Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Kettle lake
A lake formed by the melt of an area of isolated dead ice .
Moraine
Walls of debris formed at the glacier's sides ( lateral moraine) or end (
terminal moraine).
Névé
Snowfield area where firnis formed.
Seracs
Ice pinnacles formed, like crevasses,by the glacier rolling over obstacles.
Terminal
The final ice face at the bottom of the glacier.
WESTLAND TAI POUTINI NATIONAL PARK
The biggest highlights of the Westland Tai Poutini National Park are the Franz Josef and
Fox glaciers. Nowhere else at this latitude do glaciers come so close to the ocean. The
glaciers' staggering development is largely due to the West Coast's ample rain; snow
falling in the glaciers' broad accumulation zones fuses into clear ice at 20m depth, then
surges down the steep valleys.
Some say Franz Josef is the superior ice experience, and, while it's visually more im-
pressive, the walk to Fox is shorter, more interesting and often gets you closer to the ice.
Both glacier faces are roped off to prevent people being caught in icefalls and river
surges. The danger is very real - in 2009 two tourists were killed after being hit by fall-
ing ice when they ventured too close. The only way to get close to or on to the ice safely
is on a guided tour.
Beyond the glaciers, the park's lower reaches harbour deserted Tasman Sea beaches,
rising up through colour-splashed podocarp forests to NZ's highest peaks. Diverse and
often unique ecosystems huddle next to each other in interdependent ecological se-
quence. Seals frolic in the surf as deer sneak through the forests. The resident endangered
bird species include kakariki, kaka and rowi (the Okarito brown kiwi), as well as kea, the
South Island's native parrot. Kea are inquisitive and endearing, but feeding them
threatens their health.
Heavy tourist traffic often swamps the twin towns of Franz and Fox, 23km apart.
Franz is the more action-packed of the two, while Fox has a more subdued alpine charm.
From December to February, visitor numbers can get a little crazy in both, so consider
travelling in the shoulder seasons: September/October and March/April.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Franz Josef Glacier
