After renting a car in Queenstown, Pat and I drove north to Fox Glacier, where we had scheduled a “Heli-Hike’’ for the following day – a helicopter ride to the glacier, followed by a hike on the ice.
Though the trip only covered 200 miles, it took almost six hours to navigate the winding mountain roads that often limit your speed to 30 miles per hour or less. Along the way, we passed by numerous sheep meadows, cow pastures and – in one small town – a fence lined with hundreds of bras. It was either an art installation or the home of New Zealand’s top bra collector.
Our motel, on the outskirts of the tiny town that serves local tourists, had a spectacular view of the glacier. We tried to find a place to eat around 9:30 p.m., but the handful of restaurants in town were closed so we settled for fish and chips at the one bar that was still open.
The next morning we took a short bus ride to the helipad, located next to a cow pasture, and were fitted with hiking boots and waterproof jackets for the five-minute helicopter ride to the glacier. There, we put crampons on our boots and set off on a 2½-hour walking tour of the glacier. We were the only non-Chinese members of our 12-person group, so our young female Taiwanese guide explained everything in two languages.
The part of the glacier we traversed was only about 2,000 feet high, though it was another 2,000 feet to reach the top. Some of the more experienced guides actually sleep overnight on the mountain, an ice capade that amateurs should avoid.
It was so warm that day – the summer is just ending in New Zealand — that I opened my jacket to cool off. We even passed one bearded guide who was wearing shorts. He kicked his legs like a Rockette to show off, making the rest of us feel like wimps.
At one point, we all did a rope climb through a glacial cave. Because of my 6-foot-3 height and inflexible back, I kept bumping my head on the ice ceiling, leaving me with a few scrapes and an embarrassed expression.
Some glacial ice appears to be blue because of scientific reasons that I’m not qualified to explain. What I do understand is that glacial water tastes a whole lot better than tap water, so I filled up my bottle with the pure stuff to take back to my room.
Since trekking on a glacier can be treacherous, our guide constantly used her axe to make steps for us to climb more easily. All the safety precautions make accidents rare on the glacier, though our guide did mention a woman who broke her ankle and had to be airlifted for medical treatment.
We stopped by a large waterfall named Victoria. It wasn’t as impressive as the famous Victoria Falls in Africa that Pat and I visited years ago, but it was a scenic spot for photos.
After returning to town, Pat and I drove to nearby Matheson Lake and took a brisk hour-long walk on the trail that circles the lake. We stopped at a place called Reflection Island Lookout, where stood on a wooden platform and contemplated our serene surroundings.
Next stop: Christchurch.
