Lengthening shadows and the first winter snows

It seems to me to have been a short autumn. All-the-more-so as after deciding on Sat. afternoon stroll at the nearby Snow Farm on the Pisa Range, I found there was a bit more snow around than I'd anticipated. It was quite a bonus really as along with the long shadows of the day, the presence of the white stuff adds light and contrast to an already stunning landscape.

A rare self portrait...


Meadow Hut in the upper reaches of the Roaring Meg...


I quite liked the two eyes in this rock...


The upper reaches of the Roaring Meg - Snow Farm Lodge water supply pump on the left...

Autumn colours and wanderings

Mostly folk around Wanaka agree with me that autumn is their favourite time of year, and it makes me wonder if this true of all over the South Island of New Zealand?

From a landscape photography point-of-view as the season deepens and the shadows with it we [photographers only I suspect] enjoy the onset of mist, fog and low tangental lighting. "Mood" in other words.

Reflections on the Clutha River...


Meg Hut near the river of the same name that becomes The Roaring Meg where it joins the Kawarau Gorge near Queenstown...


Looking up the Matukituki Valley towards Mt Aspiring...


An ancient landslip highlighted by low lighting in the Meg River area...


Meg Hut again...


Diamond Lake from the track to Rocky Top between the Matukituki Valley and the Matatapu Valley,

I've never seen one of these before, but I love the colour...


In autumn and early winter Lake Wanaka becomes quite moody...

Storms, ski tours, blogging and micro blogging

It's been quite a week and somehow underscored by the huge weather system that developed in the Tasman Sea and moved relentlessly eastwardsover us all in New Zealand, bringing extreme weather to many areas.

Friday evening seemed to present the most dramatic aspects of this weather system so I went for a walk with my camera in what used to be known as the Penrith Camping Ground area...


From the same spot swinging the camera north towards the Maungawera Valley area...

The weather pattern of late seems to mean every mid week it's nice weather for a few days, [and new snow], so fortunately I've been able to take some time off to get in some more cross country skiing.

Looking up into the head of the Roaring Meg - Pisa Range on the right...


I really like the twisting nature of this river - summer or winter it fascinates me...


Looking downstream towards The Remarkables, that overlook Queenstown...


Lastly out on the right I've made a few changes to this page: some of my blogger friends listed have some pretty good links to the blogs of others, so I've not attempted to have a huge list, but just mention they're well worth some time.

I started this blog as a work related experiment, but surprisingly I found quite quickly that it's fun to do regular posts, and out of these I feel blest to have made a few new friends.

Now as an extension of this I am going to try posting more to the micro blogging service Twitter, while still maintaining this blog. Twitter in turn posts into what I guess you'd call a "mid blog", in this case FaceBook [I'm simply Donald Lousley, if you wish to "friend" me]. This is all in relation to my realising that Google is no longer where people go to solely to find out information - they ask their social networking friends instead, and they in turn can reach out. It's pretty amazing and powerful stuff.

I've often lurked in Twitter reaping some amazing information over the last 2-3 years [the quality depends on who you follow], and in turn due to prompting by family and others I've tried FaceBook and been very impressed with the potential [but under whelmed by the user interface, and privacy issues/risk]. So along with a link to the work side of my life, I've spent sometime today making links between all, but it's work in progress you could say! I hope you find them useful, and of course please comment if you feel inclined.

Spring ski touring at the Snow Farm

A few photos below of one of the classic ski tours at the Snow Farm we did on Wed. If the snow is good quality it's one of those trips where you hardly notice the mileage, but in spring it's more of a mission - in fact the snow was icy and trippy initially then slushy, then started freezing again. All quite technical on skis akin to match sticks.

Meadow Hut - it used to be called Meadow Warming Hut, but these days we're either faster, warmer, or the climate really is warmer..


Same hut, and photographed from a different perspective, but in summer...


Well into the tour...


Late lunch with Vicky and Robyn at Bob Lee Hut...


