Alarm set, pre-dawn start. Not just any morning run – Franz Josef Glacier.
Woke north of town, Alpine Glacier Motel off State Highway 6. Half-mile trek to Glacier Access Road – [Catholic] Lady of the Alps on the left, [Anglican] St. James on the right. Good omen 🙂
Quick left off Hwy 6, crossed the Waiho River via Bailey Bridge. Bounced over the wooden pedestrian plank, alongside this one-lane country bridge, to a dirt access road. 4 miles to Franz Josef trailhead.
Westland Tai Poutini Nat’l Park. Scary dark trail run thru giant ferns & tropical vegetation. [NOTE to self: BUY A FLASHLIGHT!] Darkness soon gave way to pale-pink sunrise. Trail-ran DOWN to a murky silt-choked river. Rock hopped across, spun ‘round & glacier gawked — Franz Josef straight ahead/high above. Popped over boulders, trekked UP, UP, UP. Snow-melt waterfalls littered the mountain’s jagged rock walls. UP, UP, UP. Nearing the glacier base, read a Park placard detailing the death of multiple adventurists, following an earthquake initiated rock slide. Ok, enough – but jeez, it’s beautiful here. When it’s my time, let it happen quick…somewhere high in elevation, surrounded by snow (my humble Alpinist prayer ❤).
Waterfall-played on the return trek to town. 5 hour drive ahead, heading East now. Tonite’s destination: Queenstown, NZ’s hippie-happy Boulder. Ski town built on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.
Close 30 minutes from Franz Josef, River Walk hiked. Bright morning sun poured over Fox Glacier (popular heli tours buzzed overhead). WOW, whatta view! Lunched an hour later in Haast, before travelling a narrow rocky stretch – ‘The Neck’ – between lakes Wanaka & Hāwea. Foothills of the surrounding Southern Alps mirrored off these glacier-fed waters. Stunning.
Apartment dwelling 3-nights in Queenstown. Tomorrow morning: touring Doubtful Sound – 2 buses, 2 boats. But first, burger & a pint in Queenstown Gardens. One week down, one week to go…vacations go so fast.
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- mountain sunrise
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- glacier gawking – WOW!
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- fave New Zealand sign
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- snow-melt spillway
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- glaciers, boulders, waterfalls & altitude — fave NZ run, nothing better!
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- return trek over Bailey Bridge
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- Yikes!
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- River Walk hike
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- Southern Alps mirror off these glacier-fed waters
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- Lake Wakatipu
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- burger & a pint in Queenstown Gardens
…meanwhile, far far away — the Colorado Marathon…me [Captain America] in the upper right promo ad 🙂
Franz Josef Glacier
Up early but unfortunately, outta town late. Morning run just got away from me – 10 miles. One left when I should’ve turned right, long morning on Christchurch city streets. Run highlights: EIGHT city parks, morning sunrise. G’day New Zealand!
10am rental pickup (sorry Dawn). 2 hours west, couple days ‘til our next cityscape. First stop: Arthur’s Pass National Park. Easy short hike UP to Devils Punchbowl Waterfall. Purchased 2 apples, hung a ½ hour near the railroad tracks. Sunshiny day.
UP & over the Southern Alps (another 2 hours west), lunched in Hokitika. Afternoon adventure: swinging bridge over Hokitika Gorge. Travelling one-lane farm roads 30-35 minutes, ultimately located the Gorge. Hiked a mile, mile-half thru a mix of deciduous & tropical vegetation. Slender wooden bridge ‘cross the mighty Hokitika, stunning turquoise blue below. Not for the faint of heart. Creaky swinging structure, 6-person weight limit…truly a hidden gem 🙂 WOW, WOW, WOW!
The Hokitika River is in the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is about 64 kilometers (40 mi) long, beginning in the Southern Alps, emerging from the narrow Hokitika Gorge after merging with the Whitcombe River, and flowing into the Tasman Sea just south of the town of Hokitika.
Hugged the Hokitika for 2 days, ending our river journey Friday. Stopped briefly in Bruce Bay & touched the Tasman Sea. Having travelled all the way to New Zealand’s western coastline, over the next week would work our way east & up its Pacific shore.
But first…tomorrow morning: Franz Josef GLACIER
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- Devils Punchbowl Waterfall
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- another sunshiny day
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- mix of deciduous & tropical vegetation
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- swinging wooden bridge over the Hokitika River
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- 6-person weight limit…not for the faint of heart
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- stunning turquoise blue
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- New Zealand’s western coastline
…meanwhile, far far away — sent flowers & a tier of cupcakes, 70 mini cakes in all. Love ya Mom, Happy Happy Birthday! ❤
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- flowers & a cupcake tier
Arthur’s Pass
Hokitika Gorge swinging bridge
the Tasman Sea
Up an hour before dawn, kept my first run on South Island close to our Christchurch lodging – early tour start this morning. Quick 3 miles ‘round Burnside Park. Run highlights: rugby field, lawn bowling, morning sunrise. G’day New Zealand!
Full day planned – 4WD tour, Jet Boat…no TranzAlpine Train. Rated one of the world’s top six train journeys, but unfortunately all train travel on South Island down (‘til March 22nd) due to extensive forest fire (it’s Southern Hemisphere summer).
Off-roaded across a rural cattle farm [Torlesse Station], driving UP UP UP steep switchbacks, ultimately climbing 3000ft+. Stopped & took in the landscape – clouds poured in, keeping temps cool…beautiful Canterbury Plains loomed below. No cattle this high; altitude however doesn’t slow the island sheep. Sighted a herd lunching on moisture-rich shrub grass. HUGE topography change from yesterday, more reminiscent of Colorado than New Zealand’s tropical North.
45 minutes from Torlesse Station, jet-boated up one of New Zealand’s major snow-fed rivers, the Waimakariri. Spray jacket, hat, gloves, life vest – check check check, boarded my first [Hamilton] jet boat. Weaving in & out of rock faces, over white water rapids, thru high rock canyons…at times, gliding over water less than 3 feet deep. WOW, WOW, WOW!
Amazing shot of the Southern Alps on the return ride near Lake Pearson. Mirror image of Colorado’s San Juan Range. Stunning.
Rental car pickup tomorrow. 5 hour drive, west over Arthur’s Pass to Franz Josef Glacier. Super excited! Is it morning yet? 🙂
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- UP UP steep switchbacks, ultimately climbing 3000ft
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- high above Canterbury Plains
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- SHEEP!
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- spray jacket, hat, gloves & life vest — ready, ready to RIDE
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- View Hill
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- LOVE LOVE jet-boating!
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- return trek near Lake Pearson — WOW!
…meanwhile, far far away in Colorado — pup’s enjoying an adventure of his own 🙂
Jetboating the Waimakariri
