Blue Ice at the Franz Josef Glacier

Today we had the privilege of viewing a glacier up close. We drove up the west coast of the South Island to see the Franz Josef Glacier.

Interestingly, this glacier has been advancing over the past 25 years, unlike many of the other world's glaciers which are in retreat.

During the summer they aren't quite as beautiful to look as in the winter when they are often covered with a fresh coat of snow. But remember, glaciers contain a lot of dirt and rock that they drag, crush and churn up over the course of their yearly advances and retreats. You can still see the bluish-ice in this photo however--it's quite striking to see.


Below the glacier was a riverbed, which was largely dry, and featured waterfalls cascading down from the surrounding mountains.


You can also see how dirty the water is coming down the riverbed--it's absolutely loaded with sediment.


And in another example of the surprising microclimates here on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, it was raining here at the glacier, but it was sunny in the nearby town, only five minute's drive away.


What's this? It looks like the three-toed tree-hugger again! I never realized it ventured so close to glacier territory.