Mount Cook Range

Mount Cook Range
Mount Cook Range
Highest point
Peak	Aoraki / Mount Cook
Elevation	3,724 m (12,218 ft)[1]
Coordinates	43°35′42″S 170°08′31″E
Dimensions
Length	16 km (9.9 mi)
Naming
Etymology	After Kirikirikatata, Aoraki's grandfather according to legend[2]
Native name	Kirikirikatata (Māori)
Geography
Mount Cook Range Location in New Zealand
Country	New Zealand
Range coordinates	43°40′S 170°08′E
Parent range	Southern Alps

The Mount Cook Range (Māori: Kirikirikatata; officially gazetted as Kirikirikatata / Mount Cook Range) is an offshoot range of the Southern Alps of New Zealand. The range forks from the Southern Alps at the Green Saddle[3] and descends towards Lake Pukaki, encompassing Aoraki / Mount Cook[4] and standing adjacent to the Tasman Glacier.[5]

In 1889, the highest point of the range was 3763m,[6] but this has since been reduced by avalanches and erosion.[7]

Naming

In 2013, the range was officially renamed Kirikirikatata / Mount Cook Range as part of a number of name changes within the Mount Cook region, following a 2012 proposal. According to Māori creation myths, Kirikirikatata was the grandfather of Aoraki, both of whom turned into mountains; Kirikirikatata into the Mount Cook Range, and Aoraki into Mount Cook.[8][9]

References

1. "Aoraki / Mount Cook, Canterbury – NZ Topo Map". topomap.co.nz. Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
2. "Kirikiriatata". Kā Huru Manu. Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
3. "The noble mountain Aoraki". New Zealand Geographic. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
4. "Mt Cook: A breath of high-country air". Stuff. 27 October 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
5. Veit, Heinz; Fitzsimons, Sean (Nov 2001). "Geology and Geomorphology of the European Alps and the Southern Alps of New Zealand: A Comparison". Mountain Research and Development. 21 (4): 347.
6. Harper, A. P. (Jan 1893). "Exploration and Character of the Principal New Zealand Glaciers". The Geographical Journal. 1 (1): 38.
7. "Height of NZ's tallest peak Aoraki/Mt Cook slashed by 30m". NZ Herald. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
8. Littlewood, Matthew (2 April 2013). "Dual names accepted in Aoraki-Mt Cook". Stuff. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
9. "Maori names proposed for Mt Cook mountain range". RNZ. 8 November 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2021.