Phillip Norman Photography
Key Summit
When on a workshop, each night I review the next day's proposed photography location and consider all the details and the latest weather forecast. On this particular evening we were in Te Anau and the forecast for Fiordland was for strong North West winds and heavy rain. Our objective for sunrise was Key Summit, which from Te Anau meant a 3am departure. With a forecast like that you would be forgiven for choosing not to go. I reviewed the forecast closely and especially the speed of the incoming weather and the weather maps. Having many years experience in New Zealand's mountains meant I had some idea of how the weather developed, but of course no one has a crystal ball. I said to the group that rather than stay in bed we should roll the dice and try our luck. We awoke to calm conditions, as we approached the start of the Routeburn track it was still dark but I could see we were in cloud. As we walk along the track our head lamps picked up the tiny droplets of water in the air, it was strangely calm. Shortly before we reached the turnoff to Key Summit the air cleared and we could see stars above. I knew we had climbed above the low cloud and I had a sense this was going to be one of those magic mornings in the mountains...
#routeburn #mountaspiringnationalpark #newzealand #darranmountains #panorama #keysummit
Key Summit
When on a workshop, each night I review the next day's proposed photography location and consider all the details and the latest weather forecast. On this particular evening we were in Te Anau and the forecast for Fiordland was for strong North West winds and heavy rain. Our objective for sunrise was Key Summit, which from Te Anau meant a 3am departure. With a forecast like that you would be forgiven for choosing not to go. I reviewed the forecast closely and especially the speed of the incoming weather and the weather maps. Having many years experience in New Zealand's mountains meant I had some idea of how the weather developed, but of course no one has a crystal ball. I said to the group that rather than stay in bed we should roll the dice and try our luck. We awoke to calm conditions, as we approached the start of the Routeburn track it was still dark but I could see we were in cloud. As we walk along the track our head lamps picked up the tiny droplets of water in the air, it was strangely calm. Shortly before we reached the turnoff to Key Summit the air cleared and we could see stars above. I knew we had climbed above the low cloud and I had a sense this was going to be one of those magic mornings in the mountains...
#routeburn #mountaspiringnationalpark #newzealand #darranmountains #panorama #keysummit