Well, about half the five pass route. 'tis better to have hiked and bailed than not to have hiked at all.

For this hike I was meeting up partway through with a couple of friends who were on another hike. I was doing the first bit, down the Dart river, and up beans burn by myself. My two companions were taking the jetboat up the Dart and meeting me up in the top of beans burn for us to continue.

I flew into Christchurch, slept for the night at the airport hotel, then in the morning, rented a car, and drove to the bottom of the island, arriving in Queenstown around supper time. After picking up fuel, and a burger, I drove to the trailhead and headed out into some wonderfully nice new zealand beech fortest. I had planned on starting the next day, but as it was, It was a nice day for a short walk..






and I camped as the sun was setting at Lake Sylvan. the next day I worked my way through to the rock burn river (and hut), waded across it, and worked my way down the Dart river, which was in full flood. There was considerable bushwhacking along the Dart.











I arrived at Beans Burn, and waded the river to the trail at the far side.






I arrived at my first desination, a lovely meadow along the beans burn, where I camped for the night.




the next morning I headed on up the valley, heading for the
rock bivy before Fohn saddle, My two companions would be coming up behind me and we would meet up around the rock bivy.



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