A prominent ridge on New Zealand's highest mountain, 3,754m Aoraki-Mount Cook, is to be renamed after the country's most famous mountaineer, though the decision to do so has not met with universal support.

Subsequent to his death in 2008, the New Zealand Government launched a public campaign to find an appropriate geographical tribute to Sir Edmund Hillary.

While two mountain features in Antarctica are named after Hillary, and the New Zealand Government named prominent peaks in South Island's Fjordland after two of the country's most famous scientists, no mountain features in New Zealand had yet been named after Hillary.

Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) the Government department responsible for land titles, geodetic surveys, topographical information etc, finally considered seven landmarks:

• an unnamed peak in MacKenzie Country, which they proposed naming "Mt Hillary";
• an unnamed peak in the Remarkables, Otago, which they proposed naming "Hillary Peak";
• an unnamed peak in Hauraki Hills, for which they proposed "Hillary Hill";
• Magellan on the main divide near Mt Aspiring, first ascended by Hillary, to be renamed simply "Hillary";
• Mitre Peak in the Inland Kaikoura Range, to be renamed "Hillary Peak";
• Tapuae-o-Uenuku, also in the Inland Kaikoura Range, an area for which Hillary always had a strong affection, to be renamed "Tapuaenuku-Mount Edmund Hillary"; and
• the South Ridge of Aoraki - Mount Cook, of which Hillary made the first ascent, to be renamed "Hillary Ridge"

In 2010 the Board decided that the Hillary Ridge on Aoraki-Mount Cook seemed most appropriate, a decision fully supported by Hillary's family. However, it was necessary to hold a three-month public consultation before the name change could officially be announced.

This proved highly controversial, and in the end, out of 116 public submissions, only 56 were in favour, with 53 against and seven with no strong views either way.

The South Ridge of Aoraki-Mount Cook was first climbed in February 1948 by two of New Zealand's foremost mountaineers and professional guides, Harry Ayres and Mick Sullivan, leading Ruth Adams and Hillary.

The route has become one of the great classics of the mountain and an ideal start for the Grand Traverse. It is graded New Zealand 4- or 4, about Alpine D-/D.

Above Endeavour Col, three rock steps lead to a classic snow arête, which finishes at Low Peak. The third step proved the crux and while Adams and Sullivan negotiated it on the left flank, Ayres and Hillary climbed the crest direct.

This required some inspired leading by Ayers and, at one point, combined tactics as he stood on Hillary's hand, held above at arm's length, in order to reach a crucial crack.

Many public submissions to LINZ, particularly from notable New Zealand climbers, argued that simply renaming the route Hillary Ridge ignored other members of the team, particularly Ayres, who in the late 1940s and '50s was arguably New Zealand's greatest mountaineer.

There is no feature in New Zealand officially named after Ayres and there were strong proposals that the climb be renamed the Hillary-Ayres Ridge. However, the Board declined any idea of dual naming.

Extremely fit and skilled, and greatly admired by Hillary who called him a safe but forceful mountaineer, Ayres (1912-1987) was originally chosen for the 1953 Everest expedition, but was subsequently dropped when John Hunt replaced Eric Shipton as leader.

Hunt did not know Ayres, and the latter had no real high altitude experience. On top of this Ayres was a professional guide and Hunt felt his inclusion would compromise the amateur status of the expedition.

On Wednesday 18th August the name change will become official, and there will now be a Hillary Ridge on New Zealand's highest mountain.

The photograph shows Aoraki-Mt Cook from the Sealy Range, looking up Hooker Valley. The Hillary Ridge is more or less the right skyline.

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