New Zealand’s highest mountain, Aoraki/Mount Cook, towers 3,754 m high over the Mackenzie country of the South Island. But Aoraki/Mount Cook is only one among 27 other mountains in the Southern Alps which are over 3,050 m, forming a stunning backbone to the South Island.
Aoraki/Mount Cook lies in the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, designated a World Heritage Site and stretching for over 170,000 acres. More than a third of it is permanently covered with snow and ice and one of the longest glaciers outside the Himalayas, the 30-km Tasman Glacier, is situated beside Aoraki/Mount Cook. Not surprisingly, the park is a popular area for visitors who come to hike its many trails, climb the mountains, ski or simply sightsee.
History of the Aoraki/Mount Cook Area
The Maori name for the area, Aoraki, tells of the legend of how Aoraki and his brothers were turned to stone by the cold winds when their canoe was damaged. Aoraki became the tallest peak, while the brothers became the other mountains in the range.
European settlers named the mountain Mount Cook but in 1998, the mountain was given the dual names of Aoraki/Mount Cook in deference to its Maori heritage.
Aoraki/Mount Cook was first climbed on Christmas Day, 1894 by three men, Fyfe, Clarke and Graham. Emmeline Freda du Faur was the first woman to climb it in 1910, while the conqueror of Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary, climbed it in 1949. He made the first ascent from the south ridge and used the mountain as a training area for his Everest climb.
Aoraki/Mount Cook Alpine Village
The Aoraki/Mount Cook Alpine Village has a variety of accommodation available to tourists, from the campground where an honesty box is left for payment of fees, through self-catering chalets and motel units to the luxury of the Hermitage hotel.
Beside the hotel is the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre with a statue of the great climber standing gazing out at Aoraki/Mount Cook. Inside, visitors can view a 3D movie of the legends and scenery of the area, visit the Planetarium to view the night sky or stroll through the museum which features tales of New Zealand’s intrepid mountaineers. The Hillary Gallery celebrates the life and achievements of Sir Edmund Hillary and also his long association with the Mount Cook area, where he developed his mountaineering skills.
Other events include beer and wine tasting, and star gazing every evening from the Hillary deck, with telescopes and a guide to help identify the constellations.
Activities in the Aoraki/Mount Cook Area
There are many trails and hikes in the park, ranging from half-hour strolls to full day treks led by guides. Paths lead to the Hooker Valley and the terminal lake at the toe of the Hooker Glacier and through the Tasman Valley to viewpoints for the Tasman Glacier. Full day treks to the Mueller hut high above the Hooker Valley reveal views of the mountains at their most magnificent. In summer, many of New Zealand’s native alpine flowers bloom along the track.
For the more adventurous, there are boat trips across the Tasman Terminal Lake to the glacier itself, giving close up views of the icebergs which have broken off from it, plane or helicopter flights giving spectacular views of the area and offering snow landings, 4WD safaris and heli-skiing. Guides are available for visitors wishing to climb the ranges or to ski the Tasman Glacier.
There is much to enjoy and experience in the Aoraki/Mount Cook area; it is well worth a visit if only to view New Zealand's highest mountain.
Ann Burnett - Ann Burnett is an experienced writer of children's stories and scripts, short stories and articles, and comedy.
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