Fox Glacier

Trip Start Jan 16, 2008

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Trip End Jul 28, 2008

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Fox Glacier Campervan Park

Flag of New Zealand Fox Glacier, South Island, New Zealand
Saturday, July 5, 2008

The abundance of snow made the famous drive from Wanaka through the Haast Pass to the West Coast a winter wonderland. The alpine scenery was truly breathtaking as countless waterfalls cascaded through thick forest canopy into icy cold streams flowing hundreds of metres below.

Stopping to help two young German lads stuck in the snow, we ourselves succombed to the same fate but our expert ability in fitting snow chains meant our escape was simply "too easy"! We were back on our merry way within minutes.

Fortunate enough to arrive at Fox Glacier around 4pm the sun was beginning to set so our walk around Lake Matheson was simply sublime. The perfect reflections of Mount Cook, Mount Tasman and the surrounding Southern Alps in the water was unimaginably beautiful.

Start of Fox Glacier

With temperatures down to minus five over night, we woke up to a sharp frost but bright blue skies for our guided walk of Fox Glacier. It was a memorable experience as our young Texan guide was brilliant in his commentary as well as bantering the oblivious Japanese tourists as they ticked another sight off their world tour list!!

The scale and destructive force of this glacier was something to behold. Standing hundreds of metres above ground level on top of the ice, crawlingthrough ice tunnels and squeezing down tight crevasses was an exhilirating experience as we traversed all around the mighty Fox!

By the time we made it down to the terminal face the sun was setting and some weary legs were happy to clamber back on board the bus after a thoroughly unique day.

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Fox Glacier	Rob in an ice tunnel	Admiring the view	Rob in a crevasse
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Comments

mdhd on

Thanks for updates
Thank you for the telephone call from Wanaka on Wednesday morning, our time. Lovely to catch up with your travels and proposed itinerary. Lolfu. MDHD xx

helmachrystal on

Well done
Great to have read all your updates.
Thanks for your call on my birthday. If you are coming back to get some summer sunshine. STAY WHERE YOU ARE!!!!! It rained the whole day on the 9th of June. Not a good day to be stuck inside with 30 6 year olds!!!!
Annie of to Africa tonight!!! 2 daughters on the other side of the world!!!!!
Love you helma