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Mount Cook Valley

The Aoraki/Mount Cook valley - Lake Pukaki, Glentanner, and the Hooker and Tasman glacier valleys.

Overview

The Mount Cook valley runs north from Lake Pukaki into the heart of the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. It contains New Zealand’s highest mountain and two of its largest glaciers. The airspace is within the Southern Alps Mandatory Broadcast Zone (MBZ) with no ATC.

Mount Cook Valley

Route

  1. Approach from the south - either from Omarama (NZOA) or Pukaki (NZUK). Other entry points: Tekapo, Godley Valley, Burkes Pass, Landsborough.
  2. Fly north along the eastern shore of Lake Pukaki.
  3. Overfly Glentanner Station (NZGT) and the Tasman River mouth.
  4. Continue into the Tasman Valley (east side) or Hooker Valley (west side).
  5. View the Tasman Glacier terminal lake and Aoraki/Mount Cook from a safe distance.
  6. Return south via the same route.

Reporting Points

  • Pukaki - southern entry to the valley.
  • Glentanner - mid-valley station.
  • Mount Cook Airport (NZMC) - valley base.
  • Tasman Terminal - glacier lake viewpoint.
  • Hooker Valley - Aoraki viewpoint.
  • Rotten Tommy
  • Round Hill
  • Gorilla Stream
  • Darwin Corner
  • Beetham
  • Malte Brun Corner

Minimum Altitudes

  • 2,000 ft AGL minimum over national park land.
  • Local operator agreement (DOC): Do not fly below 6,000 ft around the Hermitage or below 8,000 ft in the Mueller and Hooker valleys. Avoid the summit area. Itinerant pilots are expected to respect this. (Todo: verify - not found in official AIP/DOC sources)
  • MBZ (Alps Traffic): 118.6. Calls required on entry and at least every 15 minutes.
  • One-way valley traffic - keep to the right-hand side of the valley: eastern side northbound, western side southbound.

Frequencies

Service Frequency
MBZ (Alps Traffic) 118.6
Christchurch Information 123.5
Ohau QNH 123.5 (Christchurch Information)

Hazards

  • High density altitude - Mount Cook Airport is 2,153 ft AMSL, and density altitude in summer reaches 4,000 ft+.
  • Katabatic winds off the Tasman and Hooker glaciers.
  • Mountain wave - the Mount Cook area is notorious.
  • High scenic traffic - helicopters, fixed-wing, and gliders. Peak traffic about 30 aircraft from 10am to 3pm, November to April.
  • Army live-firing danger areas D926 to D928 between Pukaki and Tekapo.
  • The valley is a trap - the only way out is the way you came in.

Tips

  • Reduce payload for high-altitude operations.
  • Check the MBZ frequency before entering.
  • Do not descend below 2,000 ft AGL over the park (and observe the higher local operator agreements).
  • Never fly into cloud in the valley - turn back.

For flight simulation use only. Always check weather, minimum altitudes and your aircraft limits before flying these routes.

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