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canyonwalkerNew Zealand Travelog #18
Mt. Cook National Park, NZ - Sat, 13 Apr 2024, 11am
When we arrived late to our hotel at Mt. Cook National Park last night, late being a New Zealand relative term as it was almost 9pm, our room-with-a-view didn't offer much view— unless you considered, "Hey, look, it's pitch black outside!" a view. Even when I got up this morning there was no view. Of course, I got up at 5am, well before sunrise, so that's still on me. It was only after we finished eating breakfast downstairs a bit after 7 that the sky started to brighten. We hurried back upstairs to enjoy the view from our room.
I shared a pic last night of the view with the curtain drawn so I figured out of a sense of fairness I'd start with a view through the window with the curtains open.
Of course, since we have a balcony and not just nice big windows, we went out on the balcony to enjoy the view more fully.
In the distance in the middle of the frame is Aoraki / Mt. Cook, elev. 3,724m (12,218 ft). Its full height is not visible here because of the clouds.
The snow-flecked peak on the ridge to the right closer to us is Mt. Wakefield.
This view opened up quickly after dawn. Every 5 minutes the lighting changed and we went back out for new photos. We didn't just stay out there because the temperature was about 5° C / 41° F. Though in the last pic above you can see some of the people who did go outside, out on the lawn in front of the hotel, to make photos. I presume they didn't spend up for a room with a nice view like we did. 😅 But seriously, the privilege of having this view, and being able simply to step outside to see it but also step back in to enjoy it from comfy chairs in a cozy room, is worth the premium.
Part of the premium is also just being here, in the park, near the mountains and various trails. We could have saved money by staying 45 minutes to an hour away, or even further. The benefit of paying this premium isn't just the views but also the luxury of time. We didn't have to get up early to drive 45 minutes, an hour, or more to the trailhead. We can stay here, in our cozy room, until we're ready to go hiking. And this morning that is exactly what we've done. 😂 It's already 11am and we've spent almost 4 hours stretched out here enjoying this view. We'll gear up and head out for a hike soon.
Mt. Cook National Park, NZ - Sat, 13 Apr 2024, 11am
When we arrived late to our hotel at Mt. Cook National Park last night, late being a New Zealand relative term as it was almost 9pm, our room-with-a-view didn't offer much view— unless you considered, "Hey, look, it's pitch black outside!" a view. Even when I got up this morning there was no view. Of course, I got up at 5am, well before sunrise, so that's still on me. It was only after we finished eating breakfast downstairs a bit after 7 that the sky started to brighten. We hurried back upstairs to enjoy the view from our room.
I shared a pic last night of the view with the curtain drawn so I figured out of a sense of fairness I'd start with a view through the window with the curtains open.
Of course, since we have a balcony and not just nice big windows, we went out on the balcony to enjoy the view more fully.
In the distance in the middle of the frame is Aoraki / Mt. Cook, elev. 3,724m (12,218 ft). Its full height is not visible here because of the clouds.
The snow-flecked peak on the ridge to the right closer to us is Mt. Wakefield.
This view opened up quickly after dawn. Every 5 minutes the lighting changed and we went back out for new photos. We didn't just stay out there because the temperature was about 5° C / 41° F. Though in the last pic above you can see some of the people who did go outside, out on the lawn in front of the hotel, to make photos. I presume they didn't spend up for a room with a nice view like we did. 😅 But seriously, the privilege of having this view, and being able simply to step outside to see it but also step back in to enjoy it from comfy chairs in a cozy room, is worth the premium.
Part of the premium is also just being here, in the park, near the mountains and various trails. We could have saved money by staying 45 minutes to an hour away, or even further. The benefit of paying this premium isn't just the views but also the luxury of time. We didn't have to get up early to drive 45 minutes, an hour, or more to the trailhead. We can stay here, in our cozy room, until we're ready to go hiking. And this morning that is exactly what we've done. 😂 It's already 11am and we've spent almost 4 hours stretched out here enjoying this view. We'll gear up and head out for a hike soon.
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Date: 2024-04-16 02:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-04-17 05:59 am (UTC)To your observation: Mt. Wakefield's peak is at 6,752' and the flood plain below it is at about 2,400'. So there's an elevation rise of over 4,000' over a short distance. Aoraki's 12,217' summit is about 9,000' above the foot of the Hooker Glacier that descends from it. And I agree, it's these dramatic rises that make these mountains so striking. There are few places in the US where to see such verticality.