Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sleeping
Okarito Campground
CAMPSITE $
(off Russell St; sites adult/child $12.50/free)
Okarito Campground is a breezy patch of
community-managed greenery complete with kitchen and hot showers ($1). Gather drift-
wood from the beach for the fire-pit, or build your bonfire on the beach while the sun
goes down. No reservations necessary.
Okarito Beach House
HOSTEL, LODGE $
( 03-753 4080;
www.okaritobeachhouse.com
; The Strand; dm $28, d $60-100; )
The
Okarito Beach House has a variety of accommodation. The weathered, self-contained
'Hutel' ($100) is worth every cent. The Summit Lodge has commanding views and the
best dining-room table you've ever seen.
GLACIERS FOR DUMMIES
During the last ice age (15,000 to 20,000 years ago) Westland's twin glaciers
reached the sea. In the ensuing thaw they may have crawled back even further
than their current positions, but in the 14th century a mini ice age caused them to
advance to their greatest modern-era extent around 1750, and the terminal mo-
raines from this time are still visible.
If you get rained in during your time in glacier country, here are a few glacier-
geek conversation starters for the pub.
Ablation zone
Where the glacier melts.
Accumulation zone
Where the ice and snow collects.
Bergschrund
A large crevassein the ice near the glacier's starting point.
Blue ice
As the accumulation zone (névé)snow is compressed by subsequent
snowfalls, it becomes firnand then blue ice.
Calving
The process of ice breaking away from the glacier terminal face.
Crevasse
A crack in the glacial ice formed as it crosses obstacles while descend-
ing.
Firn
Partly compressed snow en route to becoming blue ice.
Glacial flour
Finely ground rock particles in the milky rivers flowing off glaciers.
Icefall
When a glacier descends so steeply that the upper ice breaks into a jumble
of ice blocks.
