Franz Josef Glacier Ice Explorer – If you think glacial speed is an oxymoron, think again – visit one of the fastest glaciers in the world, the Franz Joseph Glacier located on the west coast of New Zealand.
Franz Joseph Glacier is one of the major tourist attractions in New Zealand’s South Island. It is one of the fastest moving or retreating glaciers of up to 1,000 meters per year. This ever-changing ice formation made it a must-do for our two athletic young adventurers, Harrison Young and Heather Gillette.
Franz Josef Glacier Ice Explorer
The glacier was named after Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria in 1865 by explorer Julius von Hast. Franz Josef Glacier is also called Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere in Māori, meaning “Tears of Hinehukatere”.
Helicopter Landing On Ice On Mountain Top Stock Photo
The Maori legend of the formation of the glacier is the love story of a girl named Hinehukatere who loved to climb mountains. One day she persuaded her beloved Vave to accompany her. Tragically, Wawe was swept away in an avalanche. Heartbroken, Hinehuacatere began to weep, her tears freezing and forming glaciers.
To get visitors to the glacier, there are several guided hikes and climbing options that allow you to see this glacial river up close and personal.
As always, weather and climate prevail and from April 2012 all glacier walking and climbing requires a helicopter flight over the unstable face.
Traveling by helicopter offers another element of adventure. Breathtaking aerial views of the surrounding mountains and glacier add to the adventure and you feel like an ice explorer when you don all the gear.
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When walking or climbing a glacier you need some special equipment, such as crampons that hook onto solid boots and ice axes, which are especially important when ice climbing.
Harry and Heather decided that the Franz Josef Glacier Guides Heli Ice Climb was the best way to tackle Franz Josef.
The Heli Ice Climb is promoted for “adrenaline junkies,” and while Harry and Heather wouldn’t describe themselves along those lines, they certainly felt a greater sense of height when climbing up.
For the Heli Ice Climb trip, Heather and Harry were provided with all the high-tech equipment they needed, along with some training and lots of ice climbing instruction.
Glacier Hiking In Franz Josef + The Hot Pools
Ice climbing requires you to be reasonably fit and able and willing to use an ice axe, but you don’t need previous ice climbing experience. Heather felt relieved after their workout.
“Our climbing guide was fantastic and made sure we were all comfortable with boots and ice access before trying any of the ice walls. He was amazing. He bounced up and down the ice walls like a mountain goat, obviously very comfortable and confident in what he was doing.
The Ice Climb option involves tackling four ice walls, with an allowance of 30-45 minutes to climb each and five or more minutes of walking between the ice walls.
To ensure ice climbers have enough opportunity to properly experience the climb, helicopter transfers drop them about 600 meters below the glacier and leave them on the ice for four hours (depending on the weather).
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“The beauty of the scenery looks stunning in the brochure, but nothing beats the bird’s eye view I got from a helicopter ride or an ice wall where white ice turns blue.”
If ice wall climbing isn’t for you, there are several options, including the Ice Explorer Walk.
“We actually checked it out, but if you’re fit and adventurous, the Franz Joseph Ice Explorer walk is another option. This tour still gives you a glacier walk, which includes a short helicopter ride on the ice where you go to ice caves and ice caves. Cracks can be passed through.”
There is also a glacier heli hike if you want to take a leisurely walk on the glacier. This gives you longer, more scenic helicopter flights and less time on the ice. You still need moderate fitness to walk across the ice to see the blue ice, caves and crevasses.
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“Heather and I feel very privileged to have ice climbed and now to see the glacier. Our guide said the glacier is retreating so much (some say due to global warming) that its future beyond 20 years is very difficult.
I saw some stunning postcard scenery across the South Island, but the best part of the trip was the whole ice climbing to get there through Franz Joseph’s amazing work.
