4x4 Hofsjökull Ice Cap
Planning a trip with around 135 trucks crossing one of the biggest ice caps in Iceland is no small project. The trucks are divided into 24 groups each with a designated group leader and able to take care of and help other group members in case of mechanical failures or recovery tasks.
Sigurjon offered me along as a co-driver and I was happy to accept.
We start out Friday afternoon and take our last stop in civilization in a small country gas-station. Daylight is soon gone but there is quite a stretch left to the huts at Kerlingarfjoll where we will be spending the night.
Every truck in our two groups is diesel powered.
Getting off the highway and onto the fresh snow takes some airing down on the tires.
In the hut we have our dinner and light chat about life and the task ahead for the weekend. The majority of the group stays at the huts at Kerlingarfjoll or in the Setur hut. Some even sleep in their trucks outside the huts.
At around 8 in the morning we get ready to start the glacier trip. We stayed at this hut - it is the largest of the huts at Kerlingarfjoll. Looks a bit strange with all the snow on the side and small holes dug out for the windows!
Wheelers are notorious for innovations. Here is an interesting idea from Gundur. This works as a tire inflation system. The air hose to the center of the wheel can be removed in case of possible touching obstacles.
A healthy looking F-250 on 44 inch Trxus tires.
Bessi in his Toyota Hilux Double Cab.
On the route to the base of the glacier we find stretches of fresh snow. Some soft and some a bit more beaten.
Einar in the Cherokee starting the long drive up the glacier. The speed is much higher than two weeks ago.
Omar on the Nissan Patrol and Gunni on the older LandCruiser are doing good.
Beggi and his wife Soffia in their Isuzu Trooper have put up a flag to celebrate the day.
Vilberg and his wife Hansina in their similar Trooper, Skuli and Bessi following along.
Gudmundur in the LandCruiser 90.
A Nissan Patrol on 38 inch tires...
...and another on 44s.
Grand Cherokee on 38 inch tires.
Gradually as we get higher visibility is dropping. We are now depending on GPS and maps on laptops for navigation as well as CB and VHF radio for communications. CB is more convenient in local groups but VHF reaches further and group leaders are able to talk with the organizing team.
It is better to stick together when conditions are like they are now.
Driving on ice-caps can be dangerous. Cracks can open in certain areas - some of them as deep as a tall building and able to swallow whole trucks.
Every once in a while we drive past some trucks from other groups, like this Ford Ranger.
Halldor Fannar the dentist really knows how to enjoy life to the fullest. His small Suzuki Fox with the number plate FOXY and an old fashioned manual car horn on the top. As you can see later when you look at the back side of his truck it really is a fox...
Sigurjon and his Land Cruiser on the 44 inch Dick Cepec tires.
As we get lower on the glacier on the north side, visibility is improving and the weather is getting better.
4x4 off road!
Getting off the glacier is not too hard. Obviously these rocks don't belong to the ice-cap.
Sky, ice, rocks and sun - not much else - but somehow you find true beauty in the scenery.
No true FOX would leave home without the TAIL!
This Fox is a bit tipsy and Halldor decides to back out and find another track.
Close to Hofsjokull at the north side we see a group of trucks...
...everybody seems to be looking at the only serious fixing that needs to be done. A Nissan Terrano had taken a jump - estimated at about 12 meters (40 feet) - and broken BOTH ends of the front axle system.
Mobi-Arc in one of the trucks came in handy for the welding job. It works much better than connecting car-batteries.
Jon Snaeland has recently bought the 44 inch tires with the beadlocks on his Toyota 4Runner.
Here is a nice low-rider Nissan Double Cab with lots of sheet metal cutting and huge fender flares.
A BIG OLD F-250 on 44 inch Super Swamper tires is parked by the hut at Skiptabakki.
Later - we are greeted with a view over Skagafjordur. From there we drive the highway to Akureyri, where a big dinner party is held...
