Sealy Tarns: the “Stairway to Heaven”

“It’s just some stairs,” we said. “How bad can it be?”

Reader, it was bad. Gloriously, wonderfully bad. The Sealy Tarns Track, better known as the “Stairway to Heaven”, is roughly 2,200 steps climbing straight up the side of the valley near Mount Cook. We counted. We lost count. We counted again. Our calves filed a formal complaint somewhere around step 1,500.

But the views? Absolutely worth every single burning step.

Aoraki / Mount Cook above the Hooker and Mueller lakes.

The climb

The track branches off the Hooker Valley flats and then just… goes up. There’s no easing into it. It’s a relentless staircase, but every time you stop to (gasp for air and) look back, the panorama has grown: the Hooker Valley, the glacial river snaking through it, and Mount Cook itself when the cloud allows.

My husband on the climb, mountains all around.

Catching our breath (and the view) somewhere up the staircase. Puffer jackets very much required.

The Hooker Valley and Mueller Lake from up near the tarns.

Tip: Wear proper shoes, carry water and snacks, and pack a warm layer. It’s warm work going up, but it’s cold and exposed once you stop at the top.

The top

At the top sit the Sealy Tarns, little alpine pools, and the best picnic table in the country. We flopped down, peeled off our packs, and just sat with it for a while: snow-dusted peaks, the valley dropping away beneath our feet, and that impossible glacial blue down below.

About 2,200 stairs later (yes, we counted… sort of), our legs were on fire but we were on top of the world. From up here you get the whole panorama, the Hooker Valley and Mount Cook, and the little Sealy Tarns sitting there waiting for you like a reward.

Oh, and from up here you can hear the glacier shift. Big cracks, like thunder. It’s quite scary!

The glacier and its icy lake, right below us. This is where the cracking came from!

The famous picnic table at the top. A million-dollar view and somewhere to collapse.

We made it! Taking a break at the big picnic table at the top.

The two of us at the top, the turquoise valley far, far below.

Note: This is a genuine alpine climb, not a stroll. Check the forecast, go early, and don’t attempt it in bad weather. Allow a few hours up and back, plus time at the top to just breathe it in.

Me, the tiny red dot, with Mueller Lake way below.

Mueller Lake and the glacier, right below us.

Worth it?

Our calves may never forgive us, but our eyes (and camera rolls) are forever grateful! If you only do one big climb near Mount Cook and you’re reasonably fit, make it this one. Just don’t say we didn’t warn you about the stairs. 😉

After two big days in the mountains, we pointed the camper south. Read about the drive to Te Anau and That Wanaka Tree next.

Categories: New Zealand, Places Tags: Mount Cook, Sealy Tarns, hiking, Nature