Waiau Pass crossing -- Nelson Lakes over to Canterbury, Day 4

Rugged up and ready to leave Blue Lake Hut on the off chance that the weather clears enough for us to get over Waiau Pass (1870,).

Looking north and back down the West Sabine as we climb the moraine above Blue Lake. The hut is just inside the bush edge at the far end of the lake.


Starting the climb to get around Lake Constance which is on the right of the photo. Blue from where we have come is over the edge of the moraine to the left.

Why are they called spaniards? A bluff which runs right down into Lake Constance makes it necessary to climb a hundred metres above the lake to get to the head of the lake. Waiau Pass in the cloud above our heads.

Traversing above Lake Constance.

Waiau Pass is up there somewhere?? Doesn't look very nice.

Head of the lake and the gully which is our route back down to the shoreline.

On the edge of the lake.

Snack stop behind a big wind-stopping rock. The beach was littered with excellent skimming stones.

Above the lake and at the bottom of the final ascent to the pass which is out of view to the right of the picture. We've just had a shower of cold rain/sleet -- what's the weather going to do? The dot in the middle distance is the tent of an Auckland Te Araroa walker who camped there the night snug in her tent. She was zooming along with an 8kg pack, travelling light but well equipped.

And up valley it doesn't look much good either. Figured we would climb up the hill and keep assessing the weather.

Hmmm, is it going to go?

The slope up which we must climb, up the two tussock bands and on up to the right.


Ah ha, the weather's playing the game. Most of the way up the scree slope with Lake Constance in the background. The route had bought us around the left hand shore of the lake, above the visibly dark bluff before we dropped on to the mini-fan sticking into the lake.

Made it to the bench at the top of the scree -- Yah!!

And it's time for a rest and a snack. The pass is up around the rock outcrop in the centre background.

Up the final push!

Made it! Resting on the top! The weather pulled back and we basked in some sun and a huge sense of satisfaction as we took our last look into Nelson.

Heading down into the Waiau which can be seen at far left. The stream seemingly dropping out of the cloud centre right drains Lake Thompson at the head of the west branch of the Waiau.

What some called a scramble, and others called rock climbing turned out to be pretty reasonable when we got to it. Involved a bit of down climbing over slabs for a few metres.

Lunch time with pic taken by speedy 8kg-pack carrying Te Araroa walker. All feeling very pleased with ourselves for having got over the crux of the trip and now safely into the Waiau River.