Keep browsing if you're happy with this. Although Aoraki Mount Cook encompasses 23 peaks over 3000 metres high, it is very accessible. A concession is required to fly a drone on any public conservation land. Finally, be aware of New Zealand’s infamous changing weather. Cook Village resource. Of these the North Ridge is the next most common ascent and was the route taken on the first ascent in 1894. Surreal, milky lakes are a feature of the park - suspended, glacier-ground rock sediment makes the water opaque. Both live mainly below the tree-line, particularly in pine forests. Many of these are thought to be adaptations of lowland species or arrivals from South-east Asia, Tasmania or pre-glacial Antarctica over the past 5million years. When they climbed on top of their stricken canoe, the cold south wind blew and froze them, turning all of them to stone. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in September. Cook Village. Cook Village Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best Mt. The Hermitage Hotel is famous for its barstool views of Aoraki/Mt Cook. These are populous around Aoraki/ Mount Cook. Michael Hamilton
The mountains are also on the move. It is fair to say that in New Zealand, you will never be far from some interesting foliage, and Aoraki/ Mount Cook is no exception. The Department of Conservation provides 17 huts in the park. This is only half the height of the common flax (harakeke) which have upright seedpods and grow in far less severe conditions. Some are rare and some are common, some are active in the daytime and others at night. Crossing the Aoraki/ Mount Cook range, this adventure takes you over the Ball Pass (2130m, 6988ft), often including a night spent at Caroline Hut (1830m, 6004ft), in full view of Aoraki/ Mount Cook’s South Face. Look closer and you could even see one of New Zealand’s oldest inhabitants, the black alpine wētā, an insect found above the snow line. The most common ascent follows the Linda glacier route, which has a challenging NZ Alpine Grade 3. Finally, why not attempt the challenge of the multi-day Ball Pass Crossing. This has led them to be hunted for sport year-round in New Zealand. Department of Conservation | Te Papa Atawhai, https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/canterbury/places/aoraki-mount-cook-national-park/. We are a Learning Experiences Outside The Classroom (LEOTC) provider operating within a unique alpine environment extending from Aoraki/Mount Cook to the Mackenzie Basin. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions. Slow-growing, as most cold climate plants are, some lichens can be hundreds and even thousands of years old. For further information, there is an in-depth discussion of New Zealand Flora on the New Zealand Geographic. The lesser short-tailed bat has a wider omnivorous diet and so is more easily spotted hunting and foraging typically within ten metres of the ground. They both offer a range of restaurants, cafes and accommodation options. Landing among spectacular ice formations and caverns is the start of an unforgettable experience. When the brothers climbed on top of their canoe, the freezing south wind turned them to stone. This adventure begins at Plateau Hut and heads along the Linda glacier, first through the crevasse field of there lower section then up to the head of glacier. We also use cookies to show you the best of New Zealand on other platforms. They are used by Māori for clothing, baskets, ropes as well as fishing and hunting nets, and their nectar is used to sweeten foods. From here it is two sections of climbing to the High Peak summit. Mountaineers regard the area to be the best climbing region in Australasia, while less skilled adventurers find plenty of satisfaction with the mountain walks that lead to alpine tarns, herb fields and spectacular glacier views. Aoraki/ Mount Cook stands at 3724m, (12,218ft) and is the tallest peak in Australasia. Most are positioned to provide accommodation for mountaineers, and you need climbing skills to reach them. Highest of all are the lichens which have been known to grow on the rocks at the summit of Aoraki/ Mount Cook – making them the highest form of life in New Zealand. Cook Village Tourism: Tripadvisor has 12,772 reviews of Mt. There are 10 short walks that begin near Aoraki/Mount Cook Village. The first challenge are several pitches up the Summit Rocks and then a section of ice climbing before reaching the summit. Hillary climbed often in these mountains before his successful ascent of Mount Everest in 1953. Aoraki/ Mount Cook, and its surrounding National Park, are rich in wildlife. Not actually a lily, despite having the typical green leaves of a lily, this Southern Alps signature plant found only on the slopes of Aoraki/ Mount Cook, is actually a buttercup. To reach the summit requires technical expertise in ice, snow and rock climbing. And it meets just over the top of this mountain. Twelve years earlier, three other men (William Green, Emil Boss and Ulrich Kaufmann) had been forced to turn around only 60m from the summit. They can grow to a metre tall and have flowers the size of your hand. For more experienced alpine hikers, there are three mountain pass routes - over the Mueller, Copland and Ball passes. It also has the 39 th highest prominence in the world– the minimum descent required to begin climbing another mountain.