The ice tongue
Between towering rock walls.
sussexbirder — CC BY 2.0 · Michal Klajban — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Michal Klajban — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mike Dickison — CC BY 4.0 · Department of Conservation — CC BY 2.0
Franz Josef Glacier, known in Māori as Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere, is a 12 km glacier in Westland Tai Poutini National Park, on the West Coast of the South Island. It descends from the Southern Alps to less than 300 m above sea level, and few glaciers come so close to rainforest. Its Māori name means «the tears of Hine Hukatere». According to tradition she loved climbing and persuaded her lover Tuawe to join her, an avalanche swept him away, her tears flowed, and the sky froze them. The glacier follows a pattern of advance and retreat, has shrunk greatly in recent decades and lies within the Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Site. From the valley you see the ice tongue between towering rock walls and thin waterfalls, with the Waiho River running from its foot. Walking right to the terminal was easy until recently, but river damage now prevents access farther up the valley. On the short Peters Pool walk, a small pond mirrors the mountains on a clear day. It is 8 km in a straight line from Franz Josef village. The walk to the valley viewpoint is short, so check the route on the Department of Conservation site and stay behind the barriers, as the rockfall and flood risks are real. You can only walk on the ice with a guiding company, usually by helicopter depending on the weather. Bring a waterproof jacket, as it rains a lot.
Between towering rock walls.
A mirror for the mountains.
Thin threads on the rock.
Westland Tai Poutini National Park, West Coast
No, damage prevents going up the valley, and reaching the ice usually means a guided helicopter trip.
Yes, though parking may be paid.