Crushing the ice (NZ Day 9)

21/9/2011

Woke up to a clear and chilly morning. Had scrambled eggs with toast and sausage for breakfast. We packed some muesli bars and bananas for our lunch during the hike later in the day. Then left and went to the Fox Glacier Guiding building to check-in for our full day glacier hike.

Outside the glacier guiding building. Weather looking good!

We were greeted by our guide, Tyler, who is from California but came over here to New Zealand to work. So, after some introduction, we got our boots from the boot room and waited for the others in the group to get ready. The bus soon came and we got on board and drove to the carpark of Fox Glacier. The group had 10 people plus 2 guides.

In the boot room waiting for our guide.

Getting our boots at the counter.

The bus that drove us to the glacier car park.

About 5 minutes before reaching the car park, we felt a bump as the bus drove along the road. Tyler then explained that we had actually crossed over the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates which caused a little bump over the road. The active movements of the plate is also a reason for the beautiful mountains seen in New Zealand and also the multiple earthquakes that struck badly on Christchurch.

From the carpark, we had to walk for about 1 hour before reaching the terminal face of the glacier, then we put our crampons on for walking on ice. On the way there, Tyler told us lots of information about glaciers and the landscape that were surrounding us. He also told us about the legend of the glacier being the tear of a woman who cried after losing her husband. The start of the glaciers (Franz Josef and Fox) are from the top of the mountain, which was the bridge of her nose which then flows down in opposite directions. Which was quite like it if seen from the air.

On the track to the terminal face of the glacier.

Crossing a river stream.

Seeing the majestic glacier from afar.

Another river crossing, but much nearer to the glacier.

Going up a steep slope that will bring us to the glacier itself.

An icefall that happened not long before we were there, which resulted in the crumbling of the glacier near the end of it.

Tyler went behind a large rock to pick up a pile of crampons and brought us to a comfortable flat ground and taught us how to put them on. After all of us have put on our crampons, he told us on a few safety measures we should take note of and how to walk comfortably and safely with the crampons, and we started our hike on the glacier.

Tyler with our crampons.

All of us putting on the crampons.

Final briefing before stepping on ice.

From the moment we stepped on the ice, the sound of crunching was heard all the way until hours later when we stepped out of it caused by the spikes on the crampons chewing into the ice.

A few of the guides chiseling their way through the ice.

Our group walking in a narrow path.

About 30 minutes into the walk, Tyler brought us to an ice cave/tunnel. It's not really bluish in color, compared to the one that we went at the later part of the hike. Because the ice cave was small, we had to take turns to go down in twos or threes to prevent over crowding.

My brother going down into the ice cave.

The color looks more greenish than blue.

Looking up the glacier. It's really long!

Another guide looking into the valley.

We walked for quite a distance before stopping on an open area in the glacier for lunch. Just a simple lunch actually, a few muesli bars and a couple of bananas. We could actually drink the water from the ice melt and it was a really good thirst quencher because it's so cold and refreshing!

Walking in an orderly single file.

Hammering more ice with the ice axe.

Stopped by on this open space for lunch.

A pool of water that we collected our water from.

After lunch we went much higher up the glacier and found another ice cave, this time much bluer than the previous. The cave was quite low below and there isn't a path down so we waited while Tyler carved some little steps so we could go down easily.

Carving out some steps down into the cave.

Blue!

Thanks to Tyler for the photo!

Like in most places in New Zealand, especially the West Coast, the weather changes very quickly and often drastically. So it wasn't surprising that it soon became cloudy and cold. We were lucky the cloud held on to the rain and didn't release it on us.

Blue sky turning white.

Passing by a huge rock.

The two guides covering up the hole of a crevasse.

We reached the upper most part of the glacier that the guide deemed safe to walk on. Above us the glacier formation is a lot more rugged and was dangerous to walk on. So we just hung around the area and rest for awhile before heading back down the glacier.

The sky cleared up for a short while. The rugged glacier above us that our guide said it was dangerous to walk on.

Heading back down already.

Above a mini crevasse that seem to have no end to it.

Some of the half-day groups on the lower part of the glacier.

Back at the base of the glacier. We took off our crampons and walked back to the bus and drove back to the town. Great day spent on the ice!