Wet and windy Hooker Valley Track- Aoraki

The Hike

A bit of a rushed hike as we only arrived in Aoraki/Mt Cook Village late in the afternoon and we learned that tomorrow the hike was going to be closed due to strong rain and winds. However, we were also told it was fine and safe to start even in the afternoon. So we rushed out to White Horse Hill Camp ground and started - a stunning landscape slowly unfolding as we ventured deeper and deeper into the Hooker Valley.

The snow-capped mountains, the wild turquoise streams rushing by huge bolders - Alpine region galore!

However, after the second suspension bridge, we got a little taster of the storm that was going to come into full force the next day. Wind gusts that almost blew us off the path and rain drops flying almost horizontally - things got wet and then cold!

But as usual with those type of hikes, they end up most rewarding as they produce lasting memories. Everyone can hike while the sun is out - rainy hikes are the special ones!

For our good deed of the day we found someone’s lost phone on the path - we were taking it back with us to the info centre but 15min later we saw this very worried-looking guy come running down the path and the phone was returned.

High Points

The mountains, the rain and the wind - an amazing atmosphere that screams “Alpine!”

Low Points

The feeling of cold and wet pants and socks - I guess high and low were very close together on that one :)