Tourists must now seek to find glaciers

Press, 28 January 1986, Page 20

Tourists must now seek to find glaciers

Story and pictures

by

LES BLOXHAM

The rare beauty of New Zealand’s world renowned glaciers, the Franz Josef and the Fox, has lured visitors to South Westland for more than a century. Their beauty today, however, is more difficult to behold than ever before.

Forty years ago, my first sight of the glistening “Franz” was through the altar window of the town’s chapel. That spectacular view (reproduced on the 9d Peace Issue stamp in 1946) has remained etched deeply within me to this day.

Over the years I’ve returned to the glaciers on many occasions, only to find them retreating like

shy ice maidens into their valleys. In spite of recent reports of the glaciers’ advance, the simple fact remains that visitors now must take to the air for the best views. The access roads to both the Franz Josef and Fox valleys end with only tantalising glimpses of the great rivers of ice that hide behind the mountain spurs. Tracks lead to the terminal faces, but even from there the views are limited.

The popular escorted walks organised by the Tourist Hotel Corporation at Franz Josef have

been discontinued but helicopter and ski-plane flights are still available.

At Fox, Alpine Guides (Westland), Ltd, is running heli-hikes which drop parties on to the glacier about a kilometre above the terminal face. Experienced guides then escort the parties back down the ice on foot

Both townships now have firstclass accommodation available to suit all budgets. The Westland Motor Inn is adding an extra 28 units to its property at Franz Josef, and its management has also taken over the Vacation Inn at Fox and renamed it the Golden Glacier.