The west coast of New Zealand's South Island promises stirring adventure every winter if your desire is trekking ice and glaciers
STORY AND PHOTOS BY APIRADEE TREERUTHKUARKUL
 |
 |
| The hike to Fox Glacier takes about three hours. Along this icy part of the trail you'll find `waterfalls' spawned by melting ice. |
Picturing New Zealand's South Island, spectacular images of mountains, pristine forests and crisp blue glaciers spring to mind. These postcard-perfect landscapes are part of its west coast.
Magnificent views of mountains and frozen rivers oozing water down forest-lined mountains make the Fox Glacier one of the most frequently-visited destinations. A myriad of hair-raising activities ensures this relic of the ice age is popular among adrenalin junkies and honeymooners, especially during winter in the southern hemisphere. It is now on the list of "101 must-do sites" in New Zealand.
The Franz Josef and Fox glacier are part of Westland National Park. Nowhere else in the world will you see glaciers advancing so close to the sea, not at this latitude at least.
An unforgettable way to travel this majestic west coast glacier country is by the TranzAlpine railway, one of the world's great train journeys. The train connects Greymouth and Christchurch daily. From Greymouth it is another five hours by bus to Fox Glacier, a small and quiet village town consisting mainly of cafes, bistros and huts with big signs advertising heli-rides, that for a price, provide a superb experience with amazing views of the Fox and Franz Josef, Mt. Cook and Mt. Tasman. For budget travellers, a glacier walk is an interesting option as full and half-day trek led by professional guides are also available.
 |
| Lake Matheson, next to a village at the foot of Fox Glacier, is picture-perfect. In the distance are Mt. Cook and Mt. Tasman. |
I booked a half-day trek to Fox Trot as it does not require a high level of fitness. Since it was low season, there was only me on this trek and a newly-married couple from Sydney, Australia. After being briefed about the schedule, we loaded essential gear such as socks, boots, raincoats and crampons on to a bus before heading for the glacier site about six kilometres from the village.
The first view of the frozen river running down the rainforest was as much stunning as awe-inspiring, a dramatic evidence of the power of ice. It was so big that from the foot of Fox valley a group of trekkers appeared only the size of a matchstick.
Named after former New Zealand prime minister Sir William Fox, the glacier has been advancing since 1985. In the last 10 years it has advanced almost a kilometre, and now moves at a speed of about 40cm per day.
There are three main reasons for this development. The climate on the west coast is such that it is subject to heavy rainfall of about 200mm each year accompanied by snow. Secondly, the zones where ice accumulates on the glacier are very large - so huge an amount of ice is always pushing down the valley. Finally, the glaciers are very steep and travel a long way before they melt.
 |
 |
| `waterfalls' spawned by melting ice. |
The lower section of the trail takes you through a lush and biologically diverse rainforest. |
What had been guardedly left out from the advertisement was that to reach the glacier, this eco-adventure involved a very heavy-duty trek up the side of a mountain. Our tour guide was a sherpa named Passang. Deviating from the public path, he led us uphill through ferns and the temperate rainforest. The first part of the 45-minute trek included a death defying walk for 200 metres characterised by a sheer drop down the mountain face. There was nothing but a frail chain to hold for support, followed by a small aluminum ladder that needed to be climbed very carefully because if we fell off, we would undoubtedly fall to our death.
By the time we reached the high point of our trek, we were all tired and dying for a break. Sitting quietly for a few minutes during which nobody spoke we drank water, enjoying fantastic views of the glacier face and its upper and lower icefalls in front of us.
Then it was time to prepare for the next leg. We were already soaked in sweat, but Passang told us to add a few more layers of clothing as it would be freezing cold trekking the glacier itself. Also, we're told to attach crampons to our boots to give firmer footing on ice and prevent us from falling on our arse.
At first the walk was easy. All we had to do was just stomp hard to give our steps a firm hold on ice. Passang walked in the lead, carving out steps using a giant axe to facilitate our passage. The trekking route, he said, varied day to day, depending on the state of the glacier.
 |
| Melting ice accumulates in clear pools along the trail leading to Fox Glacier. |
After a while it became a bit scary. Passang led us through huge crevasses which were stunning, then walked alongside immeasurably deep icefalls. The terrain beneath our feet became more unstable. But the way our guide, who has conquered Mt. Everest twice, moved up and down the glacial path was effortless compared to us first-time ice trekkers equipped with crampons and walking sticks for support.
Continuing, we passed by giant moulins, heart-shaped arches, "ice waterfalls" and more crevasses. The changing scenery made us forget the breeze that had turned biting cold, and spurred us to walk on. By now we had reached a relatively high point.
Passang pointed to us an ice cave basking in blue radiance and approaching it, he warned us to be careful since both sides of the outcropping led to crevasses, so we needed to stay away from the edge. He cut a few steps in the ice and we entered the cave one by one.
 |
| These newlyweds from Sydney relax in front of an `ice waterfall'. |
Thereafter, he took us onto ridges in the middle of the glacier for spectacular views of icefalls and the lower glacier which we found too steep to negotiate, so we gave up. There ended our trek.
Time flies! It had been a full two and a half hours since we had embarked on this trek, and so absorbing had been the experience that we failed to notice the passage of time.
It was already getting dark and the weather freezing cold. We had to return to the starting point via the same route we had taken coming up the glacier. Again, the trek downhill was equally testing. By the time we boarded the bus that had delivered us to the foot of the mountain, we were knackered.
Each of us were awarded a certificate as a memorabilia for our enduring trek that gave us wobbly legs. However, it was fantastic challenging our will and stamina for in the end it truly left us with a great sense of accomplishment.
MORE INFO
Getting there: Singapore Airlines flies from Bangkok to Christchurch via Changi Airport.
A great way to travel to Fox Glacier is by the TranzAlpine railway that connects Christchurch and Greymouth daily. For special deals, visit http://www.tranzalpine.co.nz.
InterCity bus operates daily south-bound services from Greymouth to Fox Glacier. Passengers booking in advance online (http://www.intercity.co.nz) get special fares.
Alpine Guides Fox Glacier offers a variety of treks and ice adventures. A half-day trek is now priced at NZ$85 and available until the end of September, after which the price will go up to NZ$89. For details, visit http://www.foxguides.co.nz.
Accommodations range from backpacking hostels to five-star hotels certified by Tourism New Zealand. For more information and reservations, log on to the web site http://www.newzealand.com.
Prev
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Next
