Elevation: 1430m

Elevation Gain: 650m

Difficulty: Mostly a hike with some 2nd Class scrambling.

The striking headwall of Barrier Peak. This Beech Forest ahead of us doesn’t last long. 

Description:

Like everyone and their dog, Ruby and I wanted to camp up at Gertrude Saddle. We were just aching to have all of our stuff destroyed and stolen by Kea. The weather in Fiordland had other plans though. The weekend we had planned to head up it we were faced with a very standard Milford Sound forecast. It was drizzling all day. We decided that we would go up anyway and just enjoy the view. I had been there before when I did the Macpherson-Talbot traverse a couple months earlier.

The track starts off as any does in New Zealand, through a flat valley. The walls in Fiordland are mesmerizing. It is so sheer there. The look of the mountains really are unique to this region. Glaciers hang off these practically vertical walls. This area is the main location for hard, alpine style rock climbing and sport multi-pitching.

Mt Talbot, Barrier Peak, and Mt Crosscut loom over you as you travel through this barren valley. Markers lead us up and through a weakness in the sheer walls to Black Lake. From here you follow rock slabs to the broken face below the saddle. We sat and watched the clouds roll though the mountain range. Milford Sound would show itself from time to time. After braving a chilling coastal wind for long enough we descended and drove to our little campsite near the head of the national park.

Black Lake.

Looking Toward Milford Sound.

Typical Terrain heading to Gertrude Saddle.

Below the lake the terrain becomes dirtier.

Ruby is absolutely frothing the view!