Goodness Glaciers! Climbing Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand

“Here’s to freedom, cheers to art. Here’s to having an excellent adventure and may the stopping never start.” ~ Jason Mraz

Sometimes, the best experiences are thrust upon us from a seemingly unfortunate twist of events.  Today we had hoped to take a heli-hike combo onto the Franz Josef Glacier.  First, we convened at the lodge to await the verdict from the heli pilot on whether we would go up or not, due to sketchy weather… 9am… told to return at 9:15 but it doesn’t look promising… even though we had been silently celebrating the fact that there was no rain.  The clouds needed to lift out of the valleys of the peaks. We not only need to land on the glacier… they need enough of a window to retrieve us. ; )  They DO store barrels of emergency tents, sleeping bags and booze in case a team gets stranded up on the glacier overnight. Wow! Now THAT would be an adventure! Survivor New Zealand anyone?

Waiting for a weather window, Franz Josef, South Island, New Zealand

Hoofing it to the foot of the glacier (that's me on the right)

“I always secretly looked forward to nothing going as planned. That way, I wasn’t limited by my imagination. That way, anything can, and always did, happen.”  ~ Crimethinc

Glamorous Glacier Gear

We got coffees, and found ourselves loitering in an alpine climbers town (on the coast of the south island) with other hopeful adventurers, anxiously awaiting news of a possible window in the weather to grant our most fervent New Zealand wishes… at 10am, they still made no promises, but geared us up with double wool socks, water proof hiking boots, hats, gloves, snow pants over our own, and jackets.

Niki started giving us an orientation about the glacier and it’s components, and the feeling of excitement in our little group mounted…until the radio crackled and the pilot gave the “no go”…and our spirits fell.  They were fairly certain the mid-day and late afternoon outings would also be grounded. I was trying desperately to accept the news with grace…consoling myself with the idea that I had just, in a small way, experienced a fraction of the angst, hope, planning, waiting, praying, prepping, camaraderie, that serious mountaineers endure every time they await a window in the weather to summit.

Orientation; or How to Not Die 🙂

The approach alone was a bit of a trek. Gorgeous though! Franz Josef, New Zealand

Then we started asking questions…can we shuttle to the foot of the glacier and hop on it??? No, not allowed without a guide. Ice blocks and boulders can launch off the bottom of it and only recently, 2 tourists had been crushed after entering a roped off area of ice tunnels.  So….the next question….were there any guides available that same day?  Well, yes, actually, going out for a 3/4 day – regardless of weather. Leaving in 10 minutes from across the street!

Happy we have a guide. Base of Franz Josef Glacier

Final question, could my mom handle the six-hour trek, including the strenuous climbing on the glacier for over 4 hours…on ice staircases and treacherous rock and ice scree…?  Her answer; an emphatic YES.  Was there ever a doubt? She felt I had trudged her up enough hikes, including summiting a volcano, that she could now safely make the attempt, and was happy to sit it out wherever she could reach  Wow.  Now I know the source of some of my travel insanity. (For more on my truly amazing mom, see My Magnificent Mom & Her Earth Day Bobcat Release)

My always smiling mom, always game. Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand

We ran to get our credit card (cha-ching!) and food for lunch on the glacier. As we were told to travel light for the heli trip, we had no wallets, and the owner of the Full of Beans cafe gave me food for the outing on credit! – until our return…typical Kiwi!

A feisty Kea, a notoriously mischievous alpine parrot, watching us gear up - and he tried to snag a bag w/crampons!

Strapping on the talons to bite into the ice, Franz Josef Glacier

We were shuttled to the car park at the river valley below the glacier.  We started out, propelled by our excitement, each of us assigned our talons (a type of crampons specifically designed for glaciers) and carrying them in fanny packs.  We stopped and gazeded ahead at the base of Franz. It appeared to be no more than a 5-10 minute leisurely stroll away.  But the immense size can deceive…it was still 30-40 minutes away at a good clip.  At the base, we stopped and strapped on our talons…the excitement building even more.

Me at the base of Franz Josef Glacier, ready to climb.

