Top of Iceland
Hvannadalshnúkur, the tallest mountain in Iceland at 2110 m (6921 feet, rising directly from near sea level), shines brightly in the early evening light. Hvannadalshnúkur is part of the Öræfajökull volcano, at the southern end of the Vatnajökull ice sheet. Öræfajökull erupted violently in 1362, obliterating much of the surrounding area with tephra fallout and massive floods due to catastrophic glacial melt (jökulhlaup). The name Öræfi is used for “wasteland” in Icelandic.
To the left the jagged ridges of Hafrafell lead up to spires on the mountain. These spires are called “Fremrimenn” (front men) because they look like anthropomorphs (www.flickr.com/photos/ystenes/4775148389). A thin slice of the lower portion of the Svínafellsjökull (glacier) is visible just at the base of the mountain- crevasses on the glacier can be seen on the higher slopes.
Note the mix of “dirty” and “clean” snow. Frequent high winds blow dark brown soils derived from basaltic rocks across the lower slopes, while the higher slopes receive less dust and experience snow into the summer months, covering the dust that does fall.
We didn’t take many sunset pictures in southern Iceland, since the sun set in the NNW, and ended up backlighting the mountains to our north. (#2)
n.b. this region has in our humble opinion the best beer in Iceland, taking its name from the ice sheet where the water is obtained: Vatnajökull.
As always, thanks for your comments and favs.
Top of Iceland
Hvannadalshnúkur, the tallest mountain in Iceland at 2110 m (6921 feet, rising directly from near sea level), shines brightly in the early evening light. Hvannadalshnúkur is part of the Öræfajökull volcano, at the southern end of the Vatnajökull ice sheet. Öræfajökull erupted violently in 1362, obliterating much of the surrounding area with tephra fallout and massive floods due to catastrophic glacial melt (jökulhlaup). The name Öræfi is used for “wasteland” in Icelandic.
To the left the jagged ridges of Hafrafell lead up to spires on the mountain. These spires are called “Fremrimenn” (front men) because they look like anthropomorphs (www.flickr.com/photos/ystenes/4775148389). A thin slice of the lower portion of the Svínafellsjökull (glacier) is visible just at the base of the mountain- crevasses on the glacier can be seen on the higher slopes.
Note the mix of “dirty” and “clean” snow. Frequent high winds blow dark brown soils derived from basaltic rocks across the lower slopes, while the higher slopes receive less dust and experience snow into the summer months, covering the dust that does fall.
We didn’t take many sunset pictures in southern Iceland, since the sun set in the NNW, and ended up backlighting the mountains to our north. (#2)
n.b. this region has in our humble opinion the best beer in Iceland, taking its name from the ice sheet where the water is obtained: Vatnajökull.
As always, thanks for your comments and favs.