Fox Glacier
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Ice cave in the terminal face of Fox glacier. |
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View of peaks atop Fox Glacier. |
The
Fox Glacier/Te Moeka o Tuawe is a
glacier located in
Westland National Park on the West Coast of
New Zealand's
South Island. It was named in
1872 after a visit by the then Prime Minister of New Zealand, Sir
William Fox. Although retreating throughout most of the last 100 years, it has been advancing since 1985 at an average of about a meter a day. Fed by four alpine glaciers, Fox Glacier falls 2,600m on its 13km journey from the
Southern Alps down to the coast. Like the nearby
Franz Josef Glacier, it is one of the most accessible glaciers in the world, with its terminal face an easy 5km walk from Fox Glacier village/Weheka. The outflow of the glacier forms the
Fox River.Fox Glacier is a big tourist attraction and even though people are told not to, they go beyond the barrier and climb on the Glacier.
Fox Glacier village/Weheka functions mainly as a service centre for tourists. It also services the local farming community.
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Retreat of glaciers since 1850
