Mount Cook (1)
Nestled within the Southern Alps, the majestic Aoraki/Mount Cook stands tall as the highest peak in all of New Zealand. With a staggering height of 3,724 meters (12,218 feet) as of 2014, it serves as a popular tourist destination and a beloved challenge for mountain climbers. Consisting of three summits - the Low Peak, the Middle Peak, and the High Peak - this mountain stands proudly south and east of the main divide of the Southern Alps/Kā Tiritiri o te Moana, with the Tasman Glacier to its east and the Hooker Glacier to its southwest. Aoraki/Mount Cook is truly a sight to behold.
The stunning Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, located in the Canterbury Region, is home to the eponymous mountain. Established in 1953, this park is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes Westland National Park, Mount Aspiring National Park, and Fiordland National Park. Boasting more than 140 peaks standing over 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) and a staggering 72 named glaciers, this park covers a sprawling 700 square kilometers (170,000 acres), with glaciers comprising a whopping 40% of its terrain. It's no wonder that Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is a must-see for any nature enthusiast.
Perched at the northern end of the Kirikirikatata/Mount Cook Range, the peak of Aoraki/Mount Cook stands where it meets the Main Divide, forming a massive mountain range between the Hooker Valley to the southwest and the Tasman Valley to the east. These two valleys offer the closest and most easily accessible viewpoints of the mountain, with a lookout point located just 10 kilometers away at the end of the Hooker Valley Track offering breathtaking views of the entire mountainside. It is a truly awe-inspiring sight to behold.
Tucked away in the shadow of the mighty Aoraki/Mount Cook is the charming settlement of Mount Cook Village, also known simply as "Aoraki/Mount Cook." Serving as a tourist center and base camp for those eager to tackle the mountain, this picturesque village is located just 7 kilometers from the end of the Tasman Glacier and a mere 15 kilometers south of the mountain's summit. It is the perfect home base for those seeking adventure in the great outdoors.
On clear days, the impressive peak of Aoraki/Mount Cook can be seen from the West Coast as far north as Greymouth, a distance of some 150 kilometers. It is also visible from much of State Highway 80 along Lake Pukaki and State Highway 6 south of the lake. The mountain's three summits are connected by a distinctive, near horizontal ridge that forms a blocky shape when viewed from an eastern or western direction. Another popular spot for taking in views of the mountain is from Lake Matheson on the West Coast, known as the "view of views." On calm days, the reflections of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mt Tasman can be seen in the tranquil waters of the lake. It is a truly unforgettable sight.
Aoraki/Mount Cook is subject to a significant amount of orographic precipitation all year round, as westerly winds that are both breezy and moisture-laden sweep across the mountain. These winds, which dominate the area all year, bring rainclouds in from the Tasman Sea, ensuring that the mountain is consistently drenched in rain. It is a place of wild, untamed beauty that is shaped by the forces of nature.
The annual precipitation that the mountain ranges around Aoraki/Mount Cook experience varies greatly due to the local climate, which is dominated by the movement of depressions and anticyclones from the Tasman Sea. The massif of Aoraki/Mount Cook poses a formidable obstacle to the prevailing westerly winds, which push depressions and their accompanying cold fronts of moist air from the subtropics in the northwest up against the mountain range. As the air is forced to rise towards the peaks, it expands and cools, forming clouds. Rain and snowfall tend to be heaviest at an altitude of around 1,200 meters (3,900 feet) and can last for several days if the front is slow-moving. It is a place of constant change and ever-shifting weather patterns.
Due to the unique weather patterns in the area, the western slopes of Aoraki/Mount Cook can experience annual precipitation of well over 10,000 millimeters (394 inches), while the nearby village of Mount Cook, only 15 kilometers (9 miles) to the south, receives a mere 4,484 millimeters (176.5 inches) of rain or snowfall. While the weather on the eastern side of the mountain is generally more mild, a shift in the wind to the south or southeast can quickly bring rain or snow to that side of the mountain as well, resulting in a rapid drop in temperature and poor visibility. These challenging conditions only add to the difficulty of climbing Aoraki/Mount Cook, making it a true test of endurance and skill for even the most experienced mountaineers.
