Day 7: Ryan finished 11km Hooker Valley Track!

Today is a big day for Ryan. We are taking him to the Hooker Valley Track, which is conveniently located right next to the campground. We believe he’s ready for this over 10 km trail, as he’s successfully completed a couple of 8 km tracks without any issues.

The camper van we chose did its job well, keeping us warm with its turbo heating system last night. We even watched a movie before bed. This morning, the indicators show that both the water tank and the electricity still have 50% capacity!

We leisurely had our big breakfast and packed enough food and drinks for the track, anticipating about four hours in the snowy mountains. And off we go—we’re on our way to the fist bridge.

Tip 10: always check the weather and road/track condition prior to your travel plan.

Tip 11: Although this track is marked as easy, it can still be challenging during the winter season. Some parts of the track can be very slippery, as we are experiencing today.

Hello snowman Olaf!

The track includes three swing bridges. Distance from White Horse Hill carpark to lookout: 1 km.

The first 700 m of the track passes close to the Alpine Memorial (a great viewpoint) and Freda’s Rock before coming to the viewing point of the Mueller Lake lookout and the first swing bridge.

The distance from the first to the second swing bridge is 1.5 km. We thoroughly enjoyed the views over Mueller Lake and listened to the rumbling of avalanche from distant Mount Sefton. Yes, we saw an avalanche today and even spotted a glimpse of the blue glacier.

Distance from second swing bridge to Hooker Lake: 2.5 km via third swing bridge. Hooker Lake, the source of the Hooker River.

The track ends with an amazing view over the iceberg-speckled Hooker Lake and up to majestic Aoraki/Mount Cook and the Southern Alps/Kā Tiritiri o te Moana.

On our way back, I looked at my little man. He can now walk a 10 km trail, and just four years ago, he was on my back on this very track. Time flies!

It took us four and a half hours to get back to our camper van. It was a stretch for Ryan but very rewarding! He fell asleep quickly as we drove to Omarama.

Bye, my place. I told John that Mount Cook holds a special place in my heart. I see the remoteness and ruggedness, but most importantly, I see its softness. The gentle morning light casts a delicate golden glow over the land, illuminating every hill and valley. At night, the dark skies fill with stars, twinkling from a million miles away, reminding us of the beauty and mystery of the universe.

I will be back soon!