Day 231 - Fox Glacier, NZ

FOX GLACIER (20/08/09)

Another of the things that both of us really wanted to do in New Zealand was to visit one of the glaciers. One of thwe largest and most accessible the Fox Glacier seemed a good option. As we arrived fairly early in the morning at the base of the glacier the sun was just starting to shine over the mountain tops promising us the fine weather we had been hoping for.

The very front, or terminal face, of the glacier is constantly breaking off and is consequently a very dangerous place to be (two Australian tourists were killed earlier this year when they crossed the safety barrier and got too close). As a result the best way of getting onto the glacier is by climbing steeply half way up one of the mountains before cutting across to a point further up. Here we are at the highest point, Liz has borrowed one of the guides ice axe for dramatic effect.

The jagged, constantly changing terminal face of the glacier.

Liz was very proud of her crampons. We put them on as we reached the edge of the ice and were extremely grateful for them.

Our two guides making rough steps to help us amateurs climb the walls of ice. The Glaciers change so rapidly that it would be almost impossible to cause significant damage to them, the features which we walked on and saw will have all gone in a month anyway.

Looking down the glacier into the valley we had walked up a couple of hours before.

As the time approached midday the sun rose high in the sky illuminating the glacier for a couple of hours before descending behind the mountains on the other side of the valley. We were very lucky to have blue sky and sunshine on the glacier, our guide said it was the first time in several months.

The entrance to an ice cave.

This particular ice cave was extremely narrow. Adam squeezed through (just) and although it felt extremely claustrophobic it was amazing crawling through a blue, smooth walled tunnel of ice.

We normally enjoy slightly different things but we both agreed that climbing across the glacier was on of the highlights of our whole trip.

The glacier is fed by snow falling onto Mount Tasman. The snow is compacted into ice which gradually flows down the mountain side. Such is the power of the glacier that it grinds it's way through solid rock takinng large boulders along with it. We stopped at a group of boulders for lunch, they are a lot more comfortable to sit on than solid ice!

After lunch the guides set up a rope going into a much larger ice cave. Above and below are a few pictures climbing into, and out of, the cave.

The ice cave came out at the bottom of a large crevasse. We had to squeeze through a narrow gap between sheer walls of ice in order to get out.

Ice crystals in a puddle of meltwater.

Back out of the crevasse, relieved but exilharated.

Another spectacular ice formation. We walked through the middle of this large half tube shape.

One of the guides maintaining the walkable parts of the glacier. By chipping off the edge of the top of the crevasse the chips fill the bottom. The chips will form a solid base and ensure that visitors will be able to safely walk through the crevasse for a few days to come.

As far down as we could safely go. Any nearer the terminal face and the ice becomes cracked, unpredictable and dangerous. This view clearly shows the glacial valley carved out by the glacier in colder times. The glacier has been getting smaller for many years now, amazingly before it started retreating about 60 years it ended roughly where the furthest most point of the valley floor turns a corner in the distance.

Liz traversing a large crack in the ice. Don't worry she hasn't broken her wrist in a really funny way she's just carrying her gloves rather than wearing them!

Surface ice which has been eroded by wind into a wave like pattern.

Liz really liked the ice axe.

The uppermost point where we could safely go was just before this area. Here the glacier narrows as the wide upper glacier is funneled into a much smaller gap. Consequently the ice becomes rough and jagged rather like the rapids of a river in extreme slow motion.

As the sun disappeared further behind the mountains the clouds started to roll in and it became much gloomier. However by this point it was nearly time to start the trek home and we were both extremely happy with the fantastic weather we had had almost all day.

Crossing back over the desolate, rock-strewn valley the glacier had created centuries before we looked back at the magnificent, soon to be cloud covered glacier.