What is Mount Cook?
'''Mount Cook''' also known in the local [[Māori language|Maori]] language as '''Aoraki''' or '''Aorangi''' is the highest mountain in [[New Zealand]] with a height of {{convert|3,724|m}}. ==Geology== It is part of the [[Southern Alps]] Mountain Range and is flanked by the [[Hooker Glacier]] to the southwest and the [[Tasman Glacier]] to the east. The mountain has three peaks: The south peak being the lowest at 3,593m/11,788 ft., The middle peak at 3,717m/12,195 ft. and the North peak being the highest at 3,724m/12,218 ft. This is the height of the north peak after the landslide of December 1991 which took 30 meters off the top and also turned the summit into a knife-edge ridge. ==History== The mountain was named by Captain [[John Lort Stokes]] in honour of Captain [[James Cook]] who travelled around the islands of New Zealand in 1770 however the first Europeans to see Mount Cook were probably members of [[Abel Tasman]]'s crew. ==Climbing== It was first climbed by Tom Fyre, George Graham and Jack Clarke. Mount Cook is a favourite destination for climbers and was used by Sir [[Edmund Hillary]] as training for his historic climb of [[Mount Everest]]. {{Mackenzie District}} [[Category:Mountains of New Zealand|Cook]] [[Category:Geography of New Zealand]] [[Category:Mountain climbing]] [[Category:Mackenzie District]]