Cold as Ice
After departing Te Anau, via Matt's parents' winery, we went to Fox Glacier.
The Fox Glacier was known as the Albert Glacier until William Lane Fox, the then Prime Minister, decided he'd quite like it to be named after himself.
And I can see why he'd quite like it - it was amazing. I have decided that the day we spent hiking on the top of the Glacier was my favourite day in New Zealand, and possibly of the whole trip. It was completely different to anything I've ever done before and it was beautiful - the ice was bright white in some places, bright blue in others. In other places the ice was grey and dirty from the rocks it has picked up and crushed over the years.
The Fox Glacier, along with the Franz Josef Glacier 20km further north, is quite rare among the world's glaciers - it is actually advancing. Global warming has had an unusual effect - there is now more precipitation falling as snow in the mountains, which flows down to the Glacier and pushes it forward. It can advance as much as 1m in a day.
We spent four hours hiking on the ice, and I think I enjoyed it particularly because, with crampons on my boots, it was almost impossible to fall over (which is what normally happens with me and ice). Also, as I have missed the UK winter this year, it could be the closest I come to ice for 18 months (other than in the fruit smoothies I've been drinking).
We saw crevasses - fortunately our guide was very good, cutting steps in the ice wherever there was no route apparent - and moulons, which are drainholes for the thawed ice.
A great day and a very unusual experience which I can't see myself repeating in the foreseeable future.
The Fox Glacier was known as the Albert Glacier until William Lane Fox, the then Prime Minister, decided he'd quite like it to be named after himself.
And I can see why he'd quite like it - it was amazing. I have decided that the day we spent hiking on the top of the Glacier was my favourite day in New Zealand, and possibly of the whole trip. It was completely different to anything I've ever done before and it was beautiful - the ice was bright white in some places, bright blue in others. In other places the ice was grey and dirty from the rocks it has picked up and crushed over the years.
The Fox Glacier, along with the Franz Josef Glacier 20km further north, is quite rare among the world's glaciers - it is actually advancing. Global warming has had an unusual effect - there is now more precipitation falling as snow in the mountains, which flows down to the Glacier and pushes it forward. It can advance as much as 1m in a day.
We spent four hours hiking on the ice, and I think I enjoyed it particularly because, with crampons on my boots, it was almost impossible to fall over (which is what normally happens with me and ice). Also, as I have missed the UK winter this year, it could be the closest I come to ice for 18 months (other than in the fruit smoothies I've been drinking).
We saw crevasses - fortunately our guide was very good, cutting steps in the ice wherever there was no route apparent - and moulons, which are drainholes for the thawed ice.
A great day and a very unusual experience which I can't see myself repeating in the foreseeable future.
posted by Gaz man at 1:24 am
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