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Summer issue of Adventure Magazine Summer issue of Adventure Magazine
After previously postponing our mid-winter adventure to Mount Cook due to a bad weather outlook, we finally set off from my parent’s house in Wanaka on a crisp mid-July morning, picked up a pair of snow chains and headed for the mighty land. We knew we had at least one or two days of fine weather before snow was forecast on our four-day escape. We were fine with this because it meant we would get the best of both worlds; fine sunny days to hike high and Mount Cook village in full snow mode – yes please! I used to drive the road between Wanaka and Christchurch a lot but since relocating to Franz Josef Glacier on the West Coast over two years ago, this might have been my third trip through the Lindas Pass and boy did it put on a show! Laden with glistening snow, it was a picturesque blue bird day and I knew we were in for a treat. I couldn’t wait to set my eyes on Cook. We turned off the main highway onto the dead end and famously photographed road that leads to the base camp of Mount Cook. Finally, I was in my own un-trodden travel zone and it felt good. The road meandered along beside high-country stations with the occasional homestead, woolsheds, shearers and shepherds houses on one side and Lake Pukaki casting its ice-blue waters up towards the headland on the other – a glorious drive. Out of nowhere we pop up and over a rise and there she goes – you definitely can’t miss it – the sheer magnitude and beauty of Mount Cook is breathtaking. And we were still a fifteen-minute drive from the village, the sense of adventure kicks in. Our hiking packs are ready to roll - full with our Kokopelli pack-rafts from Pack raft New Zealand, extra wool layers, hat, gloves, balaclava, dry-suit, first aid essentials, food, water, life jacket and paddles. It’s 10am so our plan is to bee-line for the Hooker Valley carpark - hike to Hooker Lake and pack raft with the sleeping monsters (icebergs) or possibly paddle up the lake to the Hooker Glacier terminal. Previous page: Jody Direen and Clarissa Turner enjoy the spectacular Hooker lake from a new perspective. Above: A sunset float on lake Tasman is well worth adding to the adventure bucket list.
The track is wide and well groomed (although it was icy in places) and almost impossible to get lost. I wore my hiking boots but in hindsight wish I opted for my lighter Salomon trail runners - the ground is so even. The track twists and turns and gently undulates. There are three impressive swing bridges to cross – these were track highlights for me! The rivers flowing underneath are full of energy and excitement because with each one you know you are getting closer to the source. It took 40 minutes to hike in with reasonably heavy packs (allow perhaps one hour). The track reaches a high point just as the full landscape of Hooker Lake comes into focus. The Hooker Glacier can be seen creeping up the mountain in the far distance and the icebergs float effortlessly, dotted randomly around the lake. The mothership that is Mount Cook hovers like a giant. The moment cultivates a feeling of scared respect for our mountains. The overwhelming size and presence of the surrounding alps as well as the ‘knowing’ of lives lost beyond where we are gives way to the realization of how vulnerable we are as humans. This is their home, not ours. We just have to hope that when we venture deeper than the well-groomed tracks like Hooker Lake, we are met with favorable conditions. If you’re looking to access one of the most beautiful, unique, yet isolated places you’ve ever seen on foot with the least amount of physical effort and time investment - the Hooker Valley track is it. To put this into perspective, on the West Coast, it would take an advanced multi-day hiking mission to access an ice-lake with similar characteristics. Lucky for us, we didn’t have to paddle far off-shore to get a closer look at the seemingly peaceful ice bergs. The lake is longer than we imagined so we decide to leave the ‘full length of the lake paddle’ for summer. It’s prudent to have plenty of daylight hours up your sleeve when exploring the full length of the lake. This is because typically ice lakes are lined with unstable moraine walls which can collapse at any moment therefore once you’re in the middle of the lake, to get back to land you really want to paddle back to the put in (as opposed to the side which might be the closer option). If a head wind comes up, this may take longer than you planned. In case you’re planning on giving this adventure a go and integrating pack rafting into your Mount Cook trip, I should give you the safety brief. "The perspective from the water of the surrounding nature is outstandingly different than when you are limited to land." Hypothermia is likely on the water if you are not prepared with the correct clothing - a dry suit is a must. The water temperature sits around 2 to 3 degrees and if you fall out its important