The search for two climbers on Mount Cook has ended - as it's believed they were killed in an unsurvivable ice avalanche

The pair set off to summit New Zealand's highest peak on Friday - taking the Linda Glacier route.

A search mission was launched on Monday when they didn't return - hampered by bad weather.

Police say there's evidence of an avalanche in a known icefall hazard zone - on the upper Linda Glacier.

The Department of Conservation's Sally Jones says the area's too unstable to attempt a recovery operation.