Mount Harper is a mountain in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand.
Description.
Mount Harper is located northwest of Christchurch on the boundary of Arthur's Pass National Park in the South Island. It is set in the Black Range of the Southern Alps. Precipitation runoff from the mountain's southwest slope drains into the headwaters of Burnet Stream which is a tributary of the Wilberforce River, whereas all other slopes drain into tributaries of the Waimakariri River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises above the White River in one kilometre. The nearest higher peak is Mount Murchison, 3.28 kilometres to the southwest. The mountain's toponym was applied in 1926 to honour Arthur Paul Harper (1865–1955), a New Zealand lawyer, mountaineer, explorer, businessman, conservationist, and for many years president of the New Zealand Alpine Club as a founding member. This Mount Harper should not be confused with Mount Harper / Mahaanui which is also in Canterbury.
Climbing.
Climbing routes:
Climate.
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Mount Harper 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 upwards by the mountains (orographic lift), causing moisture to drop in the form of rain or snow. This climate supports a glacieret on the eastern slope of this peak. The months of December through February offer the most favourable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.