Mount Ollivier

Mount Ollivier rises to 1,933 meters (6,342 feet) in the Sealy Range of the Southern Alps, commanding views across the Lake Pukaki valley and distant peaks. The terrain features steep rocky slopes, tussock grasslands on the approach, and dramatic ridgelines that define the alpine landscape.

The peak gained prominence when a young mountaineer completed his first significant climbing expedition here in 1939. This early experience marked the beginning of a career that would later include major achievements in high-altitude mountaineering.

The peak sits within Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, where Maori connections to the land shape how visitors experience the region. These ties appear through interpretive signs and the landscape's spiritual importance to local communities.

Visitors typically follow the Mueller Hut Route, a hiking trail that climbs through alpine grasslands with increasingly steep sections approaching the summit. The terrain becomes exposed at higher elevations, so hikers need solid mountain experience and should plan for variable weather conditions.

A 2008 proposal suggested renaming the mountain after the famous climber who had summited it decades earlier, but the Ollivier family opposed the change. The peak retained its original name, keeping the family's historical connection to the mountain intact.

GPS coordinates: -43.72548,170.06458

Latest update: December 10, 2025 15:56