Franz Josef Glacier Heli Hike

November 21/06









We had no idea how fortunate we were to actually get on the hike until a day later! Upon arrival at the tour office we were told that the pilot had requested a delay. The ceiling was low and we thought it might not happen and were asked to check in in 15 minutes. We had some lunch and returned to find that we would indeed be flying up to the glacier. It was a 7 seater helicopter (including the pilot) and Bob and I were instructed to sit up front beside the pilot. Could we have had a better vantage point? He flew about 3/4 up the glacier, giving us all a good view of the tons and tons of ice below us. Hikers appeared like gnats on the surface of the glacier. He landed after a few minutes and we couldn't believe where he landed. I wouldn't have landed a toboggan on this tiny, uneven, slippery place.

Our guides, Goose (that's right!) and Sean were waiting for us, had us strap on crampons and gave instructions on how to walk in them and also how to use the ice pick provided without maiming ourselves or our 6 fellow hikers. We had quite a riot practising walking in the darn things.

We tromped over very rough ice and saw fabulous sculptures, crevices and caves and even had a good bit of exercise to boot! It was magnificent!

The glacier is the fastest moving glacier in the world; 10 times as fast as those in the Swiss Alps at speeds currently of 4.5 metres per day. You can almost hear it advancing! The rate of descent is staggering. In 1943, a plane crashed on the glacier, 3.5 km from the terminal face. It made it to the bottom 6 1/2 years later, a speed of 1.5 meters/day. In 1985, after a long period of retreat, the glacier started advancing again and progressed nearly 2 km until 1996 when it began it's retreat again. Currently, the glacier is 5 km from the town.

We could hear the many water flows under the ice, sounding like roaring waterfalls.

Our guides kept monitoring the skies and at one point, called the pilot to see if he would be able to get us off the face. It had begun to rain and the clouds were very low. The response was that it was raining in the town and that the intrepid pilot Jamie, (a Scottish lad so of course he'd be intrepid!) would indeed be coming to pick us up. They do keep barrels filled with tents and emergency nourishment should anyone get stuck on the glacier.

2 1/2 hours after we landed, Jamie appeared through the clouds and picked us up. Once again I was directed to the seat beside Jamie and Bob had to sit second class so I had the added advantage of the trip back down. Due to the rain and turbulence, we had to fly very close to the mountainside which was awesome, exciting and seemed to be quite dangerous. For all I know, he might have done it for effect.

This experience ranks right up there in the Top 10 Wonders of our world!

Next stop Haast!

November 22

Left Franz Josef later in the day and decided to drive to a campground in Haast, just before the pass.

Awakened today to brilliant sunshine and a fine day to drive about 5 hours to Queenstown.

Driving through the pass was another first; the vegetation through the mountains is extremely lush, unlike the east side with it's almost nude mountains. This was truly a rainforest. The mountains loomed over us and we saw many snow capped peaks. Stopping at one lookout we encountered an English woman and her daughter who seemed to be having car trouble. It turned out that all was ok however we discovered that the woman's father had spent a few years in Toronto during the war and had loved it but didn't have the courage to move his family from England. Her daughter is working in N.Z. for a year and just arrived here. It turns out that they had been at Franz Josef for 6 days, waiting for the weather to clear enough to get up on the glacier for the heli-hike. They left the morning we arrived having given up on it. Needless to say, she was heartbroken when she found out that we had enjoyed the experience.

Arrived in Queenstown early this afternoon. A very Banff or Whistler kind of place. Alpine skiing in winter and exciting skydiving (no, we aren't going that far!), hang gliding (that either!) and jet boating (done that at home!).

Off to Milford Sound in the morning.

Love ,
Sharon