http://nzicescapes.com/blog Glacier, Ice and West Coast Stock Images New Zealand Thu, 19 Oct 2017 01:23:31 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 http://nzicescapes.com/blog/2010/05/new-zealand-glaciers/ http://nzicescapes.com/blog/2010/05/new-zealand-glaciers/#comments Sun, 09 May 2010 04:38:32 +0000 admin http://nzicescapes.com/blog/?p=17 The unique environment of Westland National Park is responsible for the formation of the local glaciers. These powerful remnants of an ice age manage to survive warming temperatures due to the very special weather conditions on the West Coast of the South Island. Up to 16 metres of precipitation falls on the tops of the Southern Alps every year, most of it falling as snow. This massive amount of snow compacts under its own weight, and gives birth to the icy giants which carve their way down from the alpine tops to altitudes of 250m above sea level, amongst the temperate rainforest only 19km from the coastline. Very steep and uneven bedrock along with the sun, wind and rain combine to create the breathtaking scenery of glacier formations that one could only dream of. How long will we be able to enjoy this stunning beauty…?

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