Southern Alps topographic map

Average elevation: 1,542 ft

The special character of flora and fauna in the region was recognised prior to 1920. One particular example is the Gouland Downs, an area with unusual geology and vegetation, situated at around 600 m (2,000 ft) elevation to the west of Mt Perry. The Gouland Downs was one of eleven sanctuaries designated by the…

Average elevation: 1,109 ft

Mount Aspiring National Park covers 3,562 square kilometres (1,375 mi2) at the southern end of the Southern Alps, directly to the west of Lake Wānaka, and is popular for tramping, walking and mountaineering. Mount Aspiring / Tititea, elevation 3,033 metres (9,951 ft) above sea level, gives the park its name.…

Average elevation: 2,526 ft

Westland Tai Poutini National Park covers 1,320 square kilometres (510 sq mi) exclusively on the western side of the South Island's main divide, making it New Zealand's fifth largest national park. The park covers a wide variety of environments, ranging from high alpine tundra near the park's border with…

Average elevation: 2,247 ft

Average elevation: 240 ft

Average elevation: 1,434 ft

Average elevation: 1,434 ft

Average elevation: 43 ft

Average elevation: 1,434 ft

Average elevation: 3,041 ft

Average elevation: 315 ft

Average elevation: 9,180 ft

Average elevation: 8,671 ft

Mount Aspiring / Tititea is New Zealand's 23rd-highest mountain. The peak's altitude of 3,033 metres (9,951 ft) makes it the country's highest outside the Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park region.

Average elevation: 7,405 ft

Average elevation: 6,693 ft

Average elevation: 7,556 ft

Average elevation: 16 ft

Average elevation: 2,657 ft

Average elevation: 2,467 ft

Average elevation: 1,939 ft

Average elevation: 2,503 ft

Average elevation: 1,496 ft

Average elevation: 2,195 ft

Average elevation: 1,683 ft

Average elevation: 1,266 ft

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Average elevation: 1,991 ft

Average elevation: 3,094 ft

Average elevation: 873 ft

Average elevation: 243 ft

Average elevation: 230 ft

Chancellor Hut was built in 1930–31 on the southwest face of Chancellor Ridge, now 200 m above the glacier. Planned by mountain guides Alec and Peter Graham in 1929, all the materials had to be packed up Fox Glacier manually in 1930 in the days before helicopter airlifts. It is the oldest remaining mountain…

Average elevation: 6,063 ft

Average elevation: 6,939 ft

Average elevation: 6,286 ft

It is split into upper and lower glaciers which are connected by an icefall. The Upper Volta Glacier is between 1,600–2,000 m (5,200–6,600 ft) in altitude and is surrounded by the 3 peaks of Glacier Dome, Pickelhaube and Fastness Peak, while the Lower Volta Glacier sits directly under the North side of…

Average elevation: 5,085 ft

Average elevation: 5,344 ft

Average elevation: 5,951 ft

Average elevation: 4,902 ft

Unlike most glaciers in New Zealand, the Garden of Eden is aligned east-west across both sides of the main divide of the Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana. The eastern reaches of the plateau are the highest point, reaching an altitude of around 2,300 m (7,500 ft) in the area south of Newton Peak. The…

Average elevation: 5,600 ft

Average elevation: 6,184 ft

Average elevation: 5,991 ft

Average elevation: 6,365 ft

Average elevation: 5,988 ft

Average elevation: 6,204 ft

The topography and climate of the Dart Glacier make it particularly responsive to changes in conditions. Since 1915, the glacier has retreated approximately 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi), with historical records from the time showing the glacier extending further down the Dart Valley, connecting with the Hesse and…

Average elevation: 6,070 ft

Average elevation: 6,047 ft

Average elevation: 6,171 ft

Average elevation: 6,309 ft

Average elevation: 5,089 ft

Average elevation: 2,503 ft

A combination of high intensity rainfall, high topographic relief and short steep rivers often leads to rapid flooding of low-lying land across the West Coast. Since its founding Greymouth has experienced two dozen floods by the Grey River, with many of the most significant being assigned names: for example,…

