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

See Examples For:

Southern Alps

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

The hilly outcrop covered in golden tussock and native trees boasts uninterrupted views, across sometime placid waters, of New Zealand’s snow-capped Southern Alps.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 16, 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

Skiing and snowboarding in the Southern Alps; cardrona.com.

From New York Times ● Oct. 10, 2014

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