Mueller Hut…Again??

Yes, but this time with snow!!

But let’s start at the beginning.
After I came back from Mueller Hut in March, I already knew, that I wanted to go up there again. So when I left Te Anau in direction of Queenstown, I checked the weather forecast for Mt. Cook National Park and had hopes for a weather window, at the beginning of the weekend.
So I drove straight through to the National Park and left Wanaka and Queenstown behind.
Upon arriving at the Visitor Center on Friday, I was excited to hear the recomandation for crampons, which meant fresh snow.
So I started the same trail, as in March, after I got my ticket and packed everything I needed. Including lots of warm layers, as it was guaranteed to get cold at 1800m.

Soon after I started climbing the 2000 stairs, the views opened up over the village and surrounding mountains.
As it was in March, the stairs were no fun, but I powered through since it was bound to get better.
After a quick snack just above Sealy Tarns, I went on climbing and soon after I reached the first snow.
Since I started relatively late in the day, the snow was already wet and slushy from other hikers and the blazing sun, as there was no cloud, as far as the eye could see.
At this point, I put on my crampons, since a slip would have meant a long slide with rocks at the bottom. Definitely something to avoid.

After a bit more snow walking and climbing, where the crampons helped a lot, I arrived at the top of the ridge. And even though I already knew what was coming in terms of the view, it was still breathtaking.
The fresh snow brought everything to a new level.
Since I remembered, that the hut was not far anymore, I went on through the now thick layer of snow.

Once I got to the hut, I had a quick soup, before I went up Mt. Ollivier.
But I ‘only’ got to the false summit, since the ridge leading to the peak looked too sketchy for my taste. Especially considering, that I was alone.
But the view from the false peak was already amazing.

After I climbed back down, I just admired the view from the deck of the hut.
It has to be one of the best porch views accessible by only 3 hours of walking.

Once the sun went down, the snow iced up almost immediately, which was better than the wet mess, that was there for almost the whole day. It was one of those magical winter nights, which I missed thoroughly. Crunchy snow under your feet, an ever surrounding stillness, only shattered by avalanches going off on the face of Mt. Sefton and the moon so bright, you don’t even need a head torch.
Which was good, considering, I forgot mine in my car.

The next morning I was up early again, to catch the sunrise.
Again, the snow made it so much better, since it seemed to magnify the orange glow, that happened, once the sun got over the horizon.

After I got back to the hut to make some breakfast, I happened to meet the American traveler, with whom I climbed Mt. Armstrong, again.
It was a funny coincidence and after breakfast, we went up Mt. Ollivier together.
After some more pictures, which didn’t look any different than the day before, we went back to the hut, where we chatted on the porch.
Since I had only booked for one night, I started the descent soon after noon.

By that time, the snow had already melted at the lower elevation, which made the walk down even less fun that the stairs. Something I didn’t even think was possible before.
But eventually, I got back to my car and made it just in time for sunset to my campground.

Since then, I already drove to Timaru, where I am sitting right now in the library, writing this blog post.
I am not quite sure yet, what my next time is going to look like, but be assured, the next blog post is not that far away.

Until then,
Cheers!