Average elevation: 131 ft

Average elevation: 46 ft

Average elevation: 1,227 ft

Average elevation: 1,135 ft

Average elevation: 1,539 ft

Average elevation: 49 ft

Located in the Inangahua Valley at an altitude of 194m, Reefton falls under the Köppen-Geiger climate classification of Cfb (Oceanic), though the town's sheltered inland location lends its climate less maritime influence than coastal areas; as such, Reefton has recorded both the extreme highest temperature of…

Average elevation: 1,017 ft

Average elevation: 3,766 ft

Average elevation: 1,063 ft

Average elevation: 249 ft

The névé or snowfield at the head of Franz Josef Glacier is over 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) above sea level and 20 square kilometres (7.7 sq mi) in area. This wide névé, which is over 300 metres (980 ft) deep, feeds large amounts of compacted snow into a steep and narrow valley which drops quickly to very low…

Average elevation: 5,607 ft

Average elevation: 2,910 ft

Average elevation: 2,054 ft

Average elevation: 1,096 ft

Average elevation: 358 ft

Average elevation: 361 ft

Average elevation: 1,198 ft

Average elevation: 151 ft

Average elevation: 240 ft

Average elevation: 36 ft

Average elevation: 1,434 ft

Average elevation: 2,628 ft

Average elevation: 866 ft

Average elevation: 1,312 ft

Chancellor Hut was built in 1930–31 on the southwest face of Chancellor Ridge, now 200 m above the glacier. Planned by mountain guides Alec and Peter Graham in 1929, all the materials had to be packed up Fox Glacier manually in 1930 in the days before helicopter airlifts. It is the oldest remaining mountain…

Average elevation: 6,063 ft

Average elevation: 6,696 ft

Average elevation: 3,766 ft

Average elevation: 49 ft

Average elevation: 879 ft

Average elevation: 3,363 ft

Average elevation: 1,434 ft

Average elevation: 2,631 ft

Average elevation: 230 ft

Average elevation: 1,198 ft

Average elevation: 4,485 ft

Average elevation: 1,434 ft

Average elevation: 371 ft

Located in the Inangahua Valley at an altitude of 194m, Reefton falls under the Köppen-Geiger climate classification of Cfb (Oceanic), though the town's sheltered inland location lends its climate less maritime influence than coastal areas; as such, Reefton has recorded both the extreme highest temperature of…

Average elevation: 1,017 ft

The névé or snowfield at the head of Franz Josef Glacier is over 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) above sea level and 20 square kilometres (7.7 sq mi) in area. This wide névé, which is over 300 metres (980 ft) deep, feeds large amounts of compacted snow into a steep and narrow valley which drops quickly to very low…

Average elevation: 5,607 ft

Average elevation: 1,158 ft

Chancellor Hut was built in 1930–31 on the southwest face of Chancellor Ridge, now 200 m above the glacier. Planned by mountain guides Alec and Peter Graham in 1929, all the materials had to be packed up Fox Glacier manually in 1930 in the days before helicopter airlifts. It is the oldest remaining mountain…

Average elevation: 6,063 ft

Located in the Inangahua Valley at an altitude of 194m, Reefton falls under the Köppen-Geiger climate classification of Cfb (Oceanic), though the town's sheltered inland location lends its climate less maritime influence than coastal areas; as such, Reefton has recorded both the extreme highest temperature of…

Average elevation: 1,017 ft

Average elevation: 1,312 ft

Average elevation: 909 ft

Average elevation: 230 ft

Average elevation: 1,434 ft

Average elevation: 240 ft

Average elevation: 108 ft

A combination of high intensity rainfall, high topographic relief and short steep rivers often leads to rapid flooding of low-lying land across the West Coast. Since its founding Greymouth has experienced two dozen floods by the Grey River, with many of the most significant being assigned names: for example,…

Average elevation: 131 ft

Average elevation: 1,434 ft