Pilot Run – Hooker Valley, Aoraki Mt Cook National Park

Six months after Valerie broke her leg skiing we had made our way to Aoraki Mt Cook National Park.  Mt Cook had been one of the stops we made during our honeymoon 45 years ago and we had only visited the Mt Cook Village once in the intervening years. Part of our plan to “complete” the holiday that was interrupted by weeks in hospital and months of recovery was to stay for two nights in the village on our way to Wanaka.

We had never before walked in the Hooker Valley that leads from the Mt Cook Village to the terminal moraine and glacier lake  at the foot of Aoraki Mt Cook, so we decided to (in Kiwi parlance) “give it a go”. It is not a difficult walk, but we had an encumbrance – Val was still walking with a limp and had only been off crutches for a month. Being a very determined person, she wanted to do the whole walk. Although it starts from the village, a shorter version starts at the Department of Conservation camping ground that reduces the posted return time by 1 1/2 hours. This is what we did, a pilot run for things to come.

Department of Conservation Camping Ground, Hooker Valley, Mt Sefton (L) and La Perouse (R) in background

The DOC camping ground provides a magnificent view Mt Sefton and La Perouse with their ice fields tumbling down the granite walls into the Hooker Valley.  This makes a great place to start the walk, the most popular in the area.  A short 15 minute stroll up the valley brings you to the Alpine Memorial.  Aoraki Mt Cook is a technically difficult climb.  More than 200 climbers have lost their lives over the years attempting the ascent since the mountain was first climbed in 1894.

Alpine Memorial, Hooker Valley

The view of the Hooker Valley from the memorial is stunning.

Hooker Valley Panorama, Mt Sefton (L), La Perouse (C), Aoraki Mt Cook (R)

There are two swing bridges to cross during the walk, and the first one comes shortly after the memorial.  The hill above the bridge provides a view of the Mueller Glacier Lake at the base of Mt Sefton.

Swing Bridge, Hooker River, Mueller Glacier Lake on Left

Mt Seton and the Mueller Glacier Lake

The walk continues on up the Hooker Valley beside the river, with the occasional stretch of boardwalk …

Hooker River and Aoraki Mt Cook

Boardwalk, Hooker Valley, Aoraki Mt Cook

… finally reaching the Hooker Glacier Lake at the end of the terminal moraine.

Hooker Glacier Lake and Terminal Moraine of Aoraki Mt Cook

The walk is described as being of easy to moderate difficulty, and most people complete the round trip from the DOC Camp in two and  a half to 3 hours.  We took 5 hours, but had a very happy lady at the end – tired, hot, a bit sore, but very satisfied.