Scott Basin

Day trip, nice walk up to this basin, a bit of variety. Great spots to camp as well. We started early and the clouds kept rolling over, wasn't a nice day for spotting animals/taking photos.

Jesse, sporting his new jacket

You can see the huge basin behind us. Was an easy clamber up the rocks/tussock. I was pleasantly surprised!

Really cool terrain.

I now understand that when go for walks, I must take the camera because Jess will want to have a look around and I need something to do...

On the way back down the skies were blue down the valley. Sign said 3-4 hours each way, probably took us 2 up 2 down.

Up there with my favour so far, will be back with a tent in summer!

Up and over Mt Alfred

Same goregous day

went for an afternoon stroll to the top of a mountain with Mandy

Lake Whakatipu in the background and the Dart River on the right

This is the view looking up the valley. Routeburn valley on the left next to the Dart River and Mt Ernslaw on the right just past Diamond Lake

We didn't realise there would be snow at the top!

We decided to go down the other side towards paradise...

and while it was really cool, took longer than we thought it would.

Got back to the house just on dark... was a beautiful sunset over the lake.

Heaps of cool cabbage trees dotted over the braken that we have to climb over to get down the hill. I'd hate to have to climb up it...

Great little adventure - the sheep guided us!

Kea Basin

Up the Rees Valley for a bit of a look around.

Really nice up there but the clouds were closing in...

This is Kea Basin on the east side of Mt Earnslaw. Great place to come and camp in the summer. It was a warm wet day and ice was falling off the frozen waterfalls and smashing on the rocks. If you didn't see it fall, you'd think there was a gun going off...

The light wasn't very good, and my many grass shots (sitting, watching, waiting) didn't really turn out so I turned to the river for inspiration. Ok, nothing spectacular.

And we got out before the rain came!

We will be back...