MOUNT COOK HIKING | Sealy Tarns – Mueller Hut, Hooker Valley

Past experience has taught me that the weather patterns at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park are constantly changing, so there had to be a degree of flexibility when planning our trip this year in the autumn months. Despite the presence of stay-at-home wet and windy days, we had a couple of stunners to enjoy the Mueller Hut and Hooker Valley tracks, which is a far cry from our visit last spring where there was absolutely ZERO visibility. Unfortunately, we missed out on heli-hiking on the Tasman Glacier as the tour company did not have a guide available on the good weather days, or there wasn’t enough passengers for the flight. No matter, that just means we will have to visit again in the future, and hope that the glacier doesn’t recede too quickly!

The drive to Mount Cook is a treat for the eyes as you wind alongside Lake Pukaki towards the towering peaks of Mount Sealy, Mount Sefton, Mount Cook, The Nuns Veil and Mount Hutton. Within the first couple hours of sunrise, the road is bathed in glorious light and the east face of Aoraki is lit up. At midday, Aoraki is mostly backlit which makes it a bit of a challenge when taking photos, and then in the late afternoon, the west face takes centre stage as Hooker Valley begins to be covered in shadows from the Aroarokaehe Range. Climbing the Mueller Hut Track is a perfect way to view these changes over the course of a day which I will explore in detail below, as well as the famous Hooker Valley Track.

Sealy Tarns and Mueller Hut Track

Going into this 8 hour day hike, I knew it would be a challenge being a straight uphill climb then descent via the same route for an unfit gal like me! The track begins at White Horse Hill Campground and carpark and features a short flat section before the monstrous 2000 step staircases up to Sealy Tarns. As you ascend, you will be treated to views of Mueller Lake, Hooker Lake, Aoraki (and surrounding mountain ranges) and Mount Cook Village. There are so many places to stop, take a breather, and soak in the views, and we were lucky to have clear and windless conditions as the track is completely exposed on the side of the Sealy range.

After about 2 hours, you will reach the Sealy Tarns lookout and picnic table which is a perfect place to refuel before continuing up to the ridge line. The next section becomes a lot more technical and I was definitely intimidated, having to use my hands to pull myself up the rocks. When we reached the snow level, there was an added element of potential slippage, so we took it slow and stayed motivated to reach the ridge as we were promised views of a glacier from a descending hiker 🙂

With only 4 hours of sunlight remaining in the day and knowing my limits, we decided to forgo the final 20 minute stretch to Mueller Hut (which my wobbly legs thanked me for later), and headed carefully down the mountain. By late afternoon, the tarns had settled and we were rewarded with perfect reflections of snow capped Aoraki and Mount Sefton, followed by a thrashing to the knees as we made our way down to the carpark. Totalling 11.8km and 1000 metres of elevation gain, the Mueller Hut Track is no joke and for once in my life, I craved a Coke Zero to restore my spirits 😅

Hooker Valley Track

For a much more easy-going yet substantial hike in the park, the Hooker Valley Track is a winner with its ever changing scenery. Towering mountains frame your walk through the valley, and you will see Mueller Lake and Hooker Lake up close and personal, cross a few swing bridges, and traverse on both dirt and boardwalk paths until you reach the Aoraki view point. The months surrounding winter will feature plenty of ice bergs in Hooker Lake. The track takes about 3 hours to complete (in and out via the same route, also starting at White Horse Hill carpark), with toilet facilities available part way through.

Enjoy the video of our trip to Mount Cook National Park below, and keep an eye out for my next blog post for places to visit in the greater Mackenzie region, as well as where to stay and eat. Happy watching!