Mount Cook

Tags: Lake Pukaki, Mount Cook, New Zealand

Date: December 27, 2024

While staying at Mount cook, we went for a hike in the Hooker Valley which has nice views of the mountain. Shortly after starting at the parking lot, we passed the so-called Alpine Memorial:

It is the stone structure on the right (notice the bird on top).

This is Mueller Lake with the Hooker River entering it on the lower right of the picture:

A suspension bridge over the Hooker River:

Looking up the valley towards Mount Cook:

Mount Cook is the most popular tourist destination in New Zealand and we were there between Christmas and New Year's which is probably the most popular time to visit. It was pretty crazy sometimes:

We turned around at Hooker Lake with Mount Cook in the background:

More pictures from the way back:

Later, Bjarne went for a quick hike up to the Red Tarns. The word tarn has a very specific meaning: It is a mountain lake formed by a glacier with steep sides.

It was a steep hike with nice views:

Here are the tarns, red from the weeds growing in them:

A view into the valley where we stayed:

All the buildings are hotels and restaurants.

A river coming down the mountain:

Here you get an idea o how steep the trail was:

Driving south from Mount Cook, we stopped at Lake Pukaki: