Lauper Peak - Misplaced Pages

Mountain in New Zealand

Lauper Peak
South aspect
Highest point
Elevation	2,485 m (8,153 ft)
Prominence	434 m (1,424 ft)
Isolation	3.09 km (1.92 mi)
Listing	New Zealand #79
Coordinates	43°13′37″S 170°56′52″E / 43.22694°S 170.94778°E / -43.22694; 170.94778
Naming
Etymology	Jakob Lauper
Geography
Lauper PeakLocation in New Zealand

Interactive map of Lauper Peak
Location	South Island
Country	New Zealand
Region	Canterbury / West Coast
Parent range	Southern Alps Butler Range
Topo map	Topo50 BW18
Climbing
First ascent	January 1914

Lauper Peak is a 2,485-metre-elevation (8,153-foot) mountain in New Zealand.

Description

Lauper Peak is located 140 kilometres (87 mi) west of Christchurch on the boundary shared by the Canterbury and West Coast Regions of the South Island. It is set on the crest or Main Divide of the Southern Alps, where it is the highest peak of the Butler Range. Precipitation runoff from the mountain's northeast slope drains into the headwaters of the Whitcombe River, whereas all other slopes drain to the Rakaia River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 1,400 metres (4,593 feet) above Lauper Stream in two kilometres, and 1,625 metres (5,331 feet) above the Rakaia Valley in five kilometres. The nearest higher peak is Mount Whitcombe, three kilometres to the west-northwest.

Eponymy

Jakob Lauper (1815–1891) was a Swiss mountain guide who accompanied Henry Whitcombe, a surveyor for the Canterbury Provincial Council. They were tasked with investigating a pass near the headwaters of the Rakaia River. During this expedition, for which they were ill-prepared, Whitcombe drowned in the Taramakau River when crossing it in May 1863. This event resulted in Julius von Haast naming the pass the pair had travelled Whitcombe Pass, as well as a mountain, Mount Whitcombe. When George John Roberts (Chief Surveyor in Westland) mapped the Rakaia headwaters during the 1880s, he named the peak west of Whitcombe Pass after Jakob Lauper. This mountain's toponym has been officially approved by the New Zealand Geographic Board.

Climbing

The first ascent of the summit was made in January 1914 by Fred Kitchingham, Charles Ward, and Lawrence Gooch.

Climbing routes with the first ascents:

East Ridge – Fred Kitchingham, Charles Ward, Lawrence Gooch – (1914)
North Ridge – Brian Olsen, Charlie Ledbrook – (1966)
West Face – Hugh Fyson, Ray Molineux – (1966)
South West Ridge
South East Ridge

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Lauper Peak is located in a marine west coast (Cfb) climate zone, with a subpolar oceanic climate (Cfc) at the summit. Prevailing westerly winds blow moist air from the Tasman Sea onto the mountains, where the air is forced upward by the mountains (orographic lift), causing moisture to drop in the form of rain or snow. This climate supports the Ramsay and Sale glaciers on the slopes of the peak. The months of December through February offer the most favourable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.

Gallery

Northeast aspect centred
South aspect of Lauper Peak (left) rises above the Rakaia River Valley, with Whitcombe Pass filled with clouds.
Southeast aspect of Mount Whitcombe centred on skyline with Lauper Peak in upper right corner.
East aspect of Lauper Peak in upper right above Rakaia River Valley.
Jakob Lauper

References

Lauper Peak, West Coast, NZTopoMap, Retrieved 2 January 2025.
^ "Lauper Peak, New Zealand". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
Leo Schelbert, Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, Rowman & Littlefield, 2014, ISBN 9781442233522, p. 30.
^ Lauper Pk, New Zealand Alpine Club, Climbnz.org, Retrieved 2 January 2025.
^ Lauper Peak, New Zealand Gazetteer, Retrieved 2 January 2025.
Christchurch Climate (New Zealand), climate-data.org, Retrieved 2 January 2025.
The Best Time to Visit the South Island, nzpocketguide.com, Retrieved 2 January 2025.