TUESDAY--MARCH 22, 2011

VIEW IN SOUTHERN ALPS

THUNDER CREEK FALLS

FOX GLACIER FROM VALLEY

JOHN IN HELICOPTER

FOX GLACIER FROM HELICOPTER

FOX GLACIER WHERE IT MOVES THROUGH NARROW PASS

JOHN ON FOX GLACIER

JOHN WITH EIGHT WHO FLEW TO FOX GLACIER

FOX GLACIER VIEW FROM HELICOPTER

FOX GLACIER VIEW FROM HELICOPTER

WINDING RIVER THROUGH VALLEY BELOW FOX GLACIER

We left Queenstown today with our first stop in Arrowtown, a quaint little tourist trap full of shops.  We traveled many winding up and down roads through the Southern Alps (highest about 12,600 feet) on our way to Fox Glacier.  We drove through Haast Pass viewing sensational sights of river and mountains.  We stopped at Thunder Creek Falls which appeared to have a pipe as a spout for the water shooting out before falling.  I think I am weary.  Our journey today seemed very long.  We finally arrived at the village of Fox where we will stay at Heartland Hotel.  Four of us each rode in four helicopters to fly over Fox Glacier.  This is truly an awesome sight.  We could see Mount Tasman and Mount Cook covered with ice.  I had no idea that the helicopter would land on the Glacier and we would be able to walk on the Glacier itself.  We were about 6,500 feet up the mountain.  This was a day of clear weather which enabled such spectacular viewing of the Glacier.  Surprisingly, the temperature on the Glacier seemed as warm or warmer as that in the valley.  The annual rainfall on the glacier is about fifteen meters which produces about forty-five meters of ice and snow.  The glacier has about a ten millimeter net movement during the year, at this time.  During the past couple of years, the net movement has been different.  This helicopter ride over Fox Glacier ranks as the most significant natural experience on this trip, so far.  Being able to stay with and visit with friends of previous years in Auckland has been the most rewarding.