Aoraki Mt Cook National Park in 1973I’ve just come back from spending a week as a voluntary DOC warden at Mueller Hut in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park. In 1973 there was no Mueller Lake, Hooker Lake or Tasman Lake which are key features of the area today. Back then the Mueller, Hooker and Tasman glaciers extended through these valleys and the areas these lakes now occupy. From the ridge above the Mt Cook village one can’t even see the Hooker Glacier which is now hidden well up the Hooker Valley. In 1973 ski planes would land on the Mueller Glacier and people would ski down the valley on the snow-covered glacial ice.

Source: The Guardian April 05, 2023 06:54 UTC