There are two glaciers (pronounced gal-cee-urhs) on the south island in New Zealand on every backpacker's to-do list - Fox Glacier, and the Franz Josef Glacier. From what I know, they are both pretty similar. Each are situated in towns which are pretty much built on tourism to the actual glaciers and each are friggin big, cold, and beautiful monstrosities. I opted for a full day hike on the Fox glacier. You can also do half day hikes, or heli-hikes where you take a helicopter ride and land on the glacier. What they don't tell you about hiking on a glacier - it requires a MAJOR hike (600ish "stairs") through a rain forest before you get to the glacier. This day it was actually raining in the rain forest and on the glacier. In fact, the weather was down right awful; all heli hikes were cancelled and my full day hike wasn't exactly a complete full day. But all was well - you're told to dress in at least 3 layers so you're prepared for any weather. This happened to be ALL of the warm clothes I brought with me and all of them ended up VERY soaked.
The contrast in temperature between the rain forest and glacier was unbelievable. Climbing up over 600 stairs which are much steeper and higher than standard stairs, you warm up very quickly. Once you're on the glacier though, its absolutely freezing. The colors in the glacier are absolutely beautiful- every shade of blue imaginable. But the most astounding thing about the day was the fitness of the tour guide. As he leads you through the glacier, he has a giant pick-axe and literally carves out steps in the ice as you go. It was a bizarre, cold, wet, exhausting experience I will never forget.
(unfortunately, due to unforeseen hungover circumstances, I had temporarily lost my digital camera and was stuck with crappy 1990s style disposables. I used my pictures up way too quickly, as everything was such a beautiful site.)
The contrast in temperature between the rain forest and glacier was unbelievable. Climbing up over 600 stairs which are much steeper and higher than standard stairs, you warm up very quickly. Once you're on the glacier though, its absolutely freezing. The colors in the glacier are absolutely beautiful- every shade of blue imaginable. But the most astounding thing about the day was the fitness of the tour guide. As he leads you through the glacier, he has a giant pick-axe and literally carves out steps in the ice as you go. It was a bizarre, cold, wet, exhausting experience I will never forget.
(unfortunately, due to unforeseen hungover circumstances, I had temporarily lost my digital camera and was stuck with crappy 1990s style disposables. I used my pictures up way too quickly, as everything was such a beautiful site.)
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