Born in Australia but of German ancestry Ebenezer Teichlemann took the post of local doctor in  Hokitika in 1897. Between 1899 and 1924, Teichelmann recorded 26 first ascents of mountains and seven first ascents, or crossings, of passes, cols, or saddles. He was also a prolific photographer that dragged the...

Located at the Southern end of the Adams wilderness area and at the very head of the Perth valley is Able Lake which drains the Able Glacier after it quite literally tumbles off the side of the Garden of Eden ice plateau. It’s inspiring country, even if these days the...

Zora creek has its headwaters sandwiched between the heads of the Mahitahi and the Jacobs, and flows South draining into the mighty Landsborough just above Hinds Flat. Quite simply its awe inspiring terrain in all directions, with some enormous rock slabs forming much of the upper true left, and the...

Squeezed under the rugged and dramatic Bannock Brae range, the Makawhio or Jacobs as it’s known is home to some of South Westlands finest scrub. And is one of the more Northern ballot blocks in the Hooker/Adams wilderness area. River travel can be painfully slow with the bush being strewn...

The Otoko is located at the right at the Southern end of the tahr ballot blocks and is somewhat the Southern edge of the core tahr terrain. With its head basin squeezed between the two 2640m peaks of Mount Hooker and Mount Dechen it certainly looks and feels very alpine,...

The Landsborough is unique among West Coast rivers, running parallel to the main divide for more than 60km.With a large number of side streams draining heavily glaciated peaks from both sides, it rapidly grows to become a big river, meaning that the river is always a formidable obstacle. The surrounding...

The upper half of the Mahitahi valley is equal parts impressive as it is intimidating, where you’re surrounded by peaks over 2000m in every direction, with hanging ice and permanent snow on the shady faces. The fairly straight forward pass in the head basin bears the name of one of...

  Smack bang in the middle of the Hooker/Lansborough Wilderness area is the mighty Landsborough River, and mid-way up valley Baker Creek joins the Landsborough at about the confluence of Zora creek. Hemmed in by 2500m peaks on either side of the Landsborough, and with a fairly serious river to...