A five day loop beginning and ending at the Routeburn Carpark. This was my first extended trip away from tracks and trails in New Zealand. It certainly did not disappoint.
Day 1: I took off from the carpark, then headed up over Sugarloaf Pass to the Rockburn, which I followed upstream to a home on Theatre Flat.
Day 2: Cold rain hit early today. After only a few hours, I started getting blasted. I decided to wait it out behind a huge boulder about 15 minutes downstream from the Park Pass rock bivvy. When the rain refused to let up, I called it a day and set up camp.
Day 3: I awoke to beautiful conditions, so I took full advantage. I gained Park Pass before traversing south to Lake Nerine and on to North Col. From there, I continued south, following the Serpentine to a beautiful home at a tarn overlooking the North Branch of the Routeburn.
Day 4: I continued the traverse south as clouds boiled up all around me, eventually arriving at a completely socked in Pt 1807. When Lake Wilson decided to make a brief appearance below me, I dropped down to its head for a quick look before climbing back up and around to find a home at the outlet.
Day 5: The morning was relaxed as I dropped down to the Valley of the Trolls and walked out to Lake Harris. From here, it was a quick climb to Harris Saddle and the Routeburn Track, which I followed back out to the carpark just as the weather began to come in again.