Poor Pete's Hut is just above centre left of picture
Just leaving Poor Pete's Hut after a lunch stop
The Needle (left) and Haystack (right) tower over the Plateau
It was hot and dry!
We were all feeling the heat on this section of the trip
Fortunately there were still some pools of water around
That hut can't be far away!
The hut was full but there was nice camping in the bush nearby
The Haystack around 8pm
The eastern cliffs of the upper "Hundred Acres Plateau"
On our way with day packs to the Needle and the "Hundred Acres Plateau"
Looking north from the Needle (Mt Owen is to the north out of the picture)
Looking back on the 1000 Acres plateau in foreground and distance ("Hundred Acres Plateau" above cliffs top right)
Climbing the Needle
Sue looking cool!
This area is mudstone - not as stable as the limestone of the Mt Owen area
The upper "Hundred Acres Plateau" - also known as the "Devils Dining Table"
On top of The Needle
Looking north from the top of the Needle
Our goal was to cross the "Hundred Acres Pleateau" to Mt Misery top right
The alpine flowers were out in full bloom
Neville deciding whether to have a dip
The Haystack as viewed from the "Hundred Acres Plateau"
There were were a number of these mudstone sink holes
Mt Misery with the Mokihinui River South Branch in the distance to the right
Heading back
Larrikin Creek Hut
Most of us camped in the bush behind the hut
Back in the Pete's Hut area
The drop off to the Matiri Valley on the eastern side of the 100 Acres Plateau
The eastern-most bit of the Plateau
A relaxing stay at Poor Pete's Hut with nice camping nearby
The southern-most part of the Plateau
Looking back down into the Matiri valley
More Rata in bloom
Lake Matiri
Lake Matiri needs more water!
Back out the same way - down the Matiri River
