Fox Glacier

One of the most amazing things we have discovered on our trip was that there is so many different ecosystems living all together in this area.  There are lush rainforests and glacier valleys that touch each other.  Rocky hills and valleys among dense forests with moss covered trees where the ground doesn't see the sun.

The second glacier we hiked was Fox Glacier.  After seeing Franz Josef, Fox wasn't as "wow"-ing.  The hike was shorter in distance but more brutal.  Most of it was uphill and was very steep, then back down it was so steep that it was painful on the toes and knees.  After the brutal hike, the scenery being not "AS" amazing was slightly disappointing, but by this time we had become "nature snobs" and it was going to take a lot to impress us.... he he!!

Here is some information about Fox Glacier:

Fed by four alpine glaciers, Fox Glacier falls 8,500 ft on its 13 km journey from the Southern Alps down to the coast, with it having the distinction of being one of the few glaciers to end among lush rainforest only 980 ft above sea level

The hike was very dry and rocky.  But the scenery around us was very stunning.  The rocky mountains towered out of the ground straight up and were stained from falling water.  There were lots of waterfalls on the mountains along the way.

We had to cross a stream along the way.  

This picture doesn't do the steepness justice.  It WAS super steep!!

This the glacier.  A lot of it is what they call "dirty glacier" because it's hard to tell what's glacier and what is land.  The glacier goes further up and around where you can't see from this point.  They take tours up on both of these glaciers where you can hike around with ice boots and ice picks.  Definitely would have been a cool thing to do if we didn't have the kids.

Savannah, Alyssa and Av drank water from this spring. It was so clear and cold and pure.  Kayla was definitely NOT going to drink from anything that wasn't from the tap.  She was freaking out that the others drank from it.  Drama!!  We saw some people filling up their water bottles with the water.

Ava loved this van.  There were lots of funny painted vans and camper vans all along our trip.  

See the tall towering slope in the background.

Down the road we found a swinging bridge with rushing cloudy blue water.  It was so pretty.

Trying to get all 6 faces in the selfie!!