Mount Cook, New Zealand: Hooker Valley Track

Mount Cook (3724 m.a.s.l. - 12217 feet) is the highest mountain in New Zealand. We dedicated two days and a night in Mount Cook Village for our visit. Weather was supposed to be bad the second day. When we arrived midday the first day, it was already very windy. Being one of the most popular trails in New Zealand (1st below), we knew it would have been best to wait until after 2 o'clock for traffic to lessen. We pushed ahead because of the wind. John adds: It's popular IMO because it's an out-and-back hike that starts at a very, very large parking lot(s).



The glacier and snow covered mountain and water were breathtaking. The wind was fierce from the north, which in NZ means it's bringing warm air, not cold air as we are used to in the Northern Hemisphere. Several times we were nearly blown off the trail. There were three swing bridges. John the worrywart was concerned that the Park may close the bridges. Sure enough, we later learned that the whole trail was closed at 6pm and all of the next day.

How windy was it on the Hooker Valley Trail? Watch these 2 very short videos below. If they don't open for you click here and here.




The second day we had a magical daybreak with rainbows. Afterwards rain and wind wiped out our ambitions for the Sealy Tarns Track.







I don't remember when this walk was added to our itinerary, before? or after? our flight was booked. We should have flown into Christchurch instead of Queenstown and visited Mount Cook on the way to Queenstown, instead of round tripping from Queenstown.

So long Queenstown! Our bus for Mount Cook left at sunrise. And for the 3rd or 4th time we rode through Cromwell, the fruit and wine capital of the South.






The bus had a partial "vistadome", and a friendly driver who stopped several times at viewpoints, the best one had a view over Lake Pukaki to Mount Cook.




And here's a shot of Mount Cook from inside the bus


The view from our hotel of snow that survived the Southern Hemisphere Summer.


This is Sun-Ling walking across the valley to connect with the Hooker Valley Trail, with Mount Cook at center right.


The Hooker Valley Trail passes Mueller Lake (below).


A long stretch of the walk follows the Hooker River and its glacial waters.




After what seemed like a long trudge against the wind, Mount Cook appeared in the distance.




The wind was the strongest when we reached Hooker Lake ...


... but there are views of the blue-ice glacier (1st below) and a lonely iceberg down on the beach (2nd below).




We found a spot where the wind was manageable and ate our lunch, then wandered down to the rocky beach.




On the way back we had the wind propelling us from behind, however I was still a bit nervous on the swing bridges. At one point there was a view back towards Lake Pukaki (3rd below).






Bonus wind videos.




The view of Mount Cook from our hotel room. Pretty nice eh?