Aoraki / Mount Cook, Alpine peak in Southern Alps, New Zealand
Aoraki / Mount Cook is the highest peak in New Zealand at 3,724 meters (12,218 feet) and rises in the Mackenzie District of the Southern Alps. Three summits form the ridgeline while several glaciers descend the flanks and feed turquoise meltwater lakes below.
Ngāi Tahu accounts of the peak stretch back centuries and describe it as a petrified ancestor stranded during a canoe voyage. European cartographers named it after the British navigator in 1851, and both names were officially recognized in 1998.
The Māori name translates to Cloud Piercer and was given by the Ngāi Tahu people who regard it as their most sacred ancestor. Visitors today see this dual naming system reflected on all signage and maps throughout the national park.
Most trails begin at White Horse Hill Campground and lead through tussock grassland to viewpoints overlooking glaciers and mountain lakes. Weather conditions can shift quickly, so hikers should carry warm layers and rain protection even on clear mornings.
Edmund Hillary trained here for his 1953 Everest ascent and used the technical ice routes as preparation. The area lies within a Dark Sky Reserve where the absence of light pollution reveals southern hemisphere constellations at night.
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