Blog 6. 10 March. Arotoa/Mount Cook 44 39.6 S. 170 22.3 E

Alcedo
David Batten
Tue 13 Mar 2018 06:41
Ever optimistic, we were up early to be at the airport by 07.30 to check in to our flight, scheduled for 08.30 and first one up. Low cloud all over the mountains, although some blue appearing at the far end of Lake Pukaki. Needless to say, not a chance of taking off until much later and in the end, we were moved onto a flight at 14.30 which luckily had 2 spaces. So we went up the Tasman Glacier by road and had a great walk to the viewpoint, with complete absence of other tourists.

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View of the leading edge of the Tasman Glacier from the lookout point. Mountains behind clearly obscured by low cloud and top of glacier covered in rock and shale.

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Driver 1 at the lookout point, clearly dressed for the cold. Behind him, the view down the glacial valley.

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Always on the lookout for birds, the first Cirl Bunting we have seen here, on the way back from the lookout.

When we arrived back at the Arotoa/Mount Cook village, we are rewarded with clearing skies and our first view of Mount Cook.

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And after lunch, clear blue skies and better viewing. Hurrah, we will be able to fly at 14.30!


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Slight drawback, no seaplane landings because the snow is too hard, so we settle for a flight up the Tasmin Glacier valley towards Mount Cook and a landing on a plateau on the other side of the Tasmin Glacier.

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Flying up the Tasmin Valley, Mount Cook on the left

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Helicopter landing on what snow remains and we climb up the scree on the right to look at Mount Cook...

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View of Mount Cook from the landing site

After the excitement (and expense!) of the flight, even with a refund for not getting to Mount Cook and the glacier for a snow plane landing, Driver 2 continues the journey to a very pleasant overnight stop at Fisherman’s bend on Lake Waitaki on the way to Dunedin.

Alcedo





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