Young - Wilkin - East Matukituki via Gillespie and Rabbit Passes

Day 4 - Siberia Valley and Crucible Lake

All images © David Noble. No image can be used for any purpose without permission.



Above - early on we see this rainbow - does that mean the weather is improving? We will see.



Above - at the hut - Rob talks to Denise and Marco - who are doing the same walk as we did - and we would see again on the trip.



Above - Chuin Nee crossing a small stream near the hut. We head off towards Crucible Lake - not sure that we will be able to cross all the streams on the way.



Above - John



Above - the weather is not exactly encouraging either....



Above - glacial erratics in the river valley



Above - John finds a damp patch



Above - on the river flats



Above - John and Chuin Nee crossing Gillespie Stream



Above - continuing up the valley



Above - looking back towards the lower part of Gillespie Pass



Above - our route lay up the steep spur to the right (true left) of this creek



Above - Rob and Chuin Nee just about to leave the river flats



Above - strawberry fungus



Above - strawberry fungus



Above - ferns



Above - Chuin Nee climbing up the spur



Above - strawberry fungus



Above - we had to cross this stream - the outlet of Crucible Lake - it looked quite difficult - so we looked upstream for an easier place.



Above - John watches as Chuin Nee leaps over the first part



Above - we continue on



Above - nearing the lake - which is behind the moraine wall



Above - looking back down



Above - Crucible Lake - with icebergs



Above - at the lake



Above - icebergs



Above - at the lake



Above - the source of the icebergs - this small glacier below Mt Alba


Above - crags above the lake



Above - crags above the lake



Above - Chuin Nee shelters from the rain in this small cave



Above - crags above the lake



Above - moss and lichen



Above - iceberg



Above - almost a flower



Above - crags above the lake



Above - crags above the lake



Above - Looking down



Above - I think this one is Anisotome haastii



Above - Dracophyllum menziesii - which looks a lot too me like a Richea (eg Richea dracophylla)



Above - Dracophyllum menziesii



Above - Chuin Nee and John



Above - another species of Dracophyllum



Above - Mountain Daisies (Celmisia semicordata)



Above - Mt Cook Lilies (Ranunculus lyallii)



Above - on the way back down



Above - not sure what this flower is (native?)



Above - crossing back over - Chuin Nee and John



Above - Chuin Nee



Above - one last leap!



Above - a small bird



Above - back down on the flats



Above - John and Chuin Nee crossing the Siberia Stream



Above - John crossing Gillespie Stream



Above - John on the flats



Above - John on the flats



Above- Chuin Nee crossing a stream



Above - back at the hut - looking up the valley



Above - river cobbles



Above - river cobbles



Above - Siberia Stream - lower now - but more rain was forecast for the next day....

Continue to Day 5 - where we go down to Kerin Forks and have to cross the Wilkin River

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