Mount Rudolf is a mountain in New Zealand.

Description

Mount Rudolf is set on the crest or Main Divide of the

Southern Alps The Southern Alps (; officially Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana) are a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand, New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the range's western side. The n ...

and is situated on the boundary shared by the West Coast and

Canterbury Region Canterbury () is a region of New Zealand, located in the central-eastern South Island. The region covers an area of , making it the largest region in the country by area. It is home to a population of The region in its current form was estab ...

s of the

South Island The South Island ( , 'the waters of Pounamu, Greenstone') is the largest of the three major islands of New Zealand by surface area, the others being the smaller but more populous North Island and Stewart Island. It is bordered to the north by ...

. This peak is located northeast of

Aoraki / Mount Cook Aoraki / Mount Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand. Its height, , is listed as . It is situated in the Southern Alps, the mountain range that runs the length of the South Island. A popular tourist destination, it is also a favourite ch ...

and set on the boundary shared by

Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park is a national park located in the Canterbury Region in the central-west of the South Island of New Zealand. It was established in October 1953 and takes its name from the highest mountain in New Zealand, Aora ...

and

Westland Tai Poutini National Park Westland Tai Poutini National Park is a national park located on the western coast of New Zealand's South Island. Established in 1960 as Westland National Park to commemorate the centenary of the European settlement of Westland District, it cov ...

. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains north to the

Waiho River The Waiho River (traditionally the Waiau River) is a river of the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island. It is fed by the meltwater of the Franz Josef Glacier and skirts the main township of Franz Josef to its south, where its rive ...

and south to the Tasman River.

Topographic relief Terrain (), alternatively relief or topographical relief, is the dimension and shape of a given surface of land. In physical geography, terrain is the lay of the land. This is usually expressed in terms of the elevation, slope, and orientati ...

is significant as the summit rises above the Rudolf Glacier in two kilometres. The nearest higher peak is The Minarets, 1.66 kilometre to the east. The toponyms of the mountain and glacier were applied by Dr. Robert von Lendenfeld to honour

Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria (Rudolf Franz Karl Josef; 21 August 1858 – 30 January 1889) was the only son and third child of Franz Joseph I of Austria, Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria. He was heir apparent to the imp ...

(1858–1889), the son of Emperor Franz Josef.''The New Zealand Alpine Journal'', Volume 6, New Zealand Alpine Club, 1935, p. 127.''Rudolf Glacier''
New Zealand Gazetteer, Retrieved 31 December 2024.

Climbing

The

first ascent In mountaineering and climbing, a first ascent (abbreviated to FA in climbing guidebook, guide books), is the first successful documented climb to the top of a mountain or the top of a particular climbing route. Early 20th-century mountaineers a ...

of the summit was made in January 1914 by Peter Graham and his wife, Elizabeth Muriel Graham.''Mt Rudolf''
New Zealand Alpine Club, Climbnz.org, Retrieved 31 December 2024. Their route was the Northeast Arête from Graham Saddle. The newlyweds had recently married on 1 October 1913. Climbing routes with the first ascents: * Dawes-MacInnes Buttress –

Hamish MacInnes Hamish MacInnes (born McInnes; 7 July 1930 – 22 November 2020) was a Scottish mountaineer, explorer, mountain search and rescuer, and author. He has been described as the "father of modern mountain rescue in Scotland". He is credited w ...

, D. Dawe – (1955) * ''A Nice Affair'' – Don French – (1994) * ''Big Day Out'' – FA party unknown – (1997) * Right Gully (West Face)

Climate

Based on the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

, Mount Rudolf is located in a

marine west coast An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring co ...

(Cfb) climate zone, with a

subpolar oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring co ...

(Cfc) at the summit. Prevailing westerly winds blow moist air from the Tasman Sea onto the mountains, where the air is forced upwards by the mountains (

orographic lift Orographic lift occurs when an air mass is forced from a low elevation to a higher elevation as it moves over rising terrain. As the air mass gains altitude it quickly cools down adiabatically, which can raise the relative humidity to 100% and cr ...

), causing moisture to drop in the form of rain or snow. This climate supports the Franz Josef and Rudolf glaciers surrounding the peak. The months of December through February offer the most favourable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.''The Best Time to Visit the South Island''
nzpocketguide.com, Retrieved 31 December 2024.

Gallery

File:Mt Rudolf.png File:Mt Rudolf.jpg File:Tasman Glacier, The Minarets.png, Mount Rudolf centred in the distance, and The Minarets (right).
Tasman Lake in foreground. File:Mt Rudolf, De A Beche, The Minarets.jpg, Aerial view from west with Mount Rudolf centred.
De La Beche and The Minarets in back. File:Mount de la Beche and The Minarets.jpg, Mount Rudolf (left) and The Minarets (right).
Tasman Glacier in the foreground.

References

External links