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

Cook Alpine Salmon shop, on the shores of Lake Pukaki, in the Southern Alps.

From New York Times • Jan. 23, 2023

The snow-fed river, which has its source in the Southern Alps, has a highly variable flow and sporadic flooding.

From The Guardian • Mar. 21, 2017

On my last day, Daughters and I fished an unnamed river west of the crest of the Southern Alps.

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