Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → New Zealand → West Coast → Franz Josef Glacier Ice Climbing

♦ Intrepid Top Pick!

Location: Franz Josef area, West Coast, New Zealand

Time Required: 5-6 hours

Red Tape/Notes: Be aware that helicopter flights are cancelled with some frequency due to unfavorable cloud conditions; if you have one scheduled, have a contingency plan just in case. 2019 prices were $NZ 575 per person.

What’s Nearby?: Jackson Bay, Fox Glacier, Franz Josef Glacier Hot Pools

The Franz Josef glacier has receded so far that you can no longer walk onto the glacier – your only access is via helicopter. So if you’re going to pay for a helicopter, you may as well get some ice climbing in while you’re there! If you can’t afford the flight, it’s still a super cool glacier to visit – the fact that you’re walking through verdant rainforest at the bottom and then suddenly transition to rocky, icy glacier terrain is a pretty crazy shift. If you’re taking a helicopter flight onto the glacier, your route to the helipad is through this rainforest and the views of the rapidly changing terrain are pretty incredible. The glacier itself is much like other glaciers, but we were extremely lucky with beautiful clear skies, and were able to find some nice spots for climbing. We wanted something a bit more challenging at the end of the day and our friends at Franz Josef Glacier Guides found us a doozy – sort of a clamshell shaped wall of ice that was great fun for working on our overhang skills (and by “work on” I mostly just mean “fail repeatedly”). Yes, it’s pricy. But at the rate they’re receding, we’re probably not going to have glaciers for much longer – and when they’re gone, I sincerely doubt you’re going to be thinking about the money you spent to see them. And hey, you get entry to the hot springs for free, so that’s something, right?

Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → New Zealand → West Coast → Franz Josef Glacier Ice Climbing