Mount Forbes is a mountain in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand.
Mount Forbes is located at the northern end of the Sibbald Range which is a subrange of the Southern Alps. It is situated west of the city of Christchurch and is set on the northeastern boundary of Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park in the Canterbury Region of South Island. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains east into the headwaters of the Macaulay River, and west to the Godley River via Separation and McKinnon streams. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises above Macaulay River in two kilometres and above Separation Stream in two kilometres. The nearest higher peak is Mount D'Archiac, three kilometres to the north. The first ascent of the summit was made in February 1912 by Hugh F. Wright and Jim P. Murphy.
The mountain was named in 1861 by Julius von Haast to honour James David Forbes (1809âÂÂ1868), a Scottish physicist, glaciologist, and professor at the University of Edinburgh. The MÃÂori name for this mountain is "Tururehekau". This mountain's toponym has been officially approved by the New Zealand Geographic Board.
Climbing routes on Mount Forbes:
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Mount Forbes is located in a marine west coast (Cfb) climate zone, with a tundra climate 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 small unnamed glaciers on this mountain's slopes. The months of December through February offer the most favourable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.