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A 20-hour visit to Aoraki-Mt Cook National Park during Easter 2008

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Author Topic: A 20-hour visit to Aoraki-Mt Cook National Park during Easter 2008  (Read 8665 times)
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #25 on: February 02, 2009, 01:19:40 pm »

NZ's second highest mountain, Mount Tasman in the centre of the photo, flanked by Silberhorn on the left and Lendenfeld Peak on the right, as viewed at 10:36am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

NZ's second highest mountain, Mount Tasman in the centre of the photo, flanked by Silberhorn on the left and Lendenfeld Peak on the right.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #26 on: February 02, 2009, 01:20:31 pm »

The Grand Plateau beneath Aoraki-Mount Cook and Mount Tasman with the Hochstetter Glacier draining the plateau to the Tasman Glacier below, as viewed at 10:36am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

The Grand Plateau beneath Aoraki-Mount Cook and Mount Tasman with the Hochstetter Glacier draining the plateau to the Tasman Glacier below.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #27 on: February 02, 2009, 01:23:23 pm »

Flying further up the valley — past Mount Chudleigh and its associated glaciers on the Malte Brun Range to the right of the skiplane; and past the awesome spectacle of Aoraki-Mount Cook, Mount Dampier and Mount Tasman (NZ's three highest mountains) with the Grand Plateau and the Freshfield Glacier below; then past De La Beche Corner and the Rudolf Glacier rising up to the Graham Saddle (the top of the Franz Josef Glacier is on the other side of that saddle); then past the awesome glacial icefalls below Mount De La Beche, The Minarets and Mount Gold Smith towards the upper valley.



The Malte Brun Range with Mount Chudleigh prominent and the Barkley, Langdale and Walpole Glaciers on the western side of the range above the Tasman Glacier opposite the Grand Plateau — photo taken at 10:37am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

The Malte Brun Range with Mount Chudleigh prominent and the Barkley, Langdale and Walpole Glaciers on the western side of the range
above the Tasman Glacier opposite the Grand Plateau.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #28 on: February 02, 2009, 01:24:03 pm »

New Zealand's three highest mountains - Aoraki-Mount Cook with its three peaks and mile-long (1.6 kilometres-long) summit ridge, Mount Dampier (the little bump) to the right of Aoraki, then Mount Tasman to the right in the photograph, with the Grand Plateau and the Freshfield Glacier below and in front of the three big mountains — as viewed at 10:37am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

New Zealand's three highest mountains - Aoraki-Mount Cook with its three peaks and mile-long (1.6 kilometres-long) summit ridge,
Mount Dampier (the little bump) to the right of Aoraki, then Mount Tasman to the right in the photograph, with the Grand Plateau
and the Freshfield Glacier below and in front of the three big mountains.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #29 on: February 02, 2009, 01:25:09 pm »

Looking down on the Tasman Glacier at De La Beche Corner with the rubble-covered Rudolf Glacier flowing into the Tasman from the top of the photograph — as viewed at 10:37am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Looking down on the Tasman Glacier at De La Beche Corner with the rubble-covered Rudolf Glacier flowing into the Tasman from the top of the photograph.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #30 on: February 02, 2009, 01:26:06 pm »

The view beneath the left wing of the skiplane towards the Graham Saddle (a high crossing to the top of the Franz Josef Glacier) above the Rudolf Glacier with Moonlight Peak to the right of the saddle and the De La Beche Ridge prominent in the foreground — photographed at 10:37am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

The view beneath the left wing of the skiplane towards the Graham Saddle (a high crossing to the top of the Franz Josef Glacier) above the Rudolf Glacier
with Moonlight Peak to the right of the saddle and the De La Beche Ridge prominent in the foreground.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #31 on: February 02, 2009, 01:27:16 pm »

