Aoraki / Mount Cook Climb
An ascent of Aoraki Mount Cook is an aspired to prize for many mountaineers. The highest peak in New Zealand at 3724m and the focal point of Mount Cook National Park. Whilst not as high as other peaks around the world but has technical difficulties and objective hazards that demand excellent preparation. The Linda Glacier route is a long and serious outing, often taking climbers 20 – 24 hours return to the hut. The route exposes climbers to significant objective hazards demanding high movement skills and fitness and experience on other significant ascents.
Mount Cook Climb Itinerary
![Wanaka Mountain Guides [] Mount Cook Climb](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=Mzk5OjI5NDQ=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA3NjgiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9Ijc2OCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4= "Mount Cook Climb 1")
Mount Cook climbs start in Wānaka from where it is a 2.5-hour drive to Mount Cook airport, the staging point for the flight into Plateau Hut on the Grand Plateau. Once settled in the hut, it is possible to do short training or acclimatisation climbs and skills training on Glacier Dome or the nearby ANZAC Peaks before resting up and preparing for the big summit day.
Summit days start between 11 pm and 1 am. The climb of Mount Cook is a big day and can take between 15 and 24 hours return from the hut. The route initially crosses the Grand Plateau before winding its way through house-size crevasses up the steep and complex Linda Glacier to the Linda Shelf. The Shelf is a steep snow traverse under ice cliffs that leads to the technical crux of the route.
![Wanaka Mountain Guides [] Summit Rocks](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NDA5OjI3ODQ=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNzY4IDEwMjQiIHdpZHRoPSI3NjgiIGhlaWdodD0iMTAyNCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4= "Mount Cook Climb 2")
This involves 6-9 pitches of mixed climbing through the Summit Rocks. Above this, the Summit Ice Cap winds up towards the High Peak. The Ice Cap may be hard ice or soft snow and provides amazing exposure and views of the entire Haupapa / Tasman Glacier all the way to the west coast of the South Island, almost 4 vertical kilometres beneath climbers’ feet.
On the descent, there are a series of abseils down through the Summit Rocks. After many hours on the go, there is still the long descent down the Linda Glacier is snow afternoon snow before the last stretch back to the hut.
Check out the latest weather on the Mount Cook Webcam.
Mount Cook Difficulty and Fitness Requirements
![Wanaka Mountain Guides [] Aoraki Mount Cook](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NDMzOjI3NzA=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA3NjgiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9Ijc2OCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4= "Mount Cook Climb 3")
The summit day involves over 1700m of ascent and descent including a number of mixed climbing pitches. A good fitness benchmark is being able to ascend 1000m in 3 hours and trek up to 20km in a day over rough ground with a 15kg pack.
The difficulty of Aoraki / Mount Cook is often underestimated due to its modest height by international standards. Attempting a guided climb requires a proven track record of technical climbing, crampon and ice axe use.
Mount Cook Mountain Hazards
The route is also subject to serious crevasse, avalanche, and icefall hazards. The exposure to objective hazards requires guides and clients to be able to move quickly and efficiently through steep and difficult terrain. The duration of the climb means that climbers need to have experience managing fatigue, sustenance, and maintaining focus on long mountain days.
With this in mind, we only accept clients for an Aoraki / Mount Cook ascent who have climbed with us before on other technical ascents or have significant transferable experience. Recommended ascents include the South West Ridge of Mount Aspiring or the South Ridge of Mount Dixon. The guide on these ascents would then be able to suggest what further training may be required before being ready to Aoraki / Mount Cook. Further specialist training in ice or mixed climbing is also useful in preparation for climbing through the Summit Rocks.
Mount Cook Pricing and Details
| Duration: 6 days |
| Maximum Ratio: 1:1 |
| 2025/26 Dates: |
| Trips are scheduled on request. Over the last few decades, the period when the Linda Glacier route is in a climbable condition has narrowed to the spring climbing season of November and December. Early in the season there is the possibility of soft snow and heightened avalanche hazards. Later in the season, the glacier deteriorates to the extent that it is not possible to traverse in a sufficiently timely manner to minimise exposure to the overhead hazards. This period also coincides with New Zealand’s unsettled spring weather so possible summit days may be infrequent. As alternatives to Aoraki / Mount Cook, we often recommend some of our other classic New Zealand ascents including Tititea / Mount Aspiring. We no longer have availability for the 2025 season so get in touch to to plan your pathway for Aoraki / Mount Cook in 2026 or beyond. |
| Mount Cook Climb cost (2025/26): $ |
| Includes: Applicable Taxes, guide fees, compliance costs, transport from Wānaka, technical equipment, food, and accommodation. Excludes: Helicopter costs. A climb of Aoraki / Mount Cook requires flights in and out from Plateau Hut. During the peak season, it is likely to be able to share flights with other climbing parties, and cost savings are passed on directly. Budget between $400 and $1200 for each direction. |
See Also
![Wanaka Mountain Guides [] Mount Aspiring](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NDk2OjI5OTc=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA3NjgiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9Ijc2OCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4= "Mount Cook Climb 6")
![Wanaka Mountain Guides [] Four Day Ascents](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NTAwOjI3MDI=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA3NjgiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9Ijc2OCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4= "Mount Cook Climb 7")
‘[Out guide] was absolutely brilliant. I feel safe at all times with him, yet he doesn’t stifle me and gives me the freedom to go on my own when I feel comfortable doing so. He makes me feel relaxed and at ease both on and off the mountain. His local knowledge is incredible and seems to be able to pluck a great adventure out of the hat somewhere no matter what the weather is doing at the time. He’s the best guide I’ve had by far!’
— Marcus, Aoraki / Mount Cook Ascent
‘[Out guide] showed a high level of experience, knowledge, and professionalism in all areas of the course and were also able to convey their knowledge in a logical way that made it easy to progressively learn and practice all the skills. The skills were also taught at a rate that meant I was continually challenged to think about what I was learning and what to do next, but also in a way that made sense and gave us time to absorb all the information so everything came together at the end when we consolidated our learning on the final day on the mountain.’
—Katie, Summer Mountaineering Course
‘[Our guide] was very friendly and easy guy to get along with, yet he is always still very professional. He has an uncanny knack for seemingly being able to pull a rabbit out of the hat despite the odds stacked against such a feat. Even with the very average weather we encountered, we still got quite a lot done.’
— Mark, Private Guiding