Adventure Magazine Issue 220

The image above taken 25 years ago in 1995, not far from Meuller Hut.
The image on the right, taken at the same spot by Jamie Davies in 2018
Meuller Hut Track, Mt Cook (moderate to advanced)
This is the one we did, but as you can see by the photos, we were a lot
younger and therefore found it a lot easier than I would now.
Length: 5.2km one way
Duration: 4 hours one way
Meuller Hut: 28 bunk beds with mats, cooking gas and burners, drop toilets,
and running (but non-treated) water. The Mueller Hut costs $45 NZD per
person per night for adults, $22.50 for kids 5 to 17 years old, under 5 free.
Season: The track is open year round however, the best time of year to
attempt the Meuller Hut route is from December through to April, due to the
more settled weather. However don’t expect it to be hot, you are in alpine
conditions and temperatures range between 8-14 degrees Celcius. Be
prepared for all weather conditions; rain, strong winds and even snow. The
rest of the year, deep snow covers most of the track making it more difficult
to walk as well as increasing the risks of avalanches. The thing to remember
is that this is an alpine walk and if you want it to be enjoyable and safe, then
wait for a good weather window and make sure you are well prepared with
the correct clothing and shelter. Do not be fooled by the seemingly short
distance to the hut, the 5.2km rises 1000km in elevation, which is the reason
the estimated time to walk the short distance is around 4 hours.
The walk: As my memory is a little hazy
from doing this walk 25 years ago, I
consulted the Mountain Safety Councils
website, read a few articles and watched
a great trail information video. One of
the things I concluded, for my personal
journey to revisit this track, is that I have
to do this in good weather. The area is
subject to snowfall all year round and
parts of the track are exposed to high
winds, so this is something I would not
feel comfortable undertaking in less than
ideal weather conditions. For those of you
more accustomed to inclement weather,
I am sure you will enjoy the experience
regardless of the weather, but for me, not
so much.
The main difficulty in this is if you want to
stay in Meuller Hut you need to book well
in advance, so fitting it in with weather
conditions is not always easy. 25 years
ago we carried a tent and found a bit of
flat ground to sleep near the hut, this way
we could be spontaneous and picked a
day when the weather was just perfect.
I’m not sure how keen my friends will be
reliving the experience in its entirety but I’ll
keep you posted on how it goes.
The Meuller Hut route begins at the
Aoraki, Mt Cook village, outside the visitor
center, but do not let that fool you into
thinking this is another walk in the park, so
to speak. It begins on a well established
track called the Kea Point Track, which is
an easy 2km walk up the valley through
alpine meadows and native bush. Enjoy
this section as you will then turn off onto
Sealy Tarns track, and this is where the
going gets tough.
The track zigzags steeply up around 2000
steps and rises 520m till it reaches Sealy
Tarns, the halfway point. The track is
exposed and quite steep in places so you
may need to be able to use your hands as
support on the way up, but trust me when
I say the view from the Tarns is worth
every step. You will get hot walking up,
regardless of the weather, so take plenty
of time to shed and re-layer as you reach
the top and rest.
The tarns are a good spot to break for
lunch and is also a good time to reassess
your plans. If you found the first bit hard
it only gets more technical, so it’s a point
where you have to decide whether to
continue or to turn back. Keep in mind the
fitness of your overall group and make
sure you are all honest with how you are
feeling and make a sensible decision.
There is no shame in
turning round at this point.
If you decide not to go any
further, you simply retrace
your steps and return the
way you came.
For those of you who decide to carry
on you’ll notice the track becomes less
defined and you must keep an eye out
for the orange poles that mark the route.
The key is to make sure you spot the next
marker pole before leaving the one you
are at, easy to do on a fine clear day, but
not so easy if you have limited visibility.
The terrain is mainly tussock and boulders
and in places you will need to use your
hands to scramble over rocky steps.
The last section is through a scree rock
face with loose footing and you need to
take care on this section. Once you reach
the top, follow along the ridge until you
reach Meuller Hut.
The first ever hut here was built in 1914,
and since then the harsh conditions and
even an avalanche has meant there have
been four more built. The most recent one
was opened in July 2003 by Sir Edmund
Hillary, and is situated just below Mt
Ollivier – the first mountain Sir Edmund
climbed. Considering the last time we
climbed this track was in 1995 the hut is
one change we’ll see for sure.
Although some people treat the hike as
a day trip (crazy if you ask me), 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.
For those of us who have a few more
years under our belts, it’s often the walk
down that we find harder. Knees that
have been injured from years of outdoor
sports and activities can suffer under
the pressure of walking down so I would
recommend the use of walking poles.
Although they won’t be any help when
clambering over rocks, they can definitely
reduce the pressure on your knees when
walking down.
If Meuller Hut hike seems a tad too
challenging, try the Hooker Valley Track.
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