Glacial icefalls on the south-eastern side of Mount De La Beche, The Minarets and Mount Gold Smith, with various peaks on the Main Divide of the Southern Alps behind, including Mount Spencer, Mount Frederick Gardiner, Mount Aurora, Metor Peak, Mount Jervois, Aigrette Peak and Mount Rudolf as viewed at 10:38am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Glacial icefalls on the south-eastern side of Mount De La Beche, The Minarets and Mount Gold Smith, with various peaks on the Main Divide of the Southern Alps
behind, including Mount Spencer, Mount Frederick Gardiner, Mount Aurora, Metor Peak, Mount Jervois, Aigrette Peak and Mount Rudolf.
NOTE: This image isn't level due to the skiplane banking steeply as it was captured. The ridge of the
Main Divide of the Southern Alps in the background gives you a basic level alignment reference.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #32 on: February 02, 2009, 01:30:04 pm »

Into the Upper Tasman Glacier Valley before leaving Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park and crossing the Main Divide of the Southern Alps just south of Mount Elie De Beaumont and flying over the Spencer Glacier in Westland National Park.



The Upper Tasman Glacier with the Tasman Saddle at the head of the glacier as viewed from a skiplane at 10:39am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

The Upper Tasman Glacier with the Tasman Saddle at the head of the glacier as viewed beneath one of the skiplane's wings.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #33 on: February 02, 2009, 01:30:47 pm »

The Upper Tasman Glacier with the Tasman Saddle at the head of the glacier as viewed from a skiplane at 10:39am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

The Upper Tasman Glacier with the Tasman Saddle at the head of the glacier.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #34 on: February 02, 2009, 01:31:32 pm »

Mount Elie De Beaumont above the head of the Upper Tasman Glacier as viewed from a skiplane at 10:39am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Mount Elie De Beaumont above the head of the Upper Tasman Glacier as viewed from the skiplane.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #35 on: February 02, 2009, 01:35:26 pm »

The view just after crossing the huge fortress wall of the Main Divide of the Southern Alps above Divers Col into Westland National Park, with the Upper Tasman Glacier visible on the Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park side of the Divide behind the skiplane — photo taken at 10:40am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

The view just after crossing the huge fortress wall of the Main Divide of the Southern Alps above Divers Col into Westland National Park,
with the Upper Tasman Glacier visible on the Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park side of the Divide behind the skiplane.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #36 on: February 02, 2009, 01:41:00 pm »

Looking down the Spencer Glacier just after crossing over the Main Divide of the Southern Alps from Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park to Westland National Park as viewed at 10:40am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Looking down the Spencer Glacier just after crossing over the Main Divide of the Southern Alps from Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park to Westland National Park.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #37 on: February 02, 2009, 06:58:48 pm »

Flying low across the surface of the Geikie Snowfield, part of the vast névé of the Franz Josef Glacier, and the skiplane's flaps were fully extended to provide a combination of maximum lift and drag as we begin an ear-popping 2,000-metre descent over a period of only three minutes, down the snowfield and over the lower névé with its huge crevasses and seracs (see the shadow of the skiplane in the last photo in this message) and down towards the upper icefall and trunk of the glacier.



Descending down over the Geikie Snowfield, part of the huge névé of the Franz Josef Glacier — 10:41am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Descending down over the Geikie Snowfield, part of the huge névé of the Franz Josef Glacier in Westland National Park on Easter Monday 2008.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #38 on: February 02, 2009, 06:59:29 pm »

Descending down over the Geikie Snowfield, part of the huge névé of the Franz Josef Glacier — 10:41am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Descending down over the Geikie Snowfield, part of the huge névé of the Franz Josef Glacier.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #39 on: February 02, 2009, 07:00:28 pm »

Descending down over the Geikie Snowfield, with flaps now fully extended to produce a combination of drag and additional lift as the skiplane drops towards the steep trunk of the Franz Josef Glacier — 10:42am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Descending down over the Geikie Snowfield, with flaps now fully extended to produce a combination of drag and additional lift
as the skiplane drops towards the steep trunk of the Franz Josef Glacier.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #40 on: February 02, 2009, 07:01:33 pm »

