Track description

Village to Sealy Tarns

Start on the Kea Point Track either outside the Aoraki/ Mount Cook National Park Visitor Centre or at White Horse Hill car park, at the end of the Hooker Valley Road. Follow the Kea Point Track to the Sealy Tarns turnoff. The Sealy Tarns Track begins gently until you reach the foot of the Mueller Range. The start of the steep section of this track is marked by an orange triangle. Make sure you are on the obvious track – not in the old streambed just adjacent. The track zigzags steeply up to Sealy Tarns. A climb to this spot will reward the walker with spectacular views of the Hooker Valley and the peaks in the area, including Aoraki/Mt Cook on a good day. A tarn is the name given to a small mountain lake or pond.

Sealy Tarns to Mueller Hut

Time: 2 hr

Walkers negotiating the rocky terrain
on the ridge line towards Mueller Hut

From Sealy Tarns follow the orange markers (every 200 metres) through the tussock. This is not a maintained track but an alpine route. The route is also marked by cairns. Parts of the route are quite rocky. It zig-zags through alpine scrub, herb fields and tussocks to a large rock field. From here the route ascends a loose gravel slope (scree) of about 50 metres, to the skyline ridge. At certain times of the year this becomes a steep snow slope. Once on the ridge relax and enjoy the magnificent view of the Mueller Glacier sweeping down the valley past smaller hanging glaciers and the stunning ice shelf on Mount Sefton. The route from here turns south towards the hut. Follow the cairns through large boulders along the ridge until you sight Mueller Hut – about 20 minutes along the ridge.

Mueller Hut to Village

Time: 3 hr

Descend back to the village the same way as you came up. Do not be tempted to go straight down or veer off the route at any stage. Make sure you turn off the ridge down the scree slope at the orange marker. In bad weather it can be quite difficult finding your way.

Mueller Hut to Mt Ollivier

Time: 30 min

This is a rock scramble along the obvious ridge from Mueller Hut to the top of the rocky outcrop immediately to the south of the hut. A big cairn marks the top. Don’t be tempted to go further along unless you have experience, as it can get dangerous. It is very steep and exposed beyond the top of Mount Ollivier. This was the first peak Sir Edmund Hillary climbed, beginning a climbing career culminating in the first ascent of Everest.