Three weeks in New Zealand - 4/12 - 5/4/2024

Day 18-Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park-4/28/2024

It is a beautiful morning, and we are headed to the Heritage hotel for breakfast.

The inside of the hotel is really nice with large windows facing the mountains.

The coffee bar inside the hotel is really cozy and nice.

As we walked in the Alpine restaurant, we were greeted by a spacious, light-filled dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows that open up to a truly breathtaking sight of the Aoraki/Mount Cook, soaring snow-covered ridgelines, and the dramatic peaks of the Sealy Range and Mount Sefton.

Our hostess leading us to our table.

We were lucky to get a table against the floor to ceiling windows with an amazing view.

Today we are having a big breakfast!

After breakfast, we will be hiking in the Aoraki/Mount Cook National park where food service is not available, so we had to make sure we can last a while without food.

We left The Hermitage and drove to White Horse Hill Car park in about five minutes.

The majestic mountains rising in front of us are so beautiful.

We parked our car in the White Horse Hill car park lot and we are ready for our hike.

Today we are going to take the Hooker Valley track, which is considered easy to moderate difficulty, and it took us about 4 hours to complete the trail in a relaxed pace.

We arrived around 9:30Am and it is quite cold.

The hooker Valley Trail is the most popular walk in the National Park and is frequently recommended as the must-do short hike in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. The route captures the essence of Southern Alps scenery, sweeping vistas, snow-capped summits, and the close presence of nature, without needing technical gear.

As you can see we are bundle up as it is quite cold in the morning. The Hooker Valley Track begins gently, with a well-maintained gravel path leading through open alpine tussock and open views toward Mount Sefton.

 Not far along, you'll come to a sign warning of avalanche danger, which marks a zone where snow and ice may fall from the steep mountain slopes above, especially in winter and spring.

We are in the fall so the trail is safe without any snow.

The trail winds through dwarf trees and low scrub, with native plants, and wild grass.

There are not a lot of people yet as it is fairly early and people are still having their breakfast.

We passed by the Alpine Memorial which is perch on a small rise above the trail.

 The Memorial is a man made pile or stack of stones honoring climbers and mountaineers who lost their lives in the Aoraki/Mount Cook region.

 Many of the names etched into the bronze plaques belonged to those who came seeking adventure, and met the full force of the mountains. It's a moving stop along the journey that adds perspective, reminding people that these mountains are not just beautiful, but sacred, powerful, and sometimes dangerous.

From the memorial, you get a wide panoramic view of the Mueller Glacier valley and Mount Sefton, its ridged summit capped in snow.

Continuing our walk with Mount Sefton in front of us.

 After leaving the Alpine Memorial behind, the trail gently descends and soon reveals a beautiful glacial lake named the Mueller Lake, fed by the meltwaters of the Mueller Glacier, which lies tucked beneath the towering ice-covered face of Mount Sefton. The lake is often a milky turquoise or pale gray color, depending on recent melt and sediment which is a result of glacial flour, the fine silt created by grinding ice.

A stream from the Hooker River flowing into Mueller Lake.

The Hooker River flows directly into Mueller Lake, carrying meltwater from Hooker Glacier and Hooker Lake higher up the valley.

Just beyond the lake, we spotted the first of three swing bridges on the trail. This one crosses the Hooker River, which carries glacial runoff down from Hooker Lake toward Lake Pukaki.

The bridge is ahead of us and we are heading over there.

The bridge spans over the Hooker River, just before it flows into Mueller Lake.

The bridge is a single-lane suspension bridge, supported by steel cables anchored into the rocky ground on both sides.

As we approached the bridge there is a sign reminding hikers that no more than 20 people can cross at once. This is both for safety and to minimize swaying on the bridge.

As we stepped onto the bridge, you feel it gently swaying underfoot, especially if it’s windy or if others are walking with you.

It’s safe, but thrilling with the kind of gentle motion that reminds you that you’re high above a fast-moving body of water.

Here you can really see how narrow the bridge is.

Below you is the glacial Hooker River, roaring over boulders, with a constant hum of rushing water.

Straight ahead is the Aoraki/Mount cook rising majestically in the back ground.

Here you can really see that it is a suspension bridge.

After crossing the first swing bridge, the trail gently ascends and the landscape begins to subtly shift.

We walked in a more sheltered area with low alpine scrub and hardy trees.

Taking a little break along the way.

As the trail levels out again, it transitions onto a beautifully maintained wooden boardwalk that snakes across fragile alpine wetlands and tussock meadows. This section keeps your feet dry and protects the delicate landscape.

As we are walking the Aoraki/Mount Cook slowly begins to dominate the horizon, and it felt like you're walking straight toward it.

The wide and open space in front of us is the Hooker Valley with a sweeping view across a glacial plain with towering mountains and the shimmering surface of a lake in the distance.

We are now 1 hour into our hike.

NEXT... Trail to Hooker Lake