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The Flight Center recognizes traditional owners of land throughout Australia. © Flight Center Travel Group Limited. ATAS Accreditation No. A10412.*Travel restrictions and conditions apply. Please review any specific provisions in the Terms and Conditions and our General Terms. Prices and taxes are correct as of the date of publication and are subject to availability and change without notice. Prices quoted are for sale as of the date specified, unless otherwise stated or previously sold. Prices are per person. With more than 3,000 glaciers and Nouvelle Zélande, France Joseph is on the South Island in the west of the country. A 6h de route de Wanaka (et oui quand même!), partez vivre une unique experience and exploration les crevasses d’un glacier.
Franz Josef Glacier: Ice Climbing
Dans la mesure oùce glacier se visite toute l’année, le petit village de Franz Josef utilizes a large hotel structure. Vous auraz donc le choix pour vos hebergements mais si vous avez un petit budget, on a beaucoup aimé dormir à Mont Rose. Cette auberge de jeunesse n’est vraiment pas chere et vous ofre Pour le prix, une soupe tous les soirs mais aussi des pop corns, pass mal non?
Avec la compagnie Franz Josef Glacier, Situate en plein cœur du village, vous avez aujourd’hui 3 ways to see the glacier:
C’est simply une balade simple, guided sur le sentier qui mène au glacier Franz Josef. Accompanied by your guide, you’ll learn why glaciers are in perpetual motion, the consequences of the planet’s warming, and the dangers faced…and you’ll have a head vest ox-pied, boots, gloves, and bonnet).
Si vous n’avez pas les moyens, vous pougeres quand même faire cette même balade en vous rentant sur le parking qui se trouve en bas du glacier. Vous ceres donk seal, et vous pougares voir le glacier…. Mais seulement à 200m de celui-ci! Vous pouves sinon essayer de trouver le sentier qui mène au point de vue (6h de marche apparently mais difficile à trouver).
Franz Josef Glacier
C’est la formula la plus prisée des tourists car elle est asses complete! It’s a formula that you can choose, a combination of a helicopter and the exploration of the pinnacles … sorry! Throw 339$/p, vous survolez hanger 4-5 minutes le gletser puis atterrissez sur une partye de celui-ci et là commence l’exploration! Encadrés par 2 guided experiments, dans un petit groupe d’une dizaine de personnes, vous faites une boucle de 4h environ, au dessus et dans les failles du glacier. C’est l’occasion de voir les belles couleurs bleues, la profondeur des crevasses qui se formant, s’effondrent et SE deformation, de se sentir privilegés et tout petits une fois dessus. Every expedition is different.
Si vous demandez d’où provient cette couleur bleue et bien elle serait liée à la compression de la glace, qui saccumule depuis des années et élimine l’air. La Lumiere is absorbed pas la glace, plute que reflechi par l’air!
Au lieu de volée 4-5minutes, vous volez 8-10 minutes et un peu plus loin sur le glacier, du coup vous avez une plus belle vue, plus élargie! The Party Explorer is the main car that you enjoy as a small party on the glacier versus the Ice Explorer.
Note, s’aventurer seul sur ce glacier s’avère très dangerouse car chaque année 4-5 personnes trouvent la mort! Le Himani East en mouvance constant, se rétrécie, se displace, s’effondre. C’est pourquoi il est formente conseille de ne pas faire le Malin!
The Franz Josef Glacier: Facts And Figures
The name was given by an Austrian who wanted to pay tribute to his Austro-Hungarian Emperor, Franz Joseph.
The legend raconte qu’un couple éperdument amoureux, se serait aventuré en haut de la montagne. L’homme serait tombé accidentellement de la falaise. La jeune femme aurait pleuré toutes les tears de son corps et ces tears se seraint transformées en rivière de glace.
Enjoying a good moment is a good feeling! Si vous devez passer par ici et faire tant de route, il serait dommage de ne voir que ce ce qu’ils appellent les orteils du glacier!
Le prix de votre expedition Ice explorer or Helitour comprend également l’accès aux piscines chauffées, aux faux airs
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