A common sight: our hut in the morning rain.
Since we wake up to a steady drizzle there is no real rush to get out of the hut this morning. We enjoy the dryness, have breakfast and just as we want to head out all the spigots in the hut run dry. Even in pouring rain dehydration is a serious – potentially deadly – issue on the trail, so Justin gets sent off to call the (at this time still very sleepy) warden, who fixes the water supply, we fill our bottles, and a few minutes later we are on our way.
Hiking across the snowfields on our way to Álftavatn.
Low-hanging clouds hide some of the most impressive volcanic peaks.
The path crosses some extensive sand deserts.Many of them are covered with snow, and the low-hanging clouds hide many of the nearby mountains. Around lunchtime we reach Bláfjallakvísl, a glacial river that has no bridge across it.
Now, who holds the NESCAC triple jump record?
Bridget hopping across the rocks.
Usually the crossing is no big deal, but this year the meltwater is pretty high, and we had to jump over quite a few streams already.
Meltwater streams.
Rest along the trail.
Now Jon is the first to check out the deepest channel. Crossing a bit upstream from the regular ford is not too bad, and we all make it across safely. But it was sure cold. So cold indeed that Christoph hands out some extra chocolate rations.
Jon crossing the Bláfjallakvísl
Like mice we huddle on the other side to stay warm.
Soon we reach the hut at Hvanngil where we take a short break behind the bathrooms. Then its another few miles to today’s camp site, the hut at Álftavatn.
The group near Hvanngil
Mountains at Álftavatn
Our camp site at Álftavatn.
The trail is easy now, but we still have to get through two small streams. They are mostly annoying, neither particularly deep or cold, but we still have to take our boots off. The last little trickle is within sight of the hut. Some don’t bother and cover the last hundred yards in their wading shoes.
Swimming in the lake proves to be tricky. The lake is so shallow that Christoph and Lauren have to wade forever to even get their knees wet. After some hundred yards or so they both give up and take a shower at the hut.
Towards dinner time the weather turned almost nice. We had maybe an hour to enjoy the setting evening sun.
Cameron and Jon supervising dinner.
Dinnertime!