Severely bad weather was building up for the South Island, I was heading into it this time. I started off from Greymouth at 9 AM and although it was just 180kms I had to do, I was very afraid that my glacier walk would be not possible because of the inclement weather. Without a single stop I did 18 odd kays and stopped at the Franz Josef Top 10 holiday park. It hadn’t rained yet but the clouds were dark, angry and threatening.
After quickly checking in I enquired with Franz Josef Glacier guides about a glacier walk. All were full, I had forgotten it was the peak season and didn’t book it in advance. I then called up Fox Glacier (which is 25 kms further south from Franz Josef). They said if there was a cancellation they would take me in at the 2.30 PM slot. The walk takes 4 hours and is rated at moderately difficult.
I decided to take my chances and arrived at Fox Glacier on time. Luckily they had created a new slot due to high demand and I was taken in as one of the 12 max people allowed with one guide. We were given waterproof gear, good boots, a pair of Crampons (which latched on to the boots) to enable us to have proper walking grip on ice.
A small bus took the group to the car parking before the glacier from where it was a 3.30 hours return journey with 800+ vertical steps.
Fox Glacier seems to be more relaxed and less crowded than the Franz Josef Glacier (which is 25 kms away). One reason might be the ease of accessibility of the glacier by walking. Fox Glacier walk required at least 45 uphil steep and strenuous walking through rainforest, while the Franz Josef is said to greet its walkers with ice relatively easily.
I, as usual, had to take my Lowepro Computrekker plus with the two camera bodies and three lenses making it a heavy deal. The Fox Glacer is one of the very few (the other one I know is in Argentina) glaciers in the world which actually meets a rainforest on 300 meters above sea level). It is also one of the very few glaciers which are actually advancing (instead of retreating), and it flows at an incredibly fast rate (compared to other glaciers in the world)
The unique combination of climate and shape means that Fox (and Franz Josef) Glaciers move at approximately 10 times the speed of other valley glaciers around the world. At Fox Glacier this is due to the funnel-like shape of the glacial valley and the huge nevé, the snow accumulation area, at the top of the glacier. Fox Glacier’s nevé is 36 square kms, bigger than the whole of Christchurch City! (Text: Fox Guides) A Nevé is the snowfield which feeds a glacier.
While walking uphill through the rainforest bit it is advised to be in a tshirt so that the sweat evaporates before you reach the glacier where the temperature is a lot lower.
The guide told us that there was a gentleman who fooled them to take in on the walk saying he was under 60, but after completing he disclosed that he was actually 80 and he had done the walk to celebrate him turning into an Octogenarian!
Unfortunately every beautiful spectacle of nature has a dark side too. Ice and glaciers can be very unpredictable as it was found a year before in Jan 2009, when two Australian-Indian brothers died when more than a 100 tonnes of ice fell of them. This happened while they were taking photos of the glacier’s terminal face without a guide and crossed over the ropes. I hope their souls rest in peace, they were very young.
We walked on ice on tracks carved out glacier guides with ice steps. After half an hour on the ice it started to rain and we had to start going back.
Overall it was quiet an enjoyable experience, but those who haven’t been to the Himalayas, they should, however I doubt that any glacier is as easily accessible as this one over there.
I rode back to Franz Josef in rain. Next morning it was raining even harder and I got the news that the road to the south (the main highway ) was closed because of flooding and landslide. Like many other stranded tourists I also decided stay put for the day (like I had any other choice). I had to reach Mt Cook today but ended up shuffling the route to accommodate this day which went waste in rain…
At the Fox Guide center
On the bus to the glacier car park
The intense blue color of the water is due to certainn suspended silica
Notice the sign? Thats why it is very important to go with a guide or unless you are experienced yourself.
See the glacier meeting the rainforests?
descendin down to the glacier from the rainforests
Finally the glacier
crossing a stream
onto the ice
crampons!
Our guide making sure the ice starcase is well carved for others
Crampons at work
A rare self portrait!
Our guide for the day
