Gertrude Saddle

The path goes towards this mountain face then swings a left onto less steep terrain.


We start to head up over the pass


Looking back over Gertrude Valley


We traverse over sections of snow and ice


Large sections of ice still remain over the steep slippery rock.


I meet a group of guys that walked this a month ago and they told me about how the lake was frozen and how there was only snow at the top


A friendly kea hangs out with us while we take in the view of Milford Sound from the top of the saddle.


The shear cliffs dropping hundreds of metres put you on your toes


The kea eyes up Karen to see if she has any food in her bag


One of the small lakes at the top of the saddle


We find a family of rock wrens


Lucky we had an overcast dry day as you wouldnt want to be walking down this rock in the wet.


A stream at end of the walk was some of the bluest, cleanest water I have ever seen.


1/1/11
After getting off the Hollyford we climbed Gertrude saddle. This would have to be my favourite day walk of the park with beech forest, herb fields, grasslands, rivers, waterfalls, snow, small glaciers, lakes, views to Milford Sound, keas, and rock wrens. A well worth it 5hr return walk.

We didnt get home from tramping until 9pm. Being new years eve we cooked up a nice meal and laxed out in front of the fire drinking wine.