March 5th 2006
A clear and beautiful day makes it naturally easy to take the trucks out and go for a ride. Eyjafjallajokull is a great place to visit if the weather is good. We will get the greatest view with lots of spectacular photo opportunities and that is how it turned out to be.
The six 4x4 trucks gather at the Select gas station along with lots and lots of other groups and individuals obviously going somewhere to seize the day also. Saturday was the same so naturally all are itching to start out.
Day is already getting longer and driving towards the morning sun is not as hard on the eyes.
At 1666 meters (more than a mile) Eyjafjallajokull rises high above the flat southern regions of Iceland. Often the top of such high mountains are covered with clouds but today it is free.
We start climbing close to Seljalandsfoss and take it slowly stopping often...
...like checking out this beautiful waterfall.
Track is rough but not difficult to get up.
At this height we can see all the Westman Islands almost like we were flying above.
Heading up for the highest peak.
Birgir and his daughter Tinna on the Nissan Patrol with the best view money can't buy. Conditions are unbelievably good - the tires hardly sinking into the snow.
Even this group of 4x4 trucks with little to no modification are able to follow along.
The "plummer" on his older Nissan Patrol.
4x4 Off Roads!
Birgir by Goðasteinn. An ice covered rock by the north-west side of the crater at the top of this volcano.
Haukur Parelius by the same rock. He uses this Toyota Land Cruiser for taking nature lovers to the great outdoors in Iceland.
Mean looking Nissan Patrol. Driver has the nickname "Psycho".
Kids use the opportunity to go snowboarding down hill.
Lots of small crevasses are easy to pass. This one is about 2 meters deep and not too dangerous. They can get much deeper and wider and must always be respected.
View to the north from the highest peak of Eyjafjallajokull. Mountain in the far back is the famous volcano Hekla once considered to be the gate to Hell.
Seeing over the crater of Eyjafjallajokull. The glacier falling out is called Gigjokull and can be seen from another angle in the 4x4 Sunday Test Drive.
Descending from the east side with Thorsmork to the left and the south coast to the right.
Using the zoom lens I can see all the way to Dyrholaey and even the hole it is famous for.
Pall on his Land Cruiser has been trying out his brand new AT405 tires and it seems they turn out pretty usable.
In the pass between Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull is this nice little hut. Fimmvorduskali is popular for hikers walking the spectacular route from Skogarfoss in the south to Thorsmork in the north.
We decide to head on east to Myrdalsjokull.
Haukur uses the opportunity to go snowboarding by having his girlfriend drive the LC and hooking him up with a rope.
Looking back from Myrdalsjokull at Eyjafjallajokull.
Myrdalsjokull is also a volcano. Much bigger than Eyjafjallajokull and a caldera. The crater is filled with up to 700 meters of ice and it is expected to erupt within a few years. The eruption will melt lots of the ice and potentially be dangerous for the people living in the area. Most danger will come if the flood goes through Thorsmork. Then it will hit the flatlands and put many farms and villages in danger.
Haukur going up the last stretch.
A little bit softer snow at the top of Myrdalsjokull gives Birgir a chance to have some fun in the sun and snow.
Skuli on the move.
Looking over to the south east with Eyjafjallajokull to the right and the ocean to the left. We are starting to descend Myrdalsjokull by the glacier Solheimajokull.
At the edge of Solheimajokull is a snowmobile rental service open all year.
During the summer they have to move the snowmobiles closer to the glacier and use this Unimog to carry the tourists.
Sensational view of Westman Islands as seen from the lake Holtsos.
All in all a great and memorable day.
