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Day 3: (Monday 13/03/06) The morning was fine and boded well for an excellent crossing of the Rees Saddle.
composite of Mt Clarke 301b KB
Rees River 302b KB
Kea 305a KB
kea 305b KB
Alan 306a IB
John B, Cathy & Ian 306b JC
Peaks 308a KB
As we gained height we had views back to the Mt Earnslaw peaks until the trail swung too far to the right (east). Those ahead took appropriate photos while I tried to get more kea shots.
Source of Rees 310a KB
Mt Clarke 311a JC
Keith taking photo 312a AR
Ian silhouette 314 KB
The valley rises more steeply as we head to the Saddle and the Forbes Peaks crowd in. Initially it is difficult to see where the track will go but eventually a short steep climb becomes obvious (and reassuring).
Back down the Rees 317 KB
Rees Saddle 319 JC
climbing the saddle 323 AR
view back to Rees 324 AR
Keith reaches saddle 329 JS
View down Snowy 333 JS
Snowy Creek 339 AR
Tarn on saddle 344 JS
At the top of the tussock basin there is a relatively short 100m climb to the saddle (1447m) where there is a large tarn and beyond this a small hill worth climbing to obtain 360° views of three valleys. The rock dome on top is quite safe unless one tries to take a 360° video and steps off the edge (as I did!). Luckily there is no audio track on my camera!
There is a rapid descent from the saddle to a terrace on the side of Mt Cunningham containing a number of tarns with the Snowy Stream passing below in a gorge.
Snowy Creek Gorge 350 KB
Tarns below Mt C. 351 KB
Tarn below Mt C. 352 KB
View back to saddle 355 JS
Snowy Creek 358 KB
Humboldt Tower 362 JC
Hesse & Mt Edward 364 KB
Hesse Glacier 365 KB
The Humboldt Tower, Hesse Glacier and Mt Edward become progressively more visible and distracting. A further drop takes you to a swing bridge and from then on the views of the Dart Valley with its various glaciers becomes even more magnificent.
Snowy Creek east wall 368 KB
upper Snowy bridge 370 JC
crossing the Snowy 374 JS
to the bridge 375 JC
Humboldt Tower 382 KB
Mt Lydia glimpse 383 KB
Hesse & Mt Edward 384 KB
panorama of Dart 385 KB
There are wonderful panoramic views of the upper Dart system dominated by an unnamed southern spur of the Humboldt Tower. The track continues to drop into the Dart, and it was here, as I was hurrying to catch up, that I rolled my ankle badly. Years of demonstrating to patients how to keep the lateral ankle ligaments elastic paid off as it became clear I hadn't ruined anything. The track finally crosses back over the Snowy immediately before the Dart Hut.