Wednesday, July 27 Mt. Cook Trip - Day 1

After having to shift our trip schedules on account of weather during our course, we had to take on our Mt. Cook trip, rain or shine. So we set out on our trip to Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park with not the best of weather conditions forecast for Mt. Cook proper; however, as a meteorologist friend of ours here says, “the mountains have more character with a bit of weather about.”

The day was gorgeous and sunny, and on the way there, we had several fun stops planned to break up the drive time.  First a stop at the Ashburton Domain (i.e., community playground and sport fields) to wake up with a zip line ride on a super high flying fox that was gifted from the Ashburton Kiwanis Club and is famous with the locals. 

Next up, a short hike through a beautiful forest remnant in Geraldine.  Like Riccarton Bush, the Talbot Forest Scenic Reserve is in the heart of the city and serves as an important reminder of the extensive broadleaf/podocarp forests that once covered large areas of Canterbury. It is managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and has a dedicated group of locals that helps to keep after it.  Unlike Riccarton Bush, it is more vulnerable to predators having no predator fence.

The views from The Hilltop Café showed us the transition views from the Canterbury plains and lush green hills and the drier alpine environment of Mackenzie Country. 

When we stopped again at Lake Tekapo a short time later, the snow-covered mountaintops of the Southern Alps were almost completely 360 around us and the lake was sparkling with its glacial blue water. The waters of Lake Tekapo are also used to generate electricity through the Tekapo Canal.

The Church of the Good Shepherd built in 1935 to the glory of God as a memorial to the pioneers of the Mackenzie Country. Congregations of the three main faiths worship regularly in the Church, which offers awe inspiring views of the lake and mountains through the altar window.

When we finally arrived at the turnoff for Mt. Cook, we could see blue skies all around us except for the direction where we are headed.  I mentioned that Mt. Cook is the tallest mountain in New Zealand at 12,316 feet and seems to create its own weather, and Max observed that it was like Denali in Alaska.  The area does indeed conjure images of Alaska in the fall with a dry, harsher environment.

That night we settled into our fun backpackers with the potential for Mt. Cook right outside our window and set about making our dinner in the communal kitchen before getting a good night’s rest.  During the night we were serenaded by 95 kilometer per hour (kph) wind gusts howling at our windows.