Franz Josef Glacier
A Rainforest that Leads to a Glacier
This valley in the New Zealand fjordlands was created by a glacier that once reached the sea. Over time as the glacier has retreated, subtropical rainforest has moved in to replace it. The fjordlands on South Island’s southwestern coast are a place of heavy rainfall, which goes to snow at a relatively low altitude, creating the glacier.
Glacial water
This stream is being fed by the remnant of the glacier. We follow this stream up the canyon to the snout of the glacier.
The Glacier
The snout, or bottom end, of the Franz Josef Glacier is now several kilometers higher up the valley that it has ben even in recent historical times.
