Aoraki Off Limits?

Mt Cook (Aoraki) has provided yet another example of the effects of global warming, with local guides warning that visitors may no longer be able to climb its famed heights. “We had a very lean winter with very little snow and the glaciers are not in good shape,” says Alpine Recreation director Gottlieb Braun-Elwert. “Climate warming is a fact. I’ve watched the glaciers for 30 years and there are some dramatic changes happening in NZ and overseas.” The 3754m peak – NZ’s highest – has become increasingly dangerous for climbers in recent years, due to thinning snow cover and unstable glaciers.