Touring Alpine Grandeur

New Zealand Student Tours

Geography Studies

We explore on the effects of high tectonic uplift in conjunction with special rock types and weathers.
	There are avalanching ice falls, massive land movements and New Zealand's largest glaciers. Erosion processes are most violent here. To the east lie tundra plains and three giant lakes.
Alpine Uplift	Alpine Uplift While in this zone we become aware of the continually uplifting Southern Alps. Colliding tectonic plates are continually uplifting these alps here as they do in many different parts of the world. KANES help us understand the enormous forces acting beneath.
Geology	Geology We explore uplifting sedimentary mud stone ("greywacke") .The material has been easily broken with erosion and is spread by glaciers and rivers from the alps to fill the ancient valleys forming tundra and distant coastal plains.
Glaciers	Glaciers Compared with others we will see in this zone larger deeper and slow moving glaciers. These are wider, have less gradient and carry more moraine that insulates them from melting.
Weather	Weather We encounter the effects of the high winds and violent storms that drench the Alps with snow and rain. We can often witness the towering alps catching the moisture from the prevailing Roaring Forties winds.
Tundra	Tundra We enjoy spectacular wide open tundra lands beneath the towering snow covered Southern Alps. These were once great ice filled voids filled with debris as the great ice flows receded with ancient global warming periods and huge rivers.
Erosion	Erosion Because of height, the speed of alpine uplifting, several glaciers and violent weather, erosion is particularly exciting and fast. We see the screes, towers, frost heave, frost shatter, avalanches, fans, rivers, rock flour and glaciers.
Rivers	Rivers Beginning at the glaciers we witness the sources of the cold rivers at the glacier snouts and their lakes. These special rivers are filled with rock-four made by the slowly flowing ice and rocks. They carry thousands of tonnes of suspensions yearly into the nearby lakes and their rivers.
Biology Studies	Biology Studies This New Zealand Zone accommodates a huge variety of both native and introduced plants all adapted to the harsh environments. We also witness the dangers for the natives as exotic flora and fauna spread.
Soils	Soils Studies River and glacier deposits formed the soils of the high tundra plains here. These soils are exposed to severe winter storms searing summer sun and violent moisture sapping winds, consequently they are not great for growing food or farming.
Lakes	Lakes Three large glacier made lakes link the mountains and tundra plains. There are also forming lakes as large glaciers melt away. more
Lindis Alpine Pass	Lindis Alpine Pass This high baron pass with its own special beauty is the junction of two large water drainage areas. The road passes over high, picturesque barren tussock lands that can be covered with snow in the winter.

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