Fox Glacier or Mt Cook?
 

We are planning a two week trip to the South Island in September of this
year.

Time is going to be tight, and we can't decide which of the above to visit.

Bearing in mind that we are just out the clutches of winter - which sight
would be the best to visit?

Would we be able to get on the glacier for a guided walk?

Would the weather seriously restrict what we can do (don't want to go skiing
at this stage!!)

Suggestions would be very much welcomed.

Thanks,


Simon

in article , Simon DOLBY at
wrote on 31/1/05 12:22 AM:

We are planning a two week trip to the South Island in September of this
year.

Time is going to be tight, and we can't decide which of the above to visit.

Bearing in mind that we are just out the clutches of winter - which sight
would be the best to visit?

It depends on what you want to do. From Mt Cook you cannot get close to the
glaciers except by skiplane. However for the photographer the views are
beautiful & the short walks to Kea Pt and the Hooker Valley offer wonderful
views.

Would we be able to get on the glacier for a guided walk?
Weather permitting
Would the weather seriously restrict what we can do (don't want to go skiing
at this stage!!)

Am I likely to win Lotto this year?? Seriously NZ forecasters can't get
tomorrow's forecast right. The snow levels will be low enough to make the
Alps look beautiful but in Spring you can often get very changeable weather.

Good luck

Vicki

The glacier walks run year round, weather permitting. I did a heli-hike on
the Franz Joseph Glacier (Sept 2004), and my guide said that the weather is
clearer in winter. He also said that the glacier is easier to walk when
it's covered in snow (it's easier to walk on snow as opposed to ice). You
are required to wear crampons year round (supplied by the tour company), but
the guides seen to think that they cover more ground on the glaciers in
winter as opposed to summer. Don't worry about traveling during winter. My
tour of the South Island was from Mid-Aug. to End-Oct. 2004, the weather was
never a problem (tracks covered in knee deep snow is a different story ~:-).
Check with DOC (preferably) or the Info Center before heading out on a hike.
Weather forcasts are reliably unreliable (just like anywhere else on the
planet).

Enjoy!

Dwayne