The Trip of a Lifetime

We returned last night, safe and sound, from a four day backpacking trip in Southern Iceland on the country's most popular hiking trail. The trail is about 31 miles long and runs north to south from Landmannalaugar to Thorsmork.

We left Friday morning and headed east to the start point. Our wonderful Icelandic guides, Pauli and Rosa, met us at Solheimar and quickly built a great report with us: hospitality, knowledge, confidence, compassion, and great food. It was nice to see a new part of Iceland, though Solheimar is beautiful itself. Along the way, we ran into the annual sheep roundup in this region of Iceland. Sheep spend their summers grazing in the mountains and are rounded up before the winter. Farmers from all around the area are required to help out. Some were on foot, some on horses. Border collies were all around, keeping the sheep in line. We drove at about 3 mph for a good 20 minutes as thousands of sheep ran by.

The first day of hiking was difficult. It had begun to rain and it was already near 2pm by the time we got on trail. We climbed over 400 meters in elevation Friday afternoon, facing more wind and rain with each step uphill. The weather, combined with the realization that I was not in as good of shape as I had thought, made for a very pessimistic Elise. I spent the hours thinking of excuses to skip out on the next 3 days of the trip; I thought there was no way I could face more of this harsh landscape and physical challenge. We reached the hut and it was a sight for sore eyes! The hut was heated and full of cozy bunk beds, stoves for coffee, and geothermal pipes to dry wet socks on. 

The "Super-Jeep" that transported our food and luggage from hut to hut

Day two, we woke up to strong winds at our elevation of 1012 meters. This made for difficult hiking, especially along ridges. Wind rushing over the mountains came down like a tunnel, making it hard to move forward. This day was much improved from the first though. We climbed on a glacier, saw some hot ponds, and got a terrific view of the mountain lake Alftavatn where our second cabin was located. The sun peaked out throughout the day and put a big smile on my face. The hut we stayed at here was much newer and very fun. Instead of bunk beds, all the beds were right next to each other (no space), which made for a very silly sleepover.

 Sunset from our room at the second hut

Day three.... I close my eyes and sing "Arabian Nights" to myself. This day was mostly flat, but the majority of the hiking was over the sand flats near the glacier Myrdalsjokull. The winds were a sustained 20 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph. I'd be talking with someone, then all the kneeling on the sand because of a big gust, then jump back up and ask "Can you say that once more?". Conversations weren't very deep that day. We reached that third hut in Emstrur by 2pm, so we took a little side trip to a nearby canyon. I didn't stray too close to the edge, but definitely got an appreciation for the immensity of it from a safe distance. That evening in the hut was lots of fun. After playing several rounds of Spoons (the card game), the had a hearty dinner of tortellini and heard Icelandic ghost stories well into the evening. Needless to say, I had a hard time going to sleep that night with the wind howling and ghosts on  my mind.


Day four was spectacular. The sun shone on and off all day, often mixed with rain. We saw about five different rainbows yesterday, each one brighter than the last. The hike was so enjoyable and the scenery was incredible. About an hour from the end, we crossed a small river. The water was cold but so refreshing. We walked the final kilometer in an Icelandic birch forest, right in the foothills of the volcano/glacier Eyanfajokull. I didn't realize how much I missed the fall colors of Wisconsin until we walked through this forest. After being surrounded by ice, stone, and moss for days, it was so healing to be among trees again. We also hiked this last part silently, to give us a chance to appreciate and fully experience this land around us once more.

Birch forest

The bus picked us up at Thorsmork, and the fearless driver drove confidently over many a river on the way out. We stopped for pizza and soda on the way "home" to refuel on grease and sugar. It was sooo good. My first shower and soak in the hot tub were great and it's nice to be back. I don't feel like I can fully explain all that happened on the trip. It was beautiful, challenging, gratifying, and renewing. I was pushed further than I thought I could go, and am proud of myself for completing the trip. The land was gorgeous beyond belief: mountains of every shape and color, glaciers with their own climates. I gained muscle, confidence, and humility. I experienced just a small part of what Iceland has to give and I will never forget this trip. That is all.