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Mount Cook, or Aoraki (cloud piercer), was first climbed in 1894 by New Zealand climbers George Graham, Tom Fyffe and Jack Clarke. It is part of the Southern Alps of New Zealand and is the highest mountain in New Zealand at 3,754 metres (12,316 ft.). It used to be 10 metres higher until December 1991 when a chunk actually fell off in a massive avalanche.
The mountain is in the Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park, and with Westland National Park, Mount Aspiring National Park and Fiordland National Park forms one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The park contains more than 140 peaks standing over 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) and 72 named glaciers. It covers 700 square kilometres (170,000 acres).
Sir Edmund Hillary made his first ascent in January 1948 of the South Ridge to the Low Peak. The South Ridge was renamed Hillary Ridge in August 2011.
Taken with Canon 450D. Comments most welcome.
(This was not zoomed - hand held )