Franz Josef Glacier, West Coast of South Island NZ
The Franz Josef Glacier is a 'temperate' or 'warm' glacier. The glacier actually comes down BELOW the treeline. The neve (the area the snow collects in) is massive; about the size of Auckland (Wolverhampton/Preston); it receives 50 metres of snow through the year and this is all chunnelled into the glacier. The glacial valley is only 2km (my guess) wide which means there is a hell of a lot of snow/ice pushing down the steep valley all year round.
We'd booked onto the all day glacier walk as this takes you up on to the blue ice and was rated 'adventurous'. When we got up the morning was glorious - you could even see the glacier and the mountains from our campsite...however by the time we got to the site the clouds we starting to gather. We were kitted out with their boots and crampons and jackets (why trash our own stuff when we can borrow theirs!).I was initially horrified when 50 other people got on the transfer bus. Most of them were on a backpacker bus - the English people who didn't fancy going to Spain this year. Some of them were wearing full make up - I wasn't sure if this was applied especially for the glacier tour or was a remanent of last nights drinking!? When we got to the head of the glacier (the terminal) they thankfully split us into 5 groups of 10.
There were well carved steps into the glacier. It took me a while to trust my crampons especially after the scree and snow we'd encountered on our other walks. The glacier was surprisingly dirty for most of the way up - this was due to some waterry explosion 10 years ago (called a hupplecut or something like that?). Also it was very wet...there was a continual sound of running water pouring down the side of the steps; the walls; under the path. It was all very disconcerting. I was expecting the glacier to be flat on top but instead it was peaky - a bit like the top of the meringue but more ridges (apparently this reflects the steepness of the valley underneath - this is the steepest commercial glacier in the world apparently).
Once we were off the half day circuit our progress slowed as our guide cut steps for us (using a massive pick axe) as we went. The walk took us over peaks then down into brilliant blue crevasses. It also meant that you couldn't see the other people on the glacier - it felt like it was just your group. It was drizzling by this point (or were we just in the cloud?) and I was starting to get a bit chilly. It was like walking through a foxes glacier mint. The glacier moves about 1 metre a day so crevasses are continually opening and moving and closing; consequently they change the route every couple of days. They were hoping to go into a new crevasse. We waited for 30 minutes while two guides tried to dig steps into to it but ultimately they decided it was too dangerous (it had a 4 metre drop to one side!) I do not like taking a step of normal distance if its over a big drop! The clouds lifted (almost sunny) and the whites got whiter and the experience far more enjoyable. Some Keas (Alpine parrots) even came over to say hello. I ripped my trousers on the crampons :( ...I've only got 3 pairs of trousers for 5 months!
Fox Glacier and drive to Wanaka
There's a famous photo taken near Fox Glacier (about 20km further south from Franz Josef) of Mount Tasman and Mount Cook over Lake Matheson. We were informed that to get this photo you needed a massive dose of luck and it helped if you were at the view point at early o'clock. The view point is at the far point of a 90 minute walk. I indulged Phil and at 6am we were at the car park; with several other cars. At the view point there were 5 photographers in the row snapping away - I struggled to suppress a snigger! By 7:30am we'd completed a 90 minute walk. We then went up to the glacier view point - another 90 minute walk - both completed before 11am. The view point was disappointing but the forest was great. I don't know how to take a photo or describe the lushness of forest. Everything was green; covered in moss or lichen; you daren't stop in case you become part of the forest too!
We spent the rest of the day driving to Wanaka...quality drive day. We drove over the Haast Pass. The biggest problem was deciding which of the many waterfalls; view points and short walks to stop at. We couldn't stop at all of them or we'd never have made it!
Wanaka has a reputation as a chill out place but clearly the biggest draw card is Puzzling World. It has some mess with your mind 'illusion rooms' and a maze with 2 levels. The maze has 1.5km of paths but most people walk between 3km-5km to solve it (from the start; to the 4 corners; to the finish). It's a proper maze for adults; with emergency exits; time to complete between 30 and 90minutes. After 40 minutes we'd only found 2 corners and the start again. We resorted to the left hand rule (keep your left hand on the wall) - much to my amusement Phil applied this rule physically! Completed in an hour - we were rubbish!
