Fox Glacier

Trip Start Feb 08, 2008
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Trip End Mar 10, 2008


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Flag of New Zealand  ,
Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Today we switch coach lines (Newmans) and head off  for the Fox Glacier and the Southern Alps.  We travel through vineyards  and fruit orchards, and eventually through high country sheep ranches.  We are heading to Westland, and going through rainforest (and yes it does continue to rain for us;  aren't they suppose to be having a drought here).    This morning the scenery is lush and green and misty, it reminds me of a scene out of "Gorillas in the Mist". We also travel through windswept sandy areas, much like what we had  at 90 Mile Beach on the North Island.  It is remote along here, no electricity in much of this area, and we are following the wild Tasman Sea, and it is wild and windy today.  We stop at Knightspoint for a photo op - wild rugged sea and big rocks with breakers crashing over them.   Then through more steep mountainsides and up into the Southern Alps.
 
Today is the first time on our journey that we have run into line ups at our rest stops, this morning right out the door .  By our afternoon stop, which was late for a lunch stop, we were starving and willing to stand in line Tasman Sea at Knightspoint
Tasman Sea at Knightspoint
 .  A ½ sandwich, scone and coffee for 2  $20.00 (all of which was very mediocre).  
 
We arrive at our destination - the Fox Glacier Resort by 3:30, still time to enjoy the day, if only it would stop raining.  This is a quaint turn of the century hotel, no elevator, so we struggle up to the second floor with all of our luggage.  It does brighten up so we arrange for a shuttle to take us to the parking lot for the Fox Glacier - we cannot see it from the road (or from the village) but we have been told it is only about an hours hike).  Al has convinced me it would be a shame to come this far and not see the glacier (I was leaning strongly to a book and some wine).  

The trail starts off pretty good, if a little muddy.  I come across a sign that says no stopping, and look up to see that we are now crossing an avalanche shute, that sure explains the no stopping sign.  The trail soon becomes more difficult until I am faced with mounds of very large rocks to climb over and a  raging stream to cross.  Feeling decidedly unhappy I eventually find a part of the stream that I think I can tackle, and hopping onto big rocks I am almost across when  I made a misstep and am ankle deep in cold water - yuk!  One more small stream to cross and I am almost there.  As I come around the corner and try to catch up with Al I see the Glacier, it is a towering, impressive sight and it feels as though it is right in front of me.  Continuing on you can get almost to the face of the Glacier and it is an impressive sight.  Even with wet feet it has been worth it to get this close and I certainly understand why people rent planes to be able to land on it.
 
The other large glacier here is the Franz Joseph, a smaller glacier, but spectacular and you can see it from the Franz Joseph Village.  This is the livelier of the two villages but it was fully booked when we made our accommodations. 
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leilag
leilag on Mar 12, 2008 at 03:06PM

greetings
Dear Jill,
I can look at your pictures again and again.Great photos! I enjoy all of them very much! It seems Al and you are having a good and intersting trip.
Cheers,
Leila

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