NZ Part 7 - The Clouds Burst

The weather in New Zealand is as unpredictable as the landscapes are stunning—sunshine one minute, rain the next. Our research told us to pack for all four seasons and that was pretty accurate. We all got sun burnt on the beach in the North Island then froze on the overcast and windy days. Sometimes, it even changed over the course of a single day. It poured the entire drive to Hobbiton, but we had nothing but blue skies the whole time we were there. But today was the first day we were concerned about the weather. We were planning to go see Aoraki / Mount Cook, the tallest mountain in New Zealand, and the forecast was showing rain and cloudy skies all day. On a clear day you can see the mountain from 150 miles away, on a cloudy day you may not see it at all.

The Hooker Valley Track is one of the most popular hiking trails in New Zealand. It's about a 7 mile roundtrip hike with great views of Mount Cook (on a clear day). It was at the top of our list of hikes we wanted to do and this was the only day to go but the idea of starting a long hike in the rain had us second guessing our plan. While we debated though, the rain subsided and we decided to go for it. We figured we'd start and see how far everyone could make it. The further we went though, the further we wanted to go. From the scary swing bridges over streams, to the long boardwalk across the grassy plain, and even some decent views despite the cloud cover. It really is a great hike. We made it all the way to the end and were rewarded for our efforts with views of the iceberg-speckled Hooker Lake at the foot of the mountain. We snapped a few photos and then the rain started back up just in time for the trek back. Not ideal but memories last longer than wet socks.


Hooker Valley Track trailhead.

Misty mountains.


Tired legs already.

Very few people followed the recommended max load.

The bridges swung a lot in the wind.

A short rest.

The second bridge.

To keep the younger kids motivated we played a game where we would say the traditional New Zealand greeting to every passerby and see who could get the most people to respond to them. It was more challenging than expected with Europeans having no interest in us and Asians just smiling and nodding but either way it kept them distracted from the fact that they were walking 7 miles.





Still smiling.


The road goes ever on and on.


The third bridge.

Hooker Lake.

A little windy.

Aoraki / Mount Cook.



We made it!

The trek back.

A little soggy.

Pretending we don't have eight travel companions.

Lupine around Lake Tekapo.

We got to attend Mass inside this beautiful stone church on the edge of Lake Tekapo with two young priests from Italy and Vietnam.


Location: Aoraki / Mount Cook, Canterbury 7999, New Zealand

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