Kerry, Katie and I went for a mission up to Mt Whitebridge. We stayed a night near Andrew’s Shelter and then walked into Sudden Valley. The river was a little higher than normal on the way in which made some of the river crossings a little trickier than normal. It reminded us of our mission into the Otehake Hot Pools last year…
The tramp starts at the Hawdon shelter, you cross the Hawdon river and head up Sudden Valley on the true right of the river. The tramp in is fairly rough in some places with many river crossings. As you near the Sudden Valley Biv the valley opens up and the track takes you along the river flats until you reach the biv.
We lazed around the biv once we had arrived, washing in the river by the biv and then cooking dinner in front of a little fire that Kerry lit. She also provided whiskey which we supped as we prepared tea.
Katie and I got up early to try and get some pics of the sunrise with Kerry opting to snooze. We scrambled up a bank some way up the river and spent a while pretending to be photographers. As it was still rather early when we got back to the biv we napped a little.
After breakfast we walked out and camped near the Hawdon.
Above left: Kerry and Katie get their feet wet in one of the many river crossing on the walk into Sudden Valley Biv. Above right: Scrambling over rocks on the walk into Sudden Valley Biv.
Above left: Cris helps Katie around a tricky bit of river on the walk in. Above right: A nice waterfall on the walk in.
Above left: Kerry crossing a river. Above right: Kerry resting up at the Sudden Valley Biv.
Above left: The D.o.C. sign at Sudden Valley Biv. Above right: Katie looks into the Sudden Valley Biv after we arrive.
Above left: Making dinner outside the biv. Above right: Dinner was our typical tramping fare, i.e. pasta and vegies.
Above left: Katie walking up to our photo spot in the morning. We took photos of the sunrise from a bank up the river and off up the hill a little. Above middle: Sunrise in Sudden Valley. Above right: While Katie and Kerry napped I went for a walk up the valley to look at a potential exit over into Discovery Stream for another more energetic trip. Looks like it could be a nice variation.
Above left: Shot of the river on the way out. Above right: Kerry helping Katie across a section of river on the walk out.
Above: The girls do battle near Hawdon shelter after walking out.
Above: Kerry being a chicken on the way in.