The front of the New Zealand Fox Glacier taken this year 2007. The glacier has retreated significantly in recent years which may be another effect of climate change and global warming. This was an overcast day with the sun briefly breaking through to light up the upper reaches of the glacier which in fact stretches for more that 20 kilometres up to the snow fields that feed ice into the source of the glacier. Tourists take helicopter and light aircraft flights up the valley into the alps and some land on the upper glacier. Nearby is the Franz Joseph Glacier.