Southern Alps

American  

plural noun

1. a mountain range in New Zealand, on South Island. Highest peak, Mt. Cook, 12,349 feet (3,765 meters).

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Southern Alps British  

plural noun

1. a mountain range in New Zealand, on South Island: the highest range in Australasia. Highest peak: Mount Cook (also known as Aoraki or Aorangi), 3754 m (12 316 ft)

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Example Sentences

Hikes to the top of Mount Cook, which towers over the Southern Alps running the length of the South Island, are difficult even for experienced climbers because of large crevasses and unpredictable weather.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025

For a small fee, travelers can stay overnight in two new 20-bunk huts overlooking the Southern Alps and Tasman Sea.

From New York Times • Jan. 8, 2019

The winds often blow in from the north-west, perpendicular to the Southern Alps, and increase in speed as they roll downhill.

From The Guardian • Mar. 21, 2017

The murmur of the Makaroa was barely audible in the background as the setting sun glinted off the peaks of the Southern Alps to the west.

From Washington Post • Jan. 8, 2015

Summers he worked for scientists conducting geologic research in Antarctica or escorted climbers into New Zealand’s Southern Alps.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer