Rising early (not a difficult task with the sun & frigid temperatures), we set out along the Hooker Valley Track with various lookouts. When we arrived at the lake at the base of Mt Cook, It was amazing to see the glaciers floating about with the gentle sounds of the river roaring in the background. When we arrived, the clouds had unfortunately settled in blocking much of our view of the mountain, but as the morning progressed they slowly cleared. Crowds of people sat almost theater-like staring in amazement as the beautiful peaks appeared through the clouds.