Aoraki Mount Cook NP (Part 4, Mount Cook to Lake Pukaki)
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is home of the highest mountains and the longest glaciers. It is alpine in the purest sense - with skyscraping peaks, glaciers and permanent snow fields, all set under a star-studded sky. According to Ngai Tahu legend, Aoraki and his three brothers were the sons of Rakinui, the Sky Father. While on a sea voyage, their canoe overturned on a reef. When the brothers climbed on top of their canoe, the freezing south wind turned them to stone. The canoe became the South Island (Te Waka o Aoraki); Aoraki and his brothers became the peaks of the Southern Alps. Mt Cook, the tallest mountain in New Zealand, helped Sir Edmund Hillary to develop his climbing skills in preparation for the conquest of Everest.
Region: Canterbury
City: Mount Cook
Distance: 49.66 km
Elevation Gain: 287 m
Elevation Loss: 403 m
Difficulty: 238 (Easy)
FIETS Index: 0.12 FIETS
Avg Grade: -0.81 %
Max cat climb: 5
Min elevation: 541 m
Max elevation: 696 m
Ride Category: Flat