Wildflowers arrive in western Montana, online

Spring has arrived, and wildflowers are blooming in the woods around western Montana!

As such, my Wildflower Walks blog is getting going again after the winter down time. Look for updates there - and here in the right-hand column - for updates on the bloom through summer. And follow me on Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram for reports and photos.

My first ultramarathon

A couple of weeks ago, I went ahead and registered for my first ultramarathon - the 50K event in the inaugural Trail Rail Run!

The course starts near Lookout Pass and travels former rail beds through the forest along Interstate 90 to St. Regis. There's only one real hill and the route has an easy grade, which appealed to me since I last ran a marathon three years ago. It also seems like a fun course due to a couple of trestles and a tunnel.

Running has been going well this spring after posting a PR in February in the Snow Joke Half Marathon. I've been sticking primarily to trails and have logged a couple of fast 20-mile mornings so far. A training plan I'll roughly be following works up to a couple of 26-mile runs before tapering. (Perhaps I should have just entered a couple of marathons!)

Along the way, I'm also entered in the 11 Miles to Paradise trail race, which runs through the woods along the Clark Fork River and ends with lunch at a hot springs resort. I ran it last year, and it's quite pleasant overall.

If you're looking for more information on scenic races - mostly trail, but some road - in western Montana this spring, read this article I wrote for Missoula magazine and the Missoulian.

A PR to start my 2013 running

I ran my first race of 2013 on Saturday - the Snow Joke Half Marathon around Seeley Lake - and set a PR in the process.

I've realized that the Snow Joke is the only road half marathon I run, but being in February it isn't necessarily the fastest around. The first 5 1/2 miles and last half mile are along a highway, which usually is mostly clear and wet, but the seven miles around the back of the lake are on a road covered with a mix of slush, packed snow and ice.

That said, my finish time was 1 hour, 39 minutes and 31 seconds - more than two minutes faster than my previous half marathon best. It was good enough for 63rd place out of 594 total runners and 36th out of 139 in the men's 16-39 division. Here's the finish line video.

I plan to run at least a couple of more races, sticking with last year's theme of picking some of the more interesting ones. I'll probably do 11 Miles to Paradise - a trail race along the Clark Fork River - again, and would like to try the 50K or 30K in the Trail Rail Run on old railroad beds between Mullan, Idaho, and St. Regis.

Snowshoeing the Bitterroot's Blodgett Canyon

It's been a while since we've been snowshoeing, so last weekend we decided to grab our gear and go to Blodgett Canyon in the Bitterroot Mountains.

While the trail up the canyon is quite popular, we encountered only one other person a short distance from the trailhead at the end of the day, likely because it was Super Bowl Sunday.



We started out in our boots, hiking up the south side of the canyon though a recovering burn area with a mix of young green trees and taller survivors and snags. About half a mile up, we came across a moose in the trees along the trail - fortunately, Belle didn't notice and Josey yipped a couple of times but didn't approach.

After passing the last footprints in the most recent snow - about a mile up the trail, just beyond a wide pool where the creek bends - we decided the powder was deep enough to strap on our snowshoes.

From there, we continued upward, into and out of trees, and past the cascading creek and snow-covered boulder fields. While sunlight lit up the spires on the north side of the canyon, the trail remained in the shadow of the south wall all day. While we saw plenty of more moose tracks, we didn't come across another animal.

At three miles, we crossed the bridge to the north side of the creek, then found some sun a short distance later where the canyon widens, flattens and reaches a boulder field. After a bite to eat and some "family" pictures with the dogs - hopefully, worthy of next year's Christmas card - we turned around and made our way down the canyon.



See more pictures from Blodgett Canyon here.

Distance: About 7 miles round trip, turning around about half a mile past the bridge over Blodgett Creek. (Trail continues).

Trailhead: From U.S. Highway 93 just north of Hamilton, turn west onto Bowman Road, drive about three-quarters of a mile and turn south on Ricketts Road. After about 1.7 miles, the road turns west and becomes Blodgett Camp Road. Continue about 4.25 miles to the trailhead.

Skiing with Josey at Lubrecht Forest

One of our favorite winter activities is cross-country skiing with our dogs, and we recently took Josey on her first real outing.

Only a handful of official cross-country ski trails in the area allow dogs, and one of our favorites is the University of Montana's Lubrecht Experimental Forest, east of Missoula. Set in the Garnet Mountains, Lubrecht has a variety of trails that are maintained by the Missoula Nordic Ski Club, allowing you to piece together routes of most any length.