Base of Franz Josef Glacier, looking up

Approaching the base of the glacier, Franz Josef, New Zealand

“To die would be an awfully big adventure.” ~ J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

They would sooo not let you do anything this risky in the states.  A quick overview on safety:  Hold on to the fixed ropes wherever they have them. Don’t fall into any crevasses.  Tromp hard in your boots to lock into the ice. Woohoo!  We started our ascent on very steep ice staircases, getting accustomed to the feel of the metal teeth gripping the surface for traction.  Did I mention I was fighting a cold? Yeah, and it was fighting right back.  No daunting me, though, when I’m having fun! Ryan, our guide, diligently hacked away fresh steps on the slopes and made a bit of traction for us on otherwise smooth mounds of ice.

First icy steps

Getting hooked

A hiking group where we're heading - and higher! Franz Josef Glacier

Glacial Kisses

Within the first hour, climbing ice stairs and more gentle ice hills and trails, I was hooked.  This could become a “thing”.  I told Ryan he’s akin to a drug pusher…getting us hooked on the adrenaline rush.  We found there was some skill and coordination required.  As was evidenced when I was poised with one foot on the edge of a crevasse, felt that same foot slip just a bit, and rather than risk a standing “recovery” that may not turn out successful, I launched my behind onto the angled ice wall behind me and cla-dump! Landed hard on the soft-as-concrete ice.  The bruise was small but bold.  I like to think the glacier gave me a little kiss on my derriere!

Galloping Glacier

Some stats on Franz-y:  It is a rare glacial region indeed, where the ice pack meanders down at 45 degree angles from the Southern Alps directly down into a temperate rain forest.  In this area, they receive 30 METERS of snow a year.  We think in feet – and usually not 30 – in our local mountains!  At it’s fastest moving point, Sir Joseph moves at 5-6 meters per DAY!  It is not recommended to hike in these areas, for good reason.  In the lower regions, the “dirty” area you see is not the result of constant tramping by hikers.  It’s churned up shale from the river valley below, and as the ice shifts and makes its’ way down, it carries and pushes it ahead.  Up higher, we encounter more pristine white and deep blue ice.

A rain drain hole on the glacier. Where does it go?? Franz Josef

View looking down to the valley from where we came. Franz Josef

Glamour shots on the glacier

We had the good fortune of sighting a very rare type of bird – an alpine parrot called the Kea…and he was feisty, as we had been told to expect.  He was picking through the empty fanny packs in the hopes of gleaning tasty tidbits.  These same parrots are known for pilfering the rubber stripping off of vehicles in the parking lots…Kiwi hoodlums.

My mom continues to amaze me…she was a trooper and kept up – even though her talons slipped off twice.  We were out for over six hours total, including 4 1/2 hours climbing on the ice. We sat down and had a memorable, albeit chilly, picnic on the big block, high up.  Soon after lunch the heavy clouds that had threatened us all day finally opened up…and released a freezing rain.  We kept hiking…up.  No room for wimps here.

Smiling through freezing rain. Drowned Rat Syndrom. Franz Josef Glacier

NZ$ retrieval in a slippery crevasse, Franz Josef Glacier

One time, Ryan let us step down a few feet into a narrow ice cavern for photo ops, and I went down there for my “moment”..and my cash popped out of my pocket. I bent to retrieve it and my boot shoved a mound of loose ice chunks ahead of me – carrying the bills – further into the crevasse.  I laughed and stepped gently deeper again…and shoved it further.  Not laughing as much now – thinking about the film “Touching the Void”…with my fellow climbers looking on…I tried one more time, stepping ever deeper down, and voila! Got my NZ $15!  The group exhaled.  They didn’t want a retrieval operation! Haha.

Solid ice, Franz Josef Glacier

The worst part of the weather change was that we were commanded to use the ropes on the steepest parts…and they were drenched in ice rain…and my gloves became soaked through.  Anyone who knows me knows the blood doesn’t circulate in my hands or feet below, oh, say, 70 degrees F.  So, I had little ice block appendages for the next few hours on the glacier. I was stomping really hard to feel my feet, and actually removed the saturated gloves. Still smiling though!  Adrenaline will do that to you.

My marvelous mom. Franz Josef, New Zealand

On the glacier, Franz Josef, New Zealand

Waterfall at the base of the glacier, Franz Josef, New Zealand

What magnificent views.  What an exhilarating experience.  And Shag, my travel mascot, came with us. Neither my mom nor I would trade it for anything. And to think…had the weather “behaved”, we would merely have had a passing introduction to this glacier, rather than bask in the serendipitous bliss of “chillin’” with Franz for a spell.

“The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

Me, undaunted and exhilarated. Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand

All photos by G. Stark unless of me, then taken by my mom

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