Fighting weather on the Franz Josef Glacier

Fighting weather on the Franz Josef Glacier

With pouring rain and dwindling humor, we try the Franz Josef Glacier Valley hike

We were in a depressed mood. Our heli hike to the Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand had been canceled due to bad weather, which meant we couldn't get onto the glacier itself. Given the huge and murky cloud cover, there was even a chance we wouldn't see the glacier at all.

We were careful. In 2015 we almost missed Machu Picchu because of the endless fog. A few months later we hiked to Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia and found it completely covered in clouds - a disappointment that haunts Peter to this day.

Named one of the best places to travel by Lonely Planet in 2018, New Zealand is a place of boundless beauty, and we didn't want it to be tainted with a bittersweet memory. We couldn't possibly finish our 15 day tour without seeing the glacier.

alt="Franz Josef Glacier in good weather">DreamtimeFranz Josef Glacier under a blue sky

Located in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the west coast of the South Island, Franz Josef Glacier was almost named after Queen Victoria. In 1852, European explorer Leonard Harper named it after the British monarch, but did not officially register the name. In 1865, geologist Julius von Haast named it after Franz Josef I, Emperor of Austria, and the local village later took his name.

The glacier once stretched from the mountains to the sea. After thousands of years of retreat, the glacier is now 12 miles inland and can only be reached by helicopter. Since our heli-hike was canceled, our only option was to hike to a viewpoint near the terminal wall.

alt="The Franz Josef Glacier wasn't exactly intoxicating at first glance">Atlas & BootsHeavy clouds on the way to the Franz Josef Glacier

There are several hikes, but given the dreary weather, we opted for the straightforward Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk, a 3.4-mile round trip over rocks and gravel.

We went to our hostel reception to book a shuttle for 3pm when the weather was supposed to clear up. There we found out that a shuttle would be leaving shortly (at 1:00 p.m.) and we made a spontaneous decision to go along despite the early departure.

When we arrived at the glacier parking lot, I noticed that Peter was in an unusually bad mood. (I'm usually the moody one in difficult weather.) He was frustrated that we didn't stick to our plan. It was raining heavily, the clouds were thick and there was little chance that we would see the glacier now.

alt=“Smiling through the pain at the Franz Josef Glacier”>Atlas & BootsSmiling through the pain at Franz Josef Glacier

As I said in Love on the First Hike, sometimes when your other half finds something difficult, you have to pull yourself together and be the strong one. So I tried all my tricks: a winning smile, a barrage of questions about his favorite topic (mountains, of course) and repeated assurances that we could wait on the observation deck for two hours to see if the weather changed.

Unfortunately, the rush to join the earlier shuttle meant we were underprepared. Peter's jacket and top were soaked and we hadn't had lunch yet. We trudged on in tense silence. The sky darkened and the rain continued to pound. We walked along the riverbed, barely stopping to take in the scenery: certainly breathtaking in good weather, but foreboding in bad weather.

alt="The weather over the Franz Josef Glacier began to clear">Atlas & BootsFranz Josef Glacier in bad versus better weather

We soon reached the Waiho River crossing, which was ankle deep in rain. Several walkers turned back at this point, but we trudged on, soaking our boots and socks (my beloved waterproof Anatoms were at home in the UK).

With our courage fading, we moved on. Forty-five minutes after takeoff, we reached the observation deck and saw...hardly anything. There was a recognizable portion of the end face of the glacier, but having seen the extraordinary Perito Moreno Glacier a few years earlier, Franz Josef was clearly disappointed in its current form.

We spent a while frantically snapping photos, blinking rain from our eyelashes and huddling in our jackets. We debated whether we should wait or not. Based on the shuttle times, our options were to either leave now or commit to another two hours. Peter was cold and wet and I was hungry and needed to pee, so we decided to turn back.

alt="The Franz Josef Glacier emerged from the clouds">Atlas & Boots[Franz Josef Glacier emerges from the clouds

We trudged back across the river, but I kept turning around longingly, willing the cloud to clear. We paused at a cluster of rocks and forlornly split a banana. After a discreet bathroom break, I felt better and told Peter that I thought we should stay. I used his own motto against him: 20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. If we left New Zealand without seeing Franz Josef Glacier, wouldn’t he always wonder if the skies had cleared?

We settled in and waited. Slowly and in stages, the sky cleared and there emerged the glacier soaring 300m above sea level.

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We were delighted. Franz Josef Glacier didn’t usurp Perito Moreno, but it was stunning nonetheless. We watched it shapeshift before our eyes, now an insipid white, now a playful blue, its crevasses glinting like polished glass.

The weather wasn't perfect, but it was good enough. As it happens, by 3pm, the clouds rolled in and obscured the view once again. Had we stuck to our original plan, we would have missed the glacier altogether. Our decision to wait was perfectly justified.

And the best thing about it all? I’m no longer the only one who gets moody in the rain and you can bet I’ll be mentioning that the next time Peter tells me to buck up on a challenging walk.

Franz Josef glacier valley walk: the essentials

What: Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk as part of a G Adventures 15-day South Island tour.

• Length: 5.4km (1.5hr) return from car park
• Difficulty: Easy
• Terrain: Uneven surfaces over rock and shingle and a river crossing
• Map: Trail and township

Where: Accommodation on the tour includes 14 nights in simple hotels and hostels including a farmstay and a night at a former jailhouse. Some lodgings had shared bathrooms and bunk-style beds. If you are a couple, highlight this at the time of booking so you can have a double bed where possible.

When: The best time to visit New Zealand is Sep-Apr. Summer (Dec-Feb) offers excellent hiking weather and a variety of festivals and events. The shoulder seasons of autumn (Mar-Apr) and spring (Sep-Nov) have fine weather, fewer crowds and lower prices.

How: The Franz Josef Glacier car park is 5km from town. You can walk, drive or take a shuttle. From the car park, follow signs for the Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk.

We explored New Zealand’s South Island on a G Adventures 15-day South Island tour, priced at £2,149 GBP or $2,792 USD per person (depending on dates) for a 15-day trip from Wellington to Wellington. The itinerary takes in Abel Tasman National Park, Franz Josef and Queenstown among others.

The price includes a chief experience officer (CEO) throughout, basic breakfasts and several meals, and numerous activities including hiking, kayaking and cycling. Optional activities include Franz Josef Glacier heli hike, skydiving, bungy jumping, canyoning and via ferrata among many, many others. For more information or to book, call 0344 272 2040 or visit gadventures.com.

We flew from the UK to New Zealand via Singapore and Australia. Book via Skyscanner for the best prices.

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Lonely Planet New Zealand is a comprehensive guide to New Zealand, ideal for those who want to both explore the top sights and take the road less traveled.

Disclosure: We traveled to New Zealand with support from Lonely Planet and G Adventures. All publications say this, but we really don’t guarantee positive coverage. We say what we think – good and bad – so you can make informed decisions with honest advice.

Lead Image: Atlas & Boots

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