Using the DOC Pass at Aoraki Mt Cook

Thursday 13 November

We were first in and almost last out at the Ahuriri Bridge DOC camp - even though we were on the road by 9.30 and in Twizel by 10am so I could stock up with more salmon at the High Country Salmon Farm (and a coffee for Louis), fill up on diesel and buy one more bottle of milk in town. But before we proceed - let us marvel at the simplicity of the toilet lock in the long drop at Ahuriri Bridge - pictured below. There was a sprung bolt on the outside which could be operated from inside or out, thanks to the hole where the bolt handle slid back and forth. Once in the loo, there was a chunk of wood on a string which sat perfectly behind the lock handle in the open space and stopped anyone on the outside from sliding the lock back!

Soon we were trekking up the side of Lake Pukaki, hardly any views of the mountains through the cloud, and no sign of the famed aqua glacial waters - keeping fingers crossed that we could get a space at the White Horse Hill DOC camp in Aoraki. We’d booked a week ago, but heard tales of the place being packed out regardless, with no space to park or even manoeuvre a large caravan.

Turned out to be no problem, we parked up in amongst the rabbits and chaffinches, pulled up on to the ramp on one side to level out and used handy nearby rocks as chocks! Had a bite of lunch then set off to walk the first stretch of the Hooker Valley Track in a light drizzle. First outing for my newly replaced hiking shoes - let's hope they are waterproof as advertised! The bridges on this popular track have had issues with the first being washed out in 2019 and replaced, and the second declared unsafe after flooding in Easter this year, it is now being rebuilt and due to open in about 6 months.

We left the camp in low cloud, drizzle and rain and headed up the Hooker Valley. The path took us over the first bridge and up to the Mueller Glacier Lake look out, by which time the clouds had pulled back a little and we could spy many of the snow-capped peaks around us, and hear the sound of glacial ice cracking and falling, causing avalanches in the distance. The Mueller Glacier Lake is a strangely milky, pasty green colour caused by a high concentration of freshly ground out rock flour from the movement of the glacier higher up the valley - as the concentration diminishes lower down the rivers and lakes, further from the glaciers, this is when the iconic turquoise/aqua waters occur - the sunlight glinting off the glacial flour crystals.

The scenery up here is stunning, even on a dull day - the scree falls scarring mountains around the valley, spectacular fauna (spiny golden spear grass and soft aquilegia plants at opposite ends of the spectrum) and even some cute bird life.

Back at the camp, we decided to head out to Kea Point on the opposite side of the glacial lake - not a long track, but a rewarding one. The sun was trying hard to break through, and it was quite warm… and eventually the peaks of Aoraki, Mt Cook & Mt Sefton managed to reveal themselves. Lots of distant thunder from the glaciers cracking and causing avalanches of snow and ice high in the mountains, some visible but many just round the corner out of sight - though I did manage to capture one in action on the long lens. Sadly no sign of any keas though…

Back at the camp there were, however, an adorable family of Honk-Wah ducks entertaining everyone, heaps of bossy chaffinches and some fearless bunnies.

Burgers for dinner in Banjo, then blogging & Taskmaster before bed. We were busy blogging when I looked out the window to witness the most beautiful peachy glow in the sky as the sun set down the valley - I think I missed the best of it, but the colour was still gorgeous.