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Franz Josef Vacation Guide
Franz Josef is a small tourist town located about 2.5 hours drive from Greymouth on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. This area is names ¨Glacier Country¨ as it has 2 glaciers located in this area, of which one is located near the township of Franz Josef.
The glacier is currently 12 km long and terminates 19 km from the Tasman Sea. It exhibits a cyclic pattern of advance and retreat, driven by differences between the volume of meltwater at the foot of the glacier and volume of snowfall feeding the névé. Having retreated several kilometres between the 1940s and 1980s, the glacier entered an advancing phase in 1984 and at times has advanced at the phenomenal (by glacial standards) rate of 70 cm a day. The flow rate is about 10 times that of typical glaciers. Over the longer term, the glacier has retreated since the last ice age, and it is believed that it extended into the sea some 10,000 to 15,000 years ago.
This cyclic behaviour is well illustrated by a postage stamp issued in 1946, depicting the view from St James Anglican Church. The church was built in 1931, with a panoramic altar window to take advantage of its location. By 1954, the glacier had disappeared from view from the church, but it reappeared in 1997.
Franz Josef is home to the magnificent Franz Josef Glacier, where most tourists indulge themselves in the ultimate New Zealand adventure by hiking through the spectacular glacier environment.
The glacier is currently 12 km long and terminates 19 km from the Tasman Sea. It exhibits a cyclic pattern of advance and retreat, driven by differences between the volume of meltwater at the foot of the glacier and volume of snowfall feeding the névé. Having retreated several kilometres between the 1940s and 1980s, the glacier entered an advancing phase in 1984 and at times has advanced at the phenomenal (by glacial standards) rate of 70 cm a day. The flow rate is about 10 times that of typical glaciers. Over the longer term, the glacier has retreated since the last ice age, and it is believed that it extended into the sea some 10,000 to 15,000 years ago.
This cyclic behaviour is well illustrated by a postage stamp issued in 1946, depicting the view from St James Anglican Church. The church was built in 1931, with a panoramic altar window to take advantage of its location. By 1954, the glacier had disappeared from view from the church, but it reappeared in 1997.
Franz Josef is home to the magnificent Franz Josef Glacier, where most tourists indulge themselves in the ultimate New Zealand adventure by hiking through the spectacular glacier environment.
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Franz Josef Travel Blogs
Oct 11, 2007 – Aug 07, 2008
Today just a short blog, partly because I have some sick adventures to share with you tomorrow. I hiked the Franz Josef glacier today. A full day hike, getting up at six, present at 8:15, walk/climb to five in the afternoon. I though it would be tough, but funnily enough I felt quite fit at the end…
Oct 14, 2007 – Nov 10, 2007
Well, the weather is better but our helicopter flight has been cancelled as the weather is not good for joy flights. Well time to go on one of those glacier walks. We chose the one that went up to the lookout rather than the one to the base. The reason being that we had walked on a glacier in Alask…
Jul 10, 2006 – Aug 14, 2007
or is it? mid twenties temperatures, blue sky, nice breeze and enormous
mountains & glaciers in the background... can nature be any more
beautiful?
arriving at 1:30 in the franz josef town i got the urge to splurge it once again - helicopter hike up the glacier!
hell that was fu…
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