Mt Cook, NZ

Fri 27 Feb, 2009 - Tekapo and Mt Cook

Picked up a 8am with the weather looking a little doubtful. However since we were heading back toward the west coast I had looked at the wrong forecast. Even though access to Mt Cook is from the east the weather is predominantly determined from conditions in the west. Anyway there was a chance of light rain in the morning and clearing in the afternoon. Never got the rain and when the cloud really cleared around midday got blue skyline behind Mt Cook so fabulous photos. Considering it rains 143 days in the year here and the majority are cloudy I was very fortunate. Needless to say I have many photos as with each step on the way back I was going wow look at that - even better!

Back to the start. Arrived at Mt Cook village just before 10am, we had a couple of picture stops along the way. The driver was already commenting on how lucky we were to have unobstructed views of the range - still dull but could clearly see the whole mountain range. Whilst the village is still 15km to the mountain this is the start of the range. There are a few tracks in the area of which I did two. Both being easy walks along the valley, both providing fantastic views. For the first half hour the tracks were all the same, then they started to separate into the different tracks. I took the Kea track first which was another half hour return. The tracks went around to Hooker Lake and Glacier - no that the glacier was there currently. There were smaller glaciers up in the Hooker Valley. It was stunning. No blue sky but only a little cloud covering the mountain itself so good view of all the peaks and crevices. Whilst there heard two avalanches (no the tracks don’t go anywhere near where you could be in danger) sounded like thunder. Both must have been on the other side of the mountain as saw no evidence of anything falling. The lake and river is a milky colour due to the rock fragments mixed in with the water itself.

The next track was a longer track and headed right the way around to Mueller Lake and is the closest point you can get to Mt Cook other than actually climbing it or doing the 7-8 hour walk around to Mueller hut, neither of which I had the time for! Anyway the track predominantly followed the river upstream to the Lake on a well established track and over a few bridges. Not too far in was a monument with plaques naming those whose lives had been taken by the treacherous conditions that can whip up suddenly. Even the experienced and well prepared can still be caught out. It is from here that you start to regain glimpses of Mt Cook.

The walk continued to weave itself around the valley and then suddenly you got a glimpse of the glacier, even before you could make out the lake. The blue of the ice stood it apart from the rest of the landscape. Climbing over the last few rocks and oh what a sight. Within the lake there was still ice caps peaking out of the water. Different sizes and shapes just sitting there. Then at the base of Mt Cook was the blue of the glacier rising up out of the lake. As part of the glacier had broken off it had left us looking at the cross section of years of densely accumulated ice.