As is our habit, we set out shortly after waking up and arrived at the trailhead when only a few cars are parked in the lot. Combining the C and D trails gave us a loop of about 6 miles and got us back to the car as the parking lot is filling up. This beginner and intermediate circuit travels counterclockwise through the forest starting to the northeast, with some short climbs, smooth downhill glides and occasional sunny clearings.



Josey started out all over the place - not understanding that she should pace herself, as Belle has learned - but eventually settled in alongside us as she lost energy. Back at the car, we had our fill of frosty forest air and a couple of tired dogs.

See more pictures from Lubrecht here.

Distance: Loop about 6 miles.

Trailhead: From Missoula, the Lubrecht Experimental forest is 5 miles east on Interstate 90 to Bonner, then 26 miles east on Highway 200.

Fall walking around western Montana

Fall has turned to winter and 2012 to 2013, and our year finished with a few smaller outings around western Montana after our big trip to Iceland.

In October, we went up to the Seeley-Swan Valley and west to the Fish Creek area, where the larch trees were turning yellow. In November, I took one last walk up Mount Jumbo, in town, before it closed to the public for the season, then we went south in search of birds at Stevensville's Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge.

Lake Elsina and Lake Dinah



Lake Elsina and Lake Dinah sit in the Mission Mountains northwest of Seeley Lake and the end of this hike provides a beautiful view of the Swan Range to the east. We've been here several times over the years, and while it can be crowded at Lake Elsina we've only encountered a handful of people beyond.

The trail rounds the forested east side of Lake Esina, below, then climbs up through cliff bands. After leveling, it leaves the trees on a ledge above Lake Dinah with views of the Swan. The route ends by descending to the western shore of the Lake Dinah at 2.5 miles and a protrusion of land that would make an ideal campsite.



More photos from Lake Elsina and Lake Dinah are here.

Distance: 5 miles round trip.

Trailhead: To get to Lake Elsina, follow Montana Highway 83 about 4 3/4 miles north of Seeley Lake and turn west on Boy Scout Road. After about 3/4 of a mile more, turn north on Fawn Creek Road and follow the signs at several junctions for about 12.5 miles to the lake.

Burdette Creek



We'd only been out in the Fish Creek area west of Missoula one other time and were looking for an easy but new walk when we chose Burdette Creek. At the time we were there, the larch were golden and foliage lower to the ground was a palette of yellows, oranges and reds.

The trail begins by following an old road cut west and north, up and over a ridge behind private property, before dropping into the valley holding Burdette Creek. Shortly after reaching the bottom, the trail levels and crosses the creek at the 1 mile mark, then parallels it upstream to the north. Along the way, there are views of the creek and surrounding hills. We continued to a second creek crossing at 2.5 miles, then turned back.



A few more photos are here.

Distance: We hiked 5 miles round trip, but the trail continues.

Trailhead: To reach Burdette Creek, follow U.S. Highway 12 west of Lolo for 25.75 miles. Turn northwest on Fish Creek Road and follow it 9 miles to the trailhead. Fish Creek Road also can be accessed from Interstate 90 about 8 miles east of Alberton. The trailhead is then 22 miles south.

Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge



On the edge of Stevensville, Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge is a good spot to watch birds in the Bitterroot Valley. There are a couple of miles worth of trail winding through tall cottonwoods along the east bank of the Bitterroot Valley. On our visit, we saw great blue herons, woodpeckers, kingfishers, a variety of waterfowl and more.



More Lee Metcalf photos are here.

Trailhead: The refuge's main trailhead is 1/3 of a mile east of Stevensville on the Eastside Highway, then 2 miles north on Wildfowl Lane.

Into Iceland's great white north

After spending a night and going on a short hike in Seyðisfjörður, we drove northwest toward the last two destinations on our Icelandic itinerary.

Our plan was to stay a couple of nights at Iceland's largest lake, Mývatn, and another in its second-largest city, Akureyri, before returning to Reykjavík and flying home. We wanted to hike in a couple of volcanic areas, see the northern portion of Vatnajökull National Park and the Dettifoss waterfall, and possibly go on a whale-watching tour off the coast. We made it to both stopovers, but it didn't go quite as planned.

In Seyðisfjörður, we had been told an early snowstorm was expected in the region, but before we set out the weather forecast didn't seem that bad and the road report was decent. Sure, there would be snow, but it didn't appear to be beyond our past experience and we were only supposed to be driving for a couple of hours. Unfortunately, we didn't consider