Mt. Cook, 2

We spent parts of 3 days in the Mt. Cook area, driving, hiking, visiting the museum and visitor center, watching the movies, etc. It's a pretty spectacular alpine place.

Another day, on Lake Pukaki, looking toward Mt. Cook, now
in a total white-out of wind, rain, blowing snow...

At the Hillary Alpine Center

Tenzing and Hillary, from a photo in the museum; the best
bit of the museum is the 105-minute Hillary film, his life,
narrated by no less than Ian McKellen; an equally good film,
on all aspects of Mt. Cook--geology, history, climbing
history, tourism, environmental issues, etc.--is at the
Department of Conservation visitor center; really superb

We weathered the storm--torrential rain mostly--at the Mt.
Cook backapacka

Next day...fine weather again

Mt. Cook, again

Fine enough weather for another walk, this time up to Lake
Tasman, at the end of Mt. Cook's Tasman Glacier

Thus; Lake Tasman was not there, 20-30 years ago, starting
then as a pot-hole, then melting the glacier from beneath; it's
now 2-3 kilometers in length, and growing

Closer up of lake and glacier, and icebergs

Closer up of Mt. Cook summit ridge, a horrific kilometer-
long knife-edge of snow and ice; from southeast

Thus; OK, it's not actually my photo

Us at Lake Tasman

Looking back to the huge out-wash plain leading down to
Lake Pukaki

Last look at the big mountain and it beautiful turquoise lake