or snowfield at the head of Franz Josef Glacier is over 2500 m above sea level and 20 km2 in area. This wide névé, which is over 300 m deep, feeds large amounts of compacted snow into a steep and narrow valley which drops quickly to very low altitudes: the glacier descends to 300 m above sea level in just 11 km. This combination of factors leads to Franz Josef persisting where most temperate-zone glaciers would have already melted, and allows it to share a valley with temperate rain forest.

Franz Josef Glacier currently terminates