you know how to self-rescue. There is risk of ice falling off the glacier terminal at any time which can cause waves down the lake. Similarly, icebergs can roll at any time and cause a huge amount of energy and water force up from deep under (enough to flip a boat) therefore a safe distance needs to be kept. Safety brief over. It’s achievable for anyone with outdoor experience and common sense to explore close lying bergs from the put in (just like we did) and oh my, is it worth it. I can’t quite put into words the feeling within when having a close encounter with an ice berg, but I’ll give it a go. Surreal yet grounding. An enlightening and I want to say… almost spiritual experience, one I could not have had if I didn’t have my trusty Kokopelli pack raft to explore at a new level. The perspective from the water of the surrounding nature is outstandingly different than when you are limited to land. ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ//37
- Page 1 and 2: adventure where actions speak loude
- Page 3 and 4: Join us outside. If it’s outdoors
- Page 5 and 6: Finding the silver lining In July 2
- Page 7 and 8: #WeAreRab Available now from Rab sp
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- Page 11 and 12: @ adventuremagazine @ adventuretrav
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- Page 22 and 23: 20//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN
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- Page 26 and 27: Yet some of those photographers are
- Page 28 and 29: THERE AND BACK Two sides to Mt Ruap
- Page 30 and 31: Hike one: Mangaehuehu Hut Two days,
- Page 32 and 33: Hike two: Rangipo Hut Two days, one
- Page 34 and 35: Sidewalks: Waihianoa River Gorge. A
- Page 36 and 37: PACKRAFTING Aoraki/Mt Cook By Jody
- Page 40 and 41: We spent 40 minutes paddling around
- Page 43 and 44: TAMATEA DUSKY SOUND In the footstep
- Page 45 and 46: Inserts top row: Wet Jacket Arm, Mo
- Page 48 and 49: T’was Labour weekend, the last we
- Page 50 and 51: e it but it’s just still frozen o
- Page 52 and 53: THE DUNSTAN TRAIL More than just am
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- Page 58 and 59: Located 15 minutes just outside of
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- Page 62 and 63: My dad used to tell me to slowdown
- Page 64: WILD TWINS Seeking adventures "We l
- Page 67 and 68: MEET RIDGE FLEX THE E-BIKE OF HIKIN
- Page 70 and 71: Glacier Explorers is just one of ma
- Page 72: Glacier Heli-Hiking and Snow Shoein
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After previously postponing our mid-winter adventure<br />
to Mount Cook due to a bad weather outlook, we<br />
finally set off from my parent’s house in Wanaka on<br />
a crisp mid-July morning, picked up a pair of snow<br />
chains and headed for the mighty land. We knew we<br />
had at least one or two days of fine weather before<br />
snow was forecast on our four-day escape. We were<br />
fine with this because it meant we would get the best<br />
of both worlds; fine sunny days to hike high and Mount<br />
Cook village in full snow mode – yes please!<br />
I used to drive the road between Wanaka and<br />
Christchurch a lot but since relocating to Franz Josef<br />
Glacier on the West Coast over two years ago, this<br />
might have been my third trip through the Lindas Pass<br />
and boy did it put on a show! Laden with glistening<br />
snow, it was a picturesque blue bird day and I knew<br />
we were in for a treat. I couldn’t wait to set my eyes on<br />
Cook.<br />
We turned off the main highway onto the dead end<br />
and famously photographed road that leads to the<br />
base camp of Mount Cook. Finally, I was in my own<br />
un-trodden travel zone and it felt good. The road<br />
meandered along beside high-country stations with<br />
the occasional homestead, woolsheds, shearers<br />
and shepherds houses on one side and Lake Pukaki<br />
casting its ice-blue waters up towards the headland on<br />
the other – a glorious drive.<br />
Out of nowhere we pop up and over a rise and there<br />
she goes – you definitely can’t miss it – the sheer<br />
magnitude and beauty of Mount Cook is breathtaking.<br />
And we were still a fifteen-minute drive from the<br />
village, the sense of adventure kicks in.<br />
Our hiking packs are ready to roll - full with our<br />
Kokopelli pack-rafts from Pack raft New Zealand,<br />
extra wool layers, hat, gloves, balaclava, dry-suit, first<br />
aid essentials, food, water, life jacket and paddles. It’s<br />
10am so our plan is to bee-line for the Hooker Valley<br />
carpark - hike to Hooker Lake and pack raft with the<br />
sleeping monsters (icebergs) or possibly paddle up<br />
the lake to the Hooker Glacier terminal.<br />
Previous page: Jody Direen and Clarissa Turner enjoy the spectacular Hooker lake from a new perspective.<br />
Above: A sunset float on lake Tasman is well worth adding to the adventure bucket list.
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