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Richmond Day 2

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Thursday 3rd March 2011: We all had to climb up and check out the views from Slaty Peak [1544m] before heading on to Starveall Mt and Hut. One can see Tasman bay, the marching hills of the Bryant and Richmand Ranges and behind us, the impressive Mt Rintoul [1713m].


Nick calls home
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Mates Ck North to Bryant Range
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Beyond Lowther Saddle to Tasman Bay
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It's beauty beckons us
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Mt Rintoul, Alan and John B.
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Mt Rintoul, Roger and myself
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Slaty Peak & Mt Rintoul
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Video of panorama below Slaty
[30MB NZ]   Video02

Ahead of us lay the saddle leading to Mt Starveall [1551m] as shown in the composit panoramic view below.


Our route to Mt Starveall (on left) which connects to Mt Gale (on right) by Lowther Saddle, as seen from Slaty   Keith_6611-3 composit

The walk between Slaty and Starveall is a pleasant one (at least in good weather), with the ascent not overly demanding.


Keith and Nick in bush
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Rest up on ascent
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Another view of Rintoul
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required mycological specimen Keith_6638

Before one realises it, the open tops of Starveall appear leading to further magnificent panoramas. Slightly to the right of laty Peak is "Old Man" and beyond that is the Mt Patriarch ridge.


Approaching Starveall tops
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View back to Slaty etc
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Lowther Saddle, Hacket Peaks & Mt Gale
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Mt Taranaki just visible if you
look really hard   Keith_6654a

Composit view from Mt Starveall from NW to NE (with Mt Taranaki just visible if you look really hard
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Keith takes bearing on Mt Taranaki
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We were reluctant to leave the open tops of Starveall with such magnificant views including a faint but distinct Mt Taranaki summit visible due North (magnetic). Eventually an easy descent took us to Starveall Hut, from where we could still make out Mt Taranaki.


Nick on Starveall tops
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Mt Cook "Lily" (Ranunculus lyallii)
(really a buttercup)   JohnS_1499

Ian begins descent
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Further descent
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Starveall Hut
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Cheeky weka
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Video of Cheeky_ Weka
[22MB NZ]   Video

Keith plates up
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With such an easy day, we had plenty of time for a four course meal: Falafel & gravey; soup; Butter Chicken (from Nutrela & chicken stock) & Basmati rice; dried fruit with hot custard desert). We also had time for the local birdlife to become accoustomed to our presence. The hut notes talked about a "cheeky weka" and this individual eventually arrived and made a number of attempts at stealing socks (see the video above).

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