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Title
The Guiding Company Ltd - Franz Josef Glacier :: Glacier Guiding Westland National Park NZ
Description
New Zealand Southern Alps scenery supreme - There are more than 3000 glaciers in New Zealand. Most of them are high in the mountains and only accessed by climbers and skiers. The largest glacier in New Zealand is the Tasman Glacier which is approximately 25 km long and flows toward the east of the south island. The Franz Josef is approximately 10 km long and descends the steep mountain sides to the west. In the Nevé (a huge basin in the mountains between 2500 meters to 1800 meters above sea level) the snow collects. The glacier is formed from the weighty layers of snow compacting into hard blue ice. The pressure of snow above and gravitational pull force the ice down the valley to within 200 meters above sea level and within a few kilometres of the main road. At such low levels the terminal face is constantly melting.
Depending on the balance between more snow falling and the amount of melt at the terminal face determines the advance or retreat of the glacier.
Because of it s steepness and location, the Franz Josef Glacier is the most dynamic in the world and responds quickly to variations of precipitation and temperature. Until the turn of the century this glacier underwent a 15 year advance, in which time it gained 2.5 km of length and many metres in height. With the new millennium and probably due to mild winters and high rates of warm precipitation the terminus of the Franz Josef Glacier is now in retreat. Advance is still evident higher up as massive frozen waves surging high then tumbling at snails pace over the top ice fall as the glacier leaves the Nevé. There have been heavy snow falls in 2002 high in the Southern Alps which could bring an advance in a few years. The lag -time (reaction time) is approximately 5 years at the terminal face.
Languages
English
Contact
- Ngai Tahu Tourism Ltd
-
- Chrstchurch South Island
- New Zealand 8011
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- +64.33712758
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