I'm reasonably familiar with both NZ(SI) and NZ(NI) islands and been always impressed by the incredible range of (scenic and mountainous) valleys and multitude of nooks-and-crannies, they offer for exploration...all explored by me on-the-desktop of course...🙂...This is thanks to the (Orbx) scenery add-ons in my past SIMs. A short while ago, here in MSFS, I'd done a quick survey around the South Island. There, I'd followed a fast and high route, while testing/flying the (stock) 787-10 in the (pleasing) ANZ (black & white) ferns leaf livery. So, that flight was both fast (Mach 0.80+) and high (FL250). Here, I'm roughly recreating part of that route, but at low speeds (80 mph not Mach 0.80) and at low altitudes (3,000-10,000 ft). I've tried to track the valleys at low altitudes (see shot #s 4/5/6), until forced to climb above 10,000 ft, because I saw no way out...boxed-in, so to speak...🙂...However, with a bit of help (and advance situational awareness) from the Garmin MFD, this Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter G950, in spite of being weighed down by the floats, never failed me, always lifting me (quickly) upwards to safe margins, as needed...

I fly from the township of Haast on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, on the Tasman Sea, first southward to Mount Aspiring (Tititea) region (see shot #s 7/8), and then northward to (Aoraki) Mount Cook, to finally descend down the picturesque (wide and flat-bottomed) valley of Tasman River, to land on the waters of Lake Pukaki. Here is a curious fact...the Tasman River is only "16" miles long, flowing south, originating from the glaciers of Mount Cook to the glacial Lake Pukaki. In my pictures below, you can clearly see the majestic Mount Cook (shot #s 13-16), and then (in shot #s 17-20), the Tasman River, the River valley, and the Lake Pukaki where I've landed.

A point to note about the Mount Cook is that it's indirectly intertwined with Mount Everest. "The Mount Cook National Park was an important technical training ground for New Zealand mountaineer (Edmund) Hillary prior to going to Everest, and he recalled the three seasons he spent in the area climbing with Harry Ayres, his teacher. In 1949, Hillary, with Harry Ayres, became the first to climb the south ridge of Mt. Cook." From Mount Cook to Mount Everest, 4 years later, on 29 May 1953, (Sir) Edmund Hillary (with (Nepalese) Tenzing Norgay), as part of the British-sponsored Expeditions, became the first known explorers to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

And, coincidentally, on 2 June 1953, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was crowned. As throngs of people lined the procession route to Westminster Abbey in the rain, the news rang out, just in time, over a loudspeaker that the first ascent of Everest had finally been achieved on 29 May. It had taken 2 days for a relay of runners to rush the message in padlocked bags from the Everest Base Camp to a high-altitude radio post within Nepal, before operators forwarded the news to the British Embassy in Kathmandu and then onwards to London...Oh well...the smartphones (and instant messaging) were not around yet...I guess...🙂...

Hope you enjoy these pictures from my trip across probably some the most spectacular parts of New Zealand's South Island....non-native speaking here...🙂...

Thanks for viewing.

Great shots and landscapes! 😉 

I'm finding that it I don't want to miss anything not only do your pictures need to be closely scanned, but your written intro's as well.🙂 Wonderful Edmund Hillary anecdotes (or should I say digressions?🙂).

Will, John et al.: Many thanks for viewing and commenting ....🙂...!

Nice Trip with a beautiful scenery around.. 

cheers 😉

On 1/9/2024 at 1:13 AM, pmplayer said:

Nice Trip with a beautiful scenery around.. 

cheers 😉

Thanks for the comment, pmplayer...Cheers...!

Great narration & tour, mate. I have done a similar flight on PC recently, which makes the look of the scenery even better!

beautiful mountain shots!