This view is one I really like. The distinctive cloud base started forming at about noon and by 5 pm was pretty much gone. The middle foreground is the Criffel Range - the scene of the highest altitude old gold workings in NZ [lack of water except in spring would have hampered work on this old peneplain]. On the extreme left is Lake Wanaka, and Lake Hawea is just right of mid center...


Looking in the opposite direction toward Mt Pisa...


The trip back alongside the Roaring Meg - an area I so love especially at this time of year...


On closing what amazing stories are coming out of Christchurch. The community spirit makes me proud to be a New Zealander!

Up coming four wheel drive trip fundraiser ~ weekend of 6-7 March 2010

For perhaps near on 20 years my cousin Mike and a handful of enthusiastic friends in North Otago Search and Rescue have pioneered organising 4 wheel drive trips [drive your own] all over the remote areas of Otago. Apparently they've guided about 7500 vehicles over this time, and that'd equate to well over 14,000 people!

Since permission from high country farmers is hard to organise [finding out who owns what], and there are so many complex routes and tracks, they're very popular with the public - you pay your money and rock on up. They're not all about pitting one's vehicle against the terrain either, but about enjoying a day out in the hills. I like to sign up to see remote areas myself, and like to be the tail ender helping shut gates etc..

This autumn [best season - good traction means no damage to terrain, vehicles or nerves] Mike invited me and my camera on the pre runs which are right on my back door step, and as I prefer to ride with him to catch up in a brotherly way, rather than drive myself, we talked about trying a blog to see if it'd be useful for folk who are contemplating coming, to see a few photos.

So below is all the guff for anyone keen and a selection of photos made last weekend during the recce. of the two trips offered on the Sat. and Sun. of the weekend 6-7 March 2010.

Actually re-post to a different blog [btw I use MarsEdit to blog - it's Mac and marvellous, and I can post about 4 times faster than in blogger, to numerous destinations]

Day One: Dunstan Mountains - from Cromwell Gorge to Thomsons Gorge road via Leaning Rock.

Dunstan tops...


Lake Dunstan...


Leaning Rock...


Track up to Leaning Rock...


Arriving at Leaning Rock...


Gentian...


Past Leaning Rock...

Recce crew has lunch...




Stamper Battery Thomsons Gorge...


Trip ending at Northburn Station Vineyard...




Day Two: Pisa Range - southern end.

On the tops at 1900 mts...


Possible morning tea stop in this ancient glacial cirque...


Looking across at the Dunstans and Leaning Rock...


Fragile alpine bog...


Looking towards Roaring Meg country...

Fragile vegetation abounds...








Register 8 to 8.30 am for a 9 am start each day at the Cromwell sports grounds on Alpha St.

Cost $35 per adult per day. Under 16 no charge. Deposits to John Simpson, 6 Forth St.. Oamaru. Chqs. made out to N.O.S.A.R.

No dogs allowed.

For Sat. night we recommend the Cromwell Top 10 Camping Ground ph 0800 107 275, and is very close to the assembly point.

Should the weather be unsuitable it will be held the following weekend 13 - 14 March. In event of cancellations please tune into Radio Central [More FM] Port FM or Classic Hits FM [4ZB].

John Simpson: 03 437 1689
Mike Firman: 03 434 7385 or 027 220 1948

Photos and blog creation Donald Lousley email

Firewood, reflections and more on snow

One of my favourite local spots is the NE corner of Lake Hawea, and as I've been burning firewood at an alarming rate this winter it's the preferred spot to not only gather some driftwood, but sample sunset, skip stones on the lake surface and do yet some more iconic New Zealand landscape photography...



Looking across the lake to Kidds Bush...


In between lots of yoga practice this week gone, and having the grief and shock of three deaths that affect me in one way or another, I've kept on keeping on doing ski tours at the Snow Farm late in the day and into the dark, being mindful that it's avalanche season. All good therapy!

You can see the severe loading in the middle to right of this hillside...


And here all slopes have a sort of pregnant pillow look...


I've never seen the head of the Roaring Meg stream here so choked up with snow...