They call it the Southern Alps; this is the Mt. Cook region of New Zealand. A cross between the Alps and Nepal, this is where one can find the tallest peaks and largest glaciers on the southern island.
There are plenty of hiking trails, but a must is the Hooker Trail that is reminiscent of the Himalayas as you traverse up a river valley, across long suspension bridges, to get breathtaking views of Mt. Cook (aka Aoroki). Edmund Hillary climbed this technical 12,218 ft mountain peak in preparation for his ascent up Mt. Everest. It may seem pale in comparison, but the snowy summit ridges are a very challenging multi-day climb for even the most experienced mountaineers.
We also hiked up some 2200 steps to the Sealy Tarns and then up most of the way to the Mueller Hut. Knees ached, but after having doing 2722 steps on the Manitou Incline in Colorado Springs, this was a cake walk for us! This was the best place to see the Kea parrot, the only alpine parrot in the world.
Another nearby short hike is Tasman Glacier. More mound of dirt then icy blue glacier, this is a great example of the recession of glaciers over the years. We were lucky enough to encounter an Aussie couple that had a picture of the wife’s mother posing in front of the glacier in 1961. All dressed in 60’s ski garb and with a pole in hand, she was standing at the edge of the glacier. We took the same picture of the woman standing in the same location for her to take back to her family. Where she was standing was some 4 kilometers now from the edge of the glacier!
As usual, leave your comments and feedback below. Kia ora!
One reply on “Mount Cook, New Zealand”
Wow. What a hike!