Adventure Magazine Issue 220

"The real joy of hiking up this
far is to experience the mountain
during the many stages of the
day and night. From listening
to avalanches crash in the
distance and the beauty of the
uninterrupted night sky, through
to the sight of dawn over the
ranges the following morning, are
all reasons to stay overnight."
Looking back through old photo albums uncovered one of my favourite hikes to Meuller Hut in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park
L-R: Taking a break at the start of the climb to Sealy Tarns and Meuller Hut | Our crew at the start of the track in Aoraki Mt Cook village
included two Kiwis, two Canadians, two Aussies and one American | Jai Ralls on the trail to Meuller Hut
Aoraki/Mt Cook
Words by Lynne Dickinson
Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
Located in the central part of the South
Island, Aoraki/Mount Cook is the highest
mountain in New Zealand. It boasts 19
peaks over 3000m with Aoraki/Mount Cook
standing at 3,724m tall.
Climbing the mountain is a technical
challenge crossing large crevasses with
a risk of rock and ice falls, avalanches
and rapidly changing weather conditions.
The first attempt to climb the highest peak
was in 1882 by two Swiss climbers and it
is believed they came within 50m of the
summit and it was successfully summited
in 1894 when New Zealanders Tom Fyfe,
John Michael Clarke and George Graham
reached the top.
Unfortunately, Aoraki/Mount Cook, is also
NZ's most deadliest mountain, with over 80
people perishing on it’s slopes.
However, the area is not just about
extreme mountaineering. There are plenty
of activities for all levels of fitness and
technical ability and you’ll find something to
challenge you in this National Park.
Meuller Hut
As people were coming to grips with the
travel restrictions imposed during the
Covid-19 epidemic and the loss of their
potential overseas travel plans, the focus
turned to New Zealand and what we
have to offer the intrepid traveller and the
adventurer at heart.
The strange thing is, that for overseas
visitors, New Zealand is considered the
adventure capital of the world, yet we often
look overseas first for our next adventure.
So while in isolation, as most New
Zealanders did I am sure, I got to sorting
out the spare bedroom and came across
photo albums from back in the day.
One of the things that struck me most about
them was that most of my adventures
in my 20’s were located in New Zealand
(possibly because I didn’t have the funds
to travel back then). I have since travelled
extensively abroad and it made me realise
how much we have to offer here at home,
and I vowed that no matter whether the
travel restrictions at our borders were lifted
or not, I would not be so hasty to head
overseas before I rediscovered what we
had on our doorstep.
"The faded images brought back
memories of a summer spent
road tripping around New
Zealand with a backpack, a tent,
a sleeping bag and a great group
of friends (many who had come
from overseas)."
One lot of photos that stood out from my many
slightly faded albums was taken on the Meuller
Hut track in the South Island in Aoraki, Mt Cook
National Park. The faded images brought back
memories of a summer spent road tripping
around New Zealand with a backpack, a tent,
a sleeping bag and a great group of friends
(many who had come from overseas). One of
the things I remember most clearly about that
hike to Meuller hut, was sleeping in our tent at
night listening to the sound of the snow cracking
on the mountains around us as avalanches
fell throughout the night. It was an incredible
experience.
So the plan is to return to the scene of these
photos and relive some of those experiences.
This time we will be a little older (25 years older
to be precise) and we’ll be a little slower. We
may need to carry with us some self inflating air
mattresses and even a pillow, however I am sure
we’ll enjoy it just as much. I am looking forward
to seeing how much has changed in the years
since we last visited, but I am hoping, with the
absence of people over the past few months,
that nature has had a chance to restore itself to
its original glory. I will let you know what we find,
but in the meantime, here’s some information so
you too can plan for your next NZ adventure to
this beautiful part of our country.
Right:Sunset at Aoraki Mt Cook, Image by WIll Turner
ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ 17