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Published: December 17th 2013
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Thursday 12th December, 2013. Mount Cook National Park - Day 1
It was only about 61 km (37 miles) from Twizel to Aoraki/Mount Cook. We set off drove past the Hydro Electric stuff that D had visited yesterday evening. The drive hugged the shores of Lake Pukaki for much of the way. Lake Pukaki is a stunning turquoise lake with the majestic backdrop of the snow-capped Southern Alps in the distance. We pulled off the road at a spot called "Peters Lookout". There were quite a few cars there and lots of people where having a picnic breakfast. The view of the Southern Alps and Mount Cook were absolutely fabulous. The lake is fed by the Tasman River, which flows off the Tasman Glacier. The water level has been artificially raised as part of the Upper Waitaki Hydro-electricity network and is linked by canals to Lake Tekapo and Lake Ohau. On a clear day you are supposed to be able to see Mt Cook reflected in the waters of the lake. It was clouding over so we couldn't see this. The view was still stunning though.
After we left the lake behind us we entered the Aoraki/Mount Cook National
Park. The park takes its name from the NZ's highest mountain at 3,764 metres (12,349 feet). The mountain was first climbed in 1894 by New Zealanders Tom Fife, George Graham and Jack Carke. We drove to Mt Cook village and found the YH easily. It was a lovely Alpine Chalet design with wooden walls and floors. It was very cozy - and felt especially so as the weather had turned much colder. There is nothing much in Mt Cook Village - a small shop and a petrol pump. The village is totally dominated by The Hermitage which is the only hotel in the park and a bit of a monstrosity in our opinion.
Even though the weather was a bit iffy and it was threatening rain we unpacked the car and then went to the information centre. M purchased a guide to walks in the park for $1NZ. We then drove up to the car park for what the guide described as "an easy walk up some rock steps" to the Tasman Glacier viewpoint. The Tasman Glacier is the largest in NZ and is 29 km (18 miles) long and 1.6 km (1 mile) wide. A periglacial lake has
formed at the end of the glacier because the glacier is retreating. In the winter this lake is frozen, but in the summer you are supposed to be able to see icebergs floating in the lake. M had found out about this before we had left Spain and had added it to her bucket list.
Armed with our Mount Cook National Park Guide we promptly set off up the wrong path. It has started to rain so we donned our rain ponchos. When no rock steps or hut appeared we finally twigged we had got it wrong and returned to the car park. Behind the toilets there was a second walking track which we hadn't seen. M had been wondering why there were so many cars in the car park and nobody walking along the track except us! We followed the correct track and took the left fork to the blue pools where it is possible to swim in the summer. They weren't very blue - more greeny brown with red seaweed type stuff floating in them.
We then returned to the fork in the track and started the climb to the Tasman Glacier View Point. The track
started out up a steep track with some proper steps. About 50 metres from the top we came across the "rock steps". These weren't steps at all - just boulders lying all over the show. We picked our way between them and clambered over them until we got to the top - easy? NOT!!! We could see the head of the glacier and the glacial lake. It was all a bit murky and the glacier was covered with glacial moraine which made it look dirty. As for the icebergs - there were a couple of small ones - more like dirty ice cubes!! We took some photos and then took the perilous route back down over the "rock steps" back to the car. It had turned quite cold so we decided we wouldn't walk any more today. All in all it was a bit of a disappointment. So we went back to the YH and cheered ourselves up with a couple of G & T's.
Dinner was another fillet steak washed down with some vino. The weather forecast is better for tomorrow so hopefully we will be able to go tramping without getting wet.
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