296 Sentinel Rock Walk

296) Sentinel Rock Walk - 4th March 2020 - NEW
Return Distance 900mm, Max Elevation 266m, Climb 39m, Time 0.5hr, Level - Easy - Pops, Elaine, Hannah
Co-ordinates: -43.423380, 170.168940
My Blog:
Our first ever opportunity to see a glacier close up, as Franz Josef is one of the most accessible in the world. This short walk was just a taste of what was to come on this trip.
Short Description:
This short steady climb up a now bush-covered ice-scraped rock offers the most impressive views of the glacier and the Waiho River.
Information panels at the viewpoint show dramatic photos of the glacial retreat, making it one of the best places to appreciate the power of the glacier.
Sentinel Rock emerged from beneath the glacier in 1865 and is an example of how the glacial ice ground the hard schist bedrock into a Roche moutonnee or ‘rock sheep’.
Since 1909 the glacier has retreated over 3 km and plants have progressively colonised where a veneer of rubble has been dumped over bedrock in the valley.
Getting There:
From the township of Franz Josef, travel south on State Highway 6 and over the Waiho River Bridge, before immediately turning left onto the Glacier Access Road and travel 3.5km to the car park.
Maps:
Sentinel Rock Walk
Route/Trail Notes:
Head out on the prepared signposted pathway, that is shared with the Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk for the first 300m. From here, turn left and for 150m the pathway climbs to the top of the rock, with its lookout and information board. Return by the same route.
Permits/Costs:
None.
Other References/Comments:
As with most South Island towns, there are always numerous tracks in and around the area. In this case most notably Franz Josef Valley Walks and Alex Knob Track.
Many will include this sidetrack as part of the main Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk.
If you are lucky, you might site the Chamois Goat-antelope, eight of which were imported from Europe in 1907 and are now in pest proportions.