La Perouse, Mountain peak in Southern Alps, New Zealand

La Perouse is a mountain peak in the Southern Alps that marks the boundary between Canterbury and West Coast regions. It stands at 3,078 meters elevation within this major alpine range of the South Island.

The peak was originally called Mount Stokes after an HMS Beagle surveyor, but was renamed to honor French explorer Jean-François de Galaup. This naming change reflects New Zealand's historical connections to European maritime expeditions.

The name La Perouse honours the French explorer Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse, whose expedition was wrecked on Vanikoro in 1788. The peak was first climbed on 1 February 1906 by Ebenezer Teichelmann, Alexander Graham, R. S. Low and Henry Edward Newton.

Climbing this peak requires permits from multiple national park authorities due to its location on a regional boundary. Proper ice climbing gear and alpine mountaineering experience are essential for anyone attempting the ascent.

The 1948 rescue of Ruth Adams, injured on La Perouse, was the most arduous in New Zealand climbing history: she was carried on a stretcher over the summit and through deep gorges to the West Coast road. Her party included Harry Ayres, Edmund Hillary and Mick Sullivan. The operation brought Hillary together with Norman Hardie for the first time, beginning a lifelong friendship; Hardie later served 22 years on the board of Hillary's Himalayan Trust.