Friends may shake their heads in disbelief if told this winter holiday you’d prefer to shimmy up a frozen waterfall rather than sip cocktails at sunset in an island paradise.

Even if the only ice you’d ever seen was in a fridge you can learn to climb vertical walls of it in just one day; and take some intrepid photos to impress disbelieving friends.

Also ice climbing has a dangerously exciting aura about it when in fact it can be made very safe. Climbers are securely attached by rope to an anchor under the supervision of an experienced guide, well used to beginners.

First you have to learn how to walk on ice before attempting a climb.

This means transforming from a day-tripper into a mass of hardware; a vicious looking ice axe in one hand, an ice- hammer in the other and sharply pointed metal crampons attached to plastic boots.

It’s awkward at first but the secret is to keep all the points constantly in contact with the ice for maximum stability. Once used to walking in crampons moving is easy. You can walk up walls like a fly.

With footing under control you can take in the magnificent scenery. Even without the anticipated adrenalin rush of an ice climb this is an awesome place to come for a stroll.

Fox Glacier flows 13 kilometres falling 2600 metres on its journey to the coast. With a flow rate 10 times faster than most valley glaciers, ice travels over large bedrock steps finally ending up on the valley floors in a messy maze of crevasses and pinnacles of ice.

The guide climbs up to set up a top rope on a ledge and abseils down to start the instruction. The figure eight knot attaches the rope firmly to the harness and you learn how to belay, being prepared to lock the rope if a climber loses grip on the ice wall.

During the day you progress to steeper slopes and learn skills like wielding the ice tools for maximum efficiency without slamming knuckles painfully into hard ice and placing feet correctly for secure front pointing in crampons.

Smiles spread from ear to ear as new skills are mastered. Confidence grows and you become eager to move up to the next level.

Being lowered into a crevasse and then climbing out can be a bit scary. It’s an uncomfortable start – walking backwards into the void; followed by an easy abseil to the bottom.

The ice on the wall near the crevasse floor is as smooth and hard as marble. Ice tools and crampons bounce off at first until you expend much more effort into getting a foot and hand hold.

Apart from the backward walk over the edge at the start the next most difficult manoeuvre was getting over the lip at the top.

Although achieved with much gasping and cussing most make it, yet only eight hours ago it would have been an impossible feat.

There are plenty of opportunities for ice climbing in the South Island. Adventure companies run courses for up to five days in the Mt Cook and Queenstown areas.

These courses teach serious stuff like knots and hitches, belay techniques, ice, snow, and rock anchors, as well as rope techniques, trip planning and preparation.

If the ice does not win you over the area has some good hikes.

Conveniently all that ice and action is very accessible - just five kilometres from Fox village.

Accessibility equally appreciated at the end of the day knowing that just five kilometres away is a hot shower, hot food and a room temperature red to be savoured beside the fire at the pub.

Fact File

Ice Climbing at Fox or Franz Josef Glaciers
· No previous experience necessary but reasonable fitness and agility required.

· Maximum four pupils to one instructor

· Duration is eight hours.

· Instruction available year round.

· Equipment included.

· Heli-ice climbing combines instruction with exploration of the upper icefall.

Accommodation

· Both Fox and Franz Josef villages have accommodation ranging from camping to upmarket lodge accommodation.

From : Adventuretravel.suite101.com