Now you may be asking yourself, "What is heli-hiking?"  Well, it's simplythe most amazingly, incredible ways to see Franz Joseph Glacier.  It involves taking a helicopter up to the glacier, landing on the ice, and hiking around for hours.  This was truly a once in a lifetime experience for us.  The sheer grandeur and beauty of the glacier is impossible to put into words - it left both Jason and I speachless (but we know that didn't last too long!)

Franz Joseph Glacier is one of only three unique glaciers in the world, since it flows into a rainforest.  Imagine flying over an incredible lush rainforest, viewing waterfalls flowing down the side of the moutain, and then landing on the ice of a majestic glacier . 

We had the absolute coolest guide for the hike named Goose - he allowed us do anything we wanted on our hike.  This would not have flown in the States.  We strapped our crampons to our ice boots, which kept us from slipping, and we were off.  Jason and I actually became "those people" on this adventure, since we were off like a bullet exploring every crevice, ice cave and free flowing water fall.

I was quite impressed to see that Jason was more graceful maneuvering on ice then dry land.  We were both climbing all over the ice formations, at times even taking up our guide's ...inappropriate... challenges to conquer some pretty risky stunts.  In a last second decision on the helicopter I decided to bring my water bottle with me, for which I was able to fill it up with the purest, most delicious glacier water. 

When the time came for our helicopter to pick us up I was quite sad to leave the magnificent glacier.  The images and memories will at least last a lifetime to remind us of our icy wonderland of Franz Joseph Glacier.