Fine weather led to a good turnout as we headed off up the Buller Pass trail with lots of lively discussion en route. Part way up the trail we came across a grouse that skittered up the trail before flying into a tree:


grouse on Buller Pass trail

Its cousin was found a little further up the trail. After a short break at the junction we headed up North Buller Creek and 14 scaled the headwall (was it that steep last time?) to the windy pass:

slogging up the west side of North Buller Pass

Kathy, Barb & Philip at North Buller Pass

Most descended to a sheltered ridge to the east where there were views of a lush valley below:

Alpine crop circles?

After lunch there was an easy ascent of an outlier that opened up views to Mount Kidd:

Mount Kidd South & Ribbon Lake

The grassy slope down had a few flowers still in bloom although most of the ground cover was showing fall tints:

late Roseroot (sedum rosea) in Buller Pass area

Impressionist photo: fall colours

willows' autumn colours

Then it was time for the short & steep climb to Buller Pass for another view stop. Laszlo, of course, was not satisfied until he had headed up the north side above the pass to see what was there. Good things come to end so the group headed off down the trail:

Headin' down from Buller Pass

for a pleasant hike out to the cars, with Philip and Rosanne critiquing many of the mushrooms beside the trail.


early changes - larch

Participants: Rosanne, Philip, Barbara, David, Nancy, Paul, Eva, Laszlo, Kathy, Mario, Carolyn, Ron, Mark, Joe and welcome to new member Janet on her first Rambler hike. Ron, scribe & coordinator.

Stats from David & Paul: total distance= 17 km
total elevation gain= 972 metres
total time= 6 hrs, 50 min
time spent moving: 4 hrs, 38 min.
time Barb & Carolyn spent swimming= 0 minutes despite financial incentives (the pool at the foot of the waterfall did look cold):

Swimmin' hole on Buller Creek

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