Greatest New Zealander Mountaineers
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Sir Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Hillary is undoubtedly the most famous and accomplished New Zealand mountaineer. He is best known for being the first person to successfully climb Mount Everest along with Tenzing Norgay in 1953. He also went on to have a successful career in mountaineering and exploration, including leading expeditions to the South Pole and the Himalayas.
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Bill Denz
Bill Denz was a renowned mountaineer and rock climber who played a major role in establishing many of New Zealand's most famous climbing routes in the 1940s and 1950s. He also made a number of first ascents in the Southern Alps, including the West Ridge of Mount Cook in 1948.
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Graeme Dingle
Graeme Dingle was a prolific mountaineer who climbed extensively in New Zealand and around the world. He made a number of first ascents in the Southern Alps, and also played a major role in the development of mountaineering training and safety practices in New Zealand.
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Lydia Bradey
Lydia Bradey is a renowned New Zealand mountaineer who is best known for being the first woman to successfully climb Mount Everest without the use of supplemental oxygen in 1988. She has also climbed extensively in New Zealand and around the world, including making the first ascent of the East Face of Aoraki/Mount Cook in 1990.
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Mark Inglis
Mark Inglis is a mountaineer who lost both of his legs to frostbite during a climbing expedition in New Zealand's Southern Alps in 1982. He went on to become a successful Paralympian, and also returned to mountaineering, including making the first double-amputee ascent of Mount Everest in 2006.
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Harry Ayres
Harry Ayres was a pioneering New Zealand mountaineer who made a number of significant first ascents in the Southern Alps in the early 20th century. He was also a member of the first party to successfully traverse the Southern Alps, and played a major role in the development of alpine climbing in New Zealand.
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John Harrison
John Harrison is a highly accomplished New Zealand mountaineer who has climbed extensively in the Southern Alps and around the world. He has made a number of significant first ascents in the Southern Alps, and has also been involved in the development of mountaineering training and safety practices in New Zealand.
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Bill McLeod
Bill McLeod was a pioneering New Zealand mountaineer who made a number of significant first ascents in the Southern Alps in the early 20th century. He was also a member of the first party to successfully traverse the Southern Alps, and played a major role in the development of alpine climbing in New Zealand.