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Iceland Traverse

Smiley, excited, and nervous at the start of the traverse

The first major obstacle was crossing Lambatungnajokull, a 400-yard-wide glacial tongue that descends from Vetnajokull, the biggest icecap in Iceland. Knowing that the outflow river could be enormous, I opted to cross the glacier instead of trying to circumvent the moraine. This proved to be a mistake -- as this picture shows, the outflow river was relatively small (though, for perspective, a F350 could easily drive into the ice cave in this photo) but the glacier was pure bullet ice.

A look back at Lambatungnajokull

My route through Lonsoraefi Nature Preserve was marked on my map with a green line, which ambiguously referred to a "hiking trail, bridal trail, or cross-country route." As it turns out, the route was entirely cross-country, and it involved traversing this steep ravine-sliced slope that were filled in with hard snow that would have given me the ride of my life if I had slipped.

The upper reaches of Jokulsa i Loni, near the hut Múlaskáli

The edge of Vetnajokull perched above ancient sedimentary basaltic flows.

The moraine at the tip of Eyjabakkajökull. It contains small lakes, gravel, loose rocks, miniature terminal and lateral moraines, and large chunks of ice -- and cutting through the moraine is usually a scary river.

The outflow river from Eyjabakkajökull. This was the most difficult ford of the trip: the water was high-thigh deep, moving well, and freezing cold.

The glacier-fed rivers in Iceland carry enormous amounts of volcanic grit that has been ground up by the glacier. This grit fills shoes during fords, gaiters or not. The water is also freezing cold, hence my cold-looking feet.

Snaefell, the highest mountain in Iceland that is not connected to an icecap.

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