Queenstown
Queenstown is a serious stop on the backpacker route. I didn't like it when we first got here buts its growing on me. Its got a reputation as the adventure capital of NZ but that doesn't take away from the fact that its a happening little town very prettily situated on the side of a lake. Lots of cafes; bars; restaurants and bucketloads of tourists. The closest we got to adrenalin activities was the luge (downhill go kart track) - I really don't fancy bungee jumping. Unfortunately we discovered the frisbee golf in the gardens too late!
Routeburn Track
The Routeburn Track is a 3 day alpine pass. Its not a very long walk; each day is about 5 hours. The walk is only 35km long, however it's 350km by road between the track ends!! We got a transfer to the Glenorchy end - a drive alongside the lake by Queenstown. At the head of the lake are the valleys of Routeburn, Caples, Dart and Greenstone rivers. We had a lazy morning; picked up a midday transfer and started the track about 2pm. Day 1 had the biggest climb; it was a gentle climb up an old Bridleway through mountain beech to Routeburn Flats (or Route Burn - the name of the river). The streams and waterfalls that cut our path were sheer, clear, azure moutain streams; tumbling over large granite boulders. The valley was steep sided with snow capped mountains towering above us. From Routeburn Flats it became a bit of a slog up to Routeburn Falls and the nights first hut. The hut was beautifully situated; at the tree line with views down the valley from the balcony. The NZ Department of Conservation installs huts onto the alpine back country routes. The huts provide a dorm and a kitchen. The Great walks get the most people and the most investment. The hut was lovely - better than some of the hostels we've stayed in. I was just very grateful that we didn't have to carry a tent; mat or stove! This meant we could take lots of food (or so we thought).
Day 2 of the Routeburn is the alpine crossing over the Harris saddle. As we were already at the tree line there wasn't too much more up but the path isn't quite so well maintained at this part and some of the steps up were a bit of a grunt with the big pack (for my short legs). At the risk of sounding repetitive the views were spectacular. Snow melt fuelling the clear waterfalls; alpine tarns; did i mention the towering snow capped mountains surrounding us, and gorgeous views down the Routeburn valley? Once we croosed the Harris saddle we were looking at the Hollyford valley. The rest of the day clung to the side of the Hollyford valley remaining above the treeline. We lunched on ryevita; cream cheese and salami - yum! Immediately after lunch the path turned into a hanging valley and we could see Lake Mackenzie and the Lake Mackenzie hut below us. Lake Mackenzie had a glorious green tinge to it (its emptied by an underground stream) with Emily pass towering over the valley end. It looked so close but it was so far....the path then switch backed down the steep sided valley for 90 minutes before we reached the hut! It was a glorious blue sky day and we chilled out by Lake Mackenzie. Some people swam in it but as it was only 8 degrees we declined!
Day 3 of the Routeburn: It seems the huge amounts of food we took were only just enough! According to the cereal packet I had enough museli for 10 servings but we'd finished it in 2 days! All the good snacks were gone - by this time we're basically living on nuts and dried fruit - I felt like a parrot. Even Phil was almost passe about the never ending snow-topped mountain vistas; steep valleys; gravel flats and rivers at the bottom. The actual 'Routeburn' part of this walk was not as good as Days 1 or Day 2 but the side track up to 'Key Summit' made up for it. A zig-zag up to an interpretaive walk with 360 degree views of the 3 surrounding valleys - get more fantastic views of towering snow-capped mountains. The final part of the walk seemed almost English - but that may have been the sound of traffic from the road nearby!
We then had a very long transfer back to Queenstown. We were picked up at the track end at 3pm and back in Queenstown for 7pm. After the exercise it was important to have a well balanced meal - take away pizza and cold beer in the park on the lake front :)
We're now back in Queenstown. We're doing some chores today and driving to Te Anau for an overnight cruise on Doubtful Sound; then walking the Kepler Track (a 4 day one this time) and then heading to Milford Sound.
Please note that since my previous entry, we've found our that a Sound is a flooded river valley; a Fiord is a flooded glacial valley. Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound are actually fiords misnamed by Captain Cook when he explored this area.
