We spent our last day in Fox Glacier searching for the best 3-4 hour walk to wrap-up our stay. Our hostess recommended a walk just outside town and beyond the river crossing. She warned us the trail wasn't maintained by DOC, but that it was definitely there as she'd tramped it several years ago.
Soon after breakfast we were off. When we arrived at the sign marking the beginning of the track we were very enthusiastic. Within a few minutes we were crawling under a very large tree that had fallen across the track. Then an immediate uphill climb - straight upl! In very short order the track disappeared completely. Joe went ahead to scout the track and returned suggesting it might be a bit too underdeveloped for my comfort level. With walking poles in hand we retreated back to the carpark.
We weren't too awfully discouraged since Fox Glacier has quite a few nice walks. Before long we were hiking up toward the Chalet look-out used in the 40s - before the glacier receeded to its present location. A gorgeous beech forest with its moss covered floor awaited. We crossed a few low running creeks and up we went. The view of the glacier from the chalet look-out was great. I guess you can say we covered the Fox Glacier properly. Joe saw it from a plane and from a parachute; together we saw it from the helicopter and landed on the middle of it and hiked over it, even crawling through the ice caves. We hiked from the national park to view it from the base, and finally - we viewed it from a the chalet look-out viewpoint.
Tomorrow we head for Hokitika - the Jade and Greenstone mecca of New Zealand.
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