The temperatures at the base of Aoraki/Mount Cook in the Hooker Valley, located at an altitude of around 800 meters (2,600 feet), can range from a chilly -13°C (9°F) to a sweltering 32°C (90°F). As one ascends the mountain, the temperature generally drops by around 1°C for every 200 meters of altitude gained. It is a place of extreme temperature fluctuations, where one must be prepared for any type of weather.
At elevations of around 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) and above, semi-permanent snow and ice fields can be found during the winter months. The winter and spring seasons are typically less settled than the summer and autumn, with anticyclones often bringing days of clear, settled weather in the summer or cold, frosty conditions in the winter. It is a place where one must always be prepared for the unexpected, as the weather can change rapidly and without warning.
According to the traditions of the Ngāi Tahu iwi, Aoraki was the name of a person and the South Island was once known as Te Waka o Aoraki, or "Aoraki's Canoe." In the past, it was commonly believed that the name meant "Cloud Piercer," a poetic interpretation of its two components: ao, meaning "world," "daytime," "cloud," etc., and raki or rangi, meaning "day," "sky," "weather," etc. Historically, the Māori name has been spelled Aorangi, using the standard Māori form. It is a name steeped in history and cultural significance.
Aoraki/Mount Cook gained notoriety among Māori people after their arrival in New Zealand sometime in the 14th century. It is believed that the first Europeans to possibly lay eyes on the mountain were members of Abel Tasman's crew, who saw a "large land uplifted high" (likely a portion of the Southern Alps) while sailing off the West Coast of the South Island, just north of present-day Greymouth, on December 13, 1642. The mountain was eventually given the English name "Mount Cook" in 1851 by Captain John Lort Stokes in honor of Captain James Cook, who surveyed and circumnavigated the islands of New Zealand in 1770, although he did not actually see the mountain during his exploration. It is a place with a rich and storied history.
Following a settlement between Ngāi Tahu and the Crown in 1998, the name of the mountain was officially changed from Mount Cook to Aoraki/Mount Cook to incorporate its historic Māori name, Aoraki. As part of the settlement, a number of placenames in the South Island were also amended to include their original Māori names. Signifying the great importance of Aoraki/Mount Cook, it is the only one of these names in which the Māori name precedes the English. Under the terms of the settlement, the Crown agreed to return the title of Aoraki/Mount Cook to Ngāi Tahu, who would then formally gift it back to the nation. However, neither of these transfers has yet occurred, as Ngāi Tahu has the discretion to determine when they will take place.
The Southern Alps of the South Island were formed by tectonic uplifting and the pressure of the Pacific and Indo-Australian Plates colliding along the western coast of the island. This uplifting process is ongoing, causing Aoraki/Mount Cook to rise an average of 7 millimeters (0.28 inches) each year. However, the forces of erosion are also at work, shaping and sculpting the mountains. The harsh weather experienced on the mountain can be attributed to its location in the path of the powerful westerly winds of the Roaring Forties, which blow around the 45°S latitude, south of both Africa and Australia. As the first obstacle these winds encounter after crossing the Southern Ocean from South America, the Southern Alps bear the full force of their might.
The height of Aoraki/Mount Cook was first accurately established in 1881 by G. J. Roberts (from the west side) and in 1889 by T. N. Brodrick (from the Canterbury side). Their measurements were in close agreement, placing the mountain at a height of 12,349 feet (3,764 meters). In December 1991, a massive collapse of rock and ice from the northern peak resulted in a reduction of the mountain's height by 10 meters (33 feet). Over the following two decades, erosion of the ice cap that was exposed after the collapse further reduced the height by an additional 30 meters, bringing it to its current measurement of 3,724 meters, as determined by GPS data from a University of Otago climbing expedition in November 2013.
Aoraki/Mount Cook is situated in the heart of the distinctive Alpine Fault, a 650 kilometer-long active fault in the Southern Alps. This fault is responsible for the uplift of Aoraki/Mount Cook and is believed to shift every 100 to 300 years. The last time it moved was in 1717. It is a place where the powerful forces of geology are at work, shaping and reshaping the landscape over time.
The annual rainfall in the surrounding lowlands, particularly to the west, averages around 5 to 10 meters (200 to 390 inches). This exceptionally high rainfall creates temperate rainforests in the coastal lowlands and a consistent supply of snow in the mountains to feed the glaciers. These glaciers include the Tasman Glacier to the east of the mountain and the smaller Hooker Glacier to its south. It is a place where the forces of nature come together to create a unique and diverse landscape.