| Sir Edmund Hillary with one of his many conquests, Mt. Cook, in the background. |
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"In some ways I believe I epitomise the average New Zealander: I have modest abilities, I combine these with a good deal of determination, and I rather like to succeed." Sir Edmund Hillary
New Zealand made Sir Edmund Hillary, who with Tensing Norgay conquered Mt Everest for the first time 50 years ago. And Sir Edmund Hillary has helped to make New Zealand. The publicity he generated with his 1953 climb sparked the world's curiosity about the island nation in the south western corner of the Pacific.
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FAST FACT:
New Zealanders are known for their colourful turns of phrase. When Sir Edmund Hillary reported his Everest success to the expedition leader, he simply said "Well George, we knocked the bastard off".
Visitors to New Zealand are often amused by local expressions. "In the wop-wops" is a phrase you might encounter if you were walking a track in some other remote place. "Taking a tiki tour" is a way of explaining a walk that went the long way around. "Sparrow’s fart" describes an extremely early start to a hiking expedition.
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Hillary's interest in mountaineering began on a school trip to Mount Ruapehu, a tall volcano in the central North Island. In summer, when the mountain's snow cover shrinks to a small top knot, climbers can scramble over rugged lava flows and scree slopes to the summit. From the top, it's possible to see both coasts of the island. This region is also home to a one day walk known as the Tongariro Crossing. Steaming volcanic craters and weird rock formations make the crossing an otherworldly experience.
After WWII, in preparation for his assault on Everest, Hillary climbed the Southern Alps in summer and winter. Today, customised guiding makes it possible for fit non-climbers to follow in at least some of Hillary's footsteps. In the Mount Cook region, treks across mountain passes provide plenty of challenge for first-timers, while experienced mountaineers have a choice of thirty peaks over 3000m, most of which have long glacier approaches, which are serious climbs in their own right.
Hillary often praised his home country as a destination for adventurers. And by adventure, he meant across country as well as straight up. Around Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Park, trekkers can vanish into the wilderness for days at a time. The Routeburn, Hollyford and Milford tracks are well known - and they thoroughly deserve their fame. The Hump Ridge Track, which begins on the south coast of Southland, is one of the country's newest walking adventures. Highlights include historic wooden viaducts and coastal segments with seal encounters.
Those who visit New Zealand to conquer mountains and tracks will also enjoy the other forms of 'expeditionary' adventure that thrive in the remarkable landscape. Cycling through the vineyards of the Hawke's Bay, kayaking around the Abel Tasman National Park and sailing around the Bay of Islands are just some of the possibilities.
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