“Anytime I think of a mountain anywhere in the world I think of Mt Cook. Its shape is so symbolic of mountains, it’s huge. It’s dangerous, I guess the fact that it’s the highest one in New Zealand… we’re just lucky.”
Mountaineer Jim Wilson
Yep, Lucky. Mt Cook’s peak is typically hidden by clouds, but our drive to the park started with a clear day at Lake Pukaki. The lake’s milky blue color is due to dissolved minerals – “glacier flour”. We stopped over and over for photo after photo.
The MacKenzie Plains – and Lake Pukaki
Hikes
The first stop in the park was a short hike to the Tasman Valley Glacier.
Hooker Valley Track
A easy 10k walk that prompts you to shriek “Look! Look at that! Oh my!” to complete strangers. Three suspension bridges, boardwalks, and rocky tracks to a glacier lake at the base of Mt Cook – the closest any walking track comes to Aoraki / Mount Cook. Unobstructed views of the highest mountain in New Zealand, with Hooker Glacier in the valley. Allow about 3 hours.
Final section of the trail 
Hooker Glacier creeping into the lake 
Flight Seeing from Tekapo
We flew Air Safaris “The Grand Traverse” to the glaciers and Mt Cook, NZ’s highest peak at 12,218 feet (3,724 meters).
The Enormity was Thrilling
Brown Snow as a result of Australian Fires – 2020 
Mt. Cook Peak – brown snow from Australia’s 2020 fires
A Work of Art From the Air
Lake Tekapo is a Jewel
The town of Lake Tekapo has about 600 residents. The walk around the lake is exquisite and its clear nights and lack of light pollution make it a destination for night sky/star viewing.
The Name – Aoraki/Mt Cook – Means Sky Piercer
The Māori name for the mountain is Aorangi or Aoraki, meaning cloud piercer. The English name honors Captain James Cook who surveyed the NZ islands in 1770 (but never saw the mountain).
And That Was That!…Or So I Thought
Due to Covid-19 travel pauses, NZ Immigration gave us the gift of time with visa extensions. It was another gift to return to South Island 11 months later in January, 2021 to repeat these walks, and add two more.
Kea Point
An easy short hike to a spectacular lookout in an alpine basin and the terminus of Mueller Glacier. Looming above is Mt Sefton with its slopes holding the Huddleston Glacier. The return walk offers great views down the glacier carved Tasman Valley.
Great views on the return
Sealy Tarns Track
Off Kea Point Track is Sealy Tarns Track aka ‘stairway to heaven’. A string of steep staircases zig-zag up the mountainside – 2,200 straight-up box and rock steps. Looking up is a bid to losing heart, so look out at the long view and listen for the glacier booms.
The Huddleston Glacier on Mt Sefton
Beyond this point is the route to Mueller Hut – no wooden staircases, a more primitive trail. With a storm brewing and crazy winds forecast, I can say that not only was I not tempted to go on, it wasn’t wise.
Red Tarns Trail
A shorter hike with deep valley views. (Disclosure…this is the trail I MEANT to take – sounded easier – but I mixed up my “tarns”.)
| Red Tarns Trail | Sealy Tarns Trail |
| Length: 4KM / 2.5 Miles Time: 2 Hours Elevation Gain: 300 Meters / 984 Feet Difficulty: Intermediate Trail Type: Lots of Stairs (1750) | Length: 5.8 KM / 3.6 Miles Duration: 3-4 Hours Elevation Gain: 600 Meters / 1,969 Feet Difficulty: Intermediate/Hard Trail Type: Gravel/Dirt Stairs (2200) |
And that was it!
The Crescendo – The highest point reached in a progressive increase of intensity; however, on the South Island, around every curve, beyond every switchback and over every hill is a BIG scene. Distances are not long, but changes in vistas are astounding.
Looking back at Mt Sefton and the Huddleston Glacier.
Mapping Mt Cook and the Walking Tracks
Related Posts
NZ Archive
At A Glance: Click Here for the complete NZ Archive
Subscribe to receive emails for new posts
Click Below for South Island Posts
South Island Posts
Top of South: Marlborough Sounds
Queen Charlotte Track and walks around Picton are so stunning you look forward to walking uphill! Eat mussels, see bays, inlets, and morel
Keep reading
Top of South: Nelson, Tasman
Where we were the day that everything changed, March 23, 2020. Lockdown Lookback: “How long can this last?” led to a 14 month NZ odyssey,…
Keep reading
Tasman: Kaiteriteri-Harwoods Hole
Maybe it was the joy of seeing new things after lockdown and/or the luxury of additional time. Abel Tasman was perfect.
Keep readingLoading…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Travel Broadly - Marlene & Steve 
It was incredible the first time around, but I’m so glad you got to go back and a few more beath-taking (literally!) experiences. Those stairs – wow. Not for the faint of heart!
As you well know..not on,yo is a must do…but a must re-do as well.
The photos are incredible! And who would know the 2020 Australian wild fires would result in brown snow. Incredible journey. Thanks for sharing💖
The experience and the company you keep makes the journey surreal! What a lifetime of memories! So glad we get to see the virtual journey version. Your photos are absolutely stunning!