Mt Cook National Park I

Photos and text by Jonathan Carr

Mt Cook National Park is home to all but one of the 3000m peaks. 75% of the park lies under permanent snow and ice. Although there are plenty of day walks and non-technical tramps, the weather can change rapidly - becoming severe even in summer. Avalanches and rock-fall are daily occurrences and can affect the easiest walks. Never go bum-sliding is another good rule...

  • MORE MT COOK PICTURES!

    • Mt Cook from a camp above the Hooker Glacier (41k) The Red Tarns, one of many short walks around Mt Cook village, ideal for a wet day's stroll (58k)
    NEW MT COOK IMAGES!
  • The Wakefield Falls (77k)
  • On the Malte Brun Range, mid-winter (48k)
  • The Rudolph Glacier from the Tasman (81k)
  • The South Face of Mt Cook (69k)
  • Plateau Hut on the edge of the 1300m Hochstetter ice fall (86k)
  • Ball Pass camp site (83k)
    • One of the locals - full of fun, inquisitive and sometimes a nuisance, the kea is the soul of the high country and a constant companion of the tramper and climber (25k)
    On the way up to the Ball Pass, looking across to the Main Divide and the vicinity of the Copland Pass (58k) Mt Sefton, one of the icons of Mt Cook village which can be enjoyed from the car park! (45k)
    Near Graham's Saddle on the Main Divide, Mt De La Beche (54k) Malte Brun - the rock climber's range (24k)
    Beneath the Minarets - De La Beche ridge. Although not that high, and only at a latitude of 43 degrees, the Southern Alps are heavily glaciated with 20-30m of snow falling in some parts (24k)
    Plateau hut - one of the high altitude huts which serve climbers in the park (36k) La Perouse and the Hooker valley - Ball Pass (20k)
  • On Haast Ridge above the Tasman Glacier - the way up to the Grand Plateau (29k)
    • Mt Aiguilles Rouges - A tramper's mountain (21k)

  • The walk starts from the (now avalanched) Beetham hut (24k)
  • On the Tasman Glacier - aftermath of the Mt Cook landslide (71k)
    • Mt Cook from the Sealy Range (42k)
  • The Caroline face of Mt Cook. (28k)
  • The view from the Ball Pass. (29k)
  • Ice fall on Mt Sefton. (37k)
  • MORE MT COOK PICTURES!

    • Routes on Mt Cook | Copland Pass | Mt Cook II| European alps | Jonathan's gallery
    Copyright (c) 1996 Jonathan Carr