Descending over huge crevasses at the lower part of the Geikie Snowfield with full flaps extended as the skiplane drops towards the steep trunk of the Franz Josef Glacier — 10:42am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Descending over huge crevasses at the lower part of the Geikie Snowfield with full flaps extended as the skiplane drops towards the steep trunk
of the Franz Josef Glacier.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #41 on: February 02, 2009, 07:02:15 pm »

Descending over huge crevasses at the lower part of the Geikie Snowfield with full flaps extended as the skiplane drops towards the steep trunk of the Franz Josef Glacier — 10:42am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Descending over huge crevasses at the lower part of the Geikie Snowfield with full flaps extended as the skiplane drops towards the steep trunk
of the Franz Josef Glacier.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #42 on: February 02, 2009, 07:02:58 pm »

Descending over huge crevasses at the lower part of the Geikie Snowfield with full flaps extended as the skiplane drops towards the steep trunk of the Franz Josef Glacier — 10:42am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Descending over huge crevasses at the lower part of the Geikie Snowfield with full flaps extended as the skiplane drops towards the steep trunk
of the Franz Josef Glacier.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #43 on: February 02, 2009, 07:03:41 pm »

Descending into the trunk of the Franz Josef Glacier with full flaps extended on the skiplane to provide a combination of drag and maximum lift — 10:42am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Descending into the trunk of the Franz Josef Glacier with full flaps extended on the skiplane to provide a combination of drag and maximum lift.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #44 on: February 02, 2009, 07:04:55 pm »

The shadow of the skiplane as it passes low over huge crevasses at the top of the upper icefall in the trunk of the Franz Josef Glacier — 10:43am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

The shadow of the skiplane as it passes low over huge crevasses at the top of the upper icefall in the trunk of the Franz Josef Glacier.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #45 on: February 02, 2009, 07:05:36 pm »

Continuing on down the ear-popping descent low over the upper icefall of Franz Josef Glacier towards the lower icefall of the glacier trunk where the flaps are retracted and we level off above the glacier terminal, then climb out and cross the Fritz Range high above the Waikukupa Valley, fly across the Baumann Glacier and then the Victoria Glacier as we climb towards the névé of the Fox Glacier.



Descending over the crevasses and seracs of the upper icefall of Franz Josef Glacier towards the terminal face where glacial ice extends down to the level of the lowland rainforest — 10:43am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Descending over the crevasses and seracs of the upper icefall of Franz Josef Glacier towards the terminal face where glacial ice extends down to the level
of the lowland rainforest.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #46 on: February 02, 2009, 07:06:23 pm »

Descending over the crevasses and seracs of the upper icefall of Franz Josef Glacier towards the terminal face where glacial ice extends down to the level of the lowland rainforest — 10:43am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Descending over the crevasses and seracs of the upper icefall of Franz Josef Glacier towards the terminal face where glacial ice extends down to the level
of the lowland rainforest.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #47 on: February 02, 2009, 07:07:02 pm »

Descending over the crevasses and seracs of the upper icefall of Franz Josef Glacier towards the terminal face where glacial ice extends down to the level of the lowland rainforest — 10:43am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Descending over the crevasses and seracs of the upper icefall of Franz Josef Glacier towards the terminal face where glacial ice extends down to the level
of the rainforest lowland.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #48 on: February 02, 2009, 07:07:49 pm »

Descending over the lower icefall of Franz Josef Glacier towards the terminal face at 10:44am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Descending over the lower icefall of Franz Josef Glacier towards the terminal face.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #49 on: February 02, 2009, 07:08:28 pm »

Descending over the lower icefall of Franz Josef Glacier towards the terminal face at 10:44am on Easter Monday, 24th March 2008.

Descending over the lower icefall of Franz Josef Glacier towards the terminal face.
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