A Day on the Ice

---

Such an amazing day!

I thought I was signing up for a walk in the park but this was a full day of playing on an enormous glacier. I'm not sure what the technical term would be but what comes to mind is ice mountaineering. Hahah. Our guide was actually NUTS. I'd say as a rough estimate, ten times more hard core than any of the cliff jumping adrenaline junkies in Jackson. Cliff (ironically), our guide was lanky and didn't speak much but knew every crack and cranny of Franz Joseph Glacier. Our group of ten were all equipped with crampons and ice axes and we scrambled, squeezed, climbed and repelled through a wonderland of ice mazes, tunnels, and crevasses for 6 hours. It was a bluebird day and the ice shone an equally brilliant blue, a product of years of compression.

I was incredibly impressed with the value of the day (the first "organized" activity I've signed up and paid for) but more with the knowledge and capability of our guide, the quick and uniting comradery of the group and the very apparent danger and peril of what we were participating in as wide eyed beginners.

The glacier was clearly and visibly moving and changing even as we walked upon it. The cracking of ice and rolling of boulders became an accustomed racket after only a few minutes on the ice and an entire cave collapsed into a river while we sat nearby eating our lunch. We heard via Cliff's radio that the nearby Fox glacier lost its entire face earlier in the day.

After feeling somewhat despondent yesterday, annoyed by my own self pity for my current health status and general lack of energy, I had told myself and my mother that if I wasn't exhilarated after today's glacier hike, than something was truly wrong.

I breathed a thankful sigh of relief this morning as I slipped on my crampons, knowing I would feel better within moments. And this evening, even after an inhaled can of spaghetti-os, I feel healthier, more hopeful and incredably excited to be here.....not bad for 100$ bucks (NZ$ of course).

---

Comments

[mom]

Em, Your blogs sound more adventuresome (mother talk for perilous) than our cell phone conversations. I am so impressed with how you are managing to move around, meet friends and find all these amazing tramps, although I'm not sure the glacier qualifies as a tramp. Even with your health concerns, in your logs and photos you seem happy and cheerful. Miss you lots, mom

[Esther]

The Color
The color and your beautiful face.............you and your photographer are doing a fabulous job...........you of the place and he (or she) of you in it. Love, E

[jen m]

emma lets try out for the amazing race when you get back are you with me

[Linda Knox]

Glacier Hike
Emily - that looked seriously scary. I'm glad you had the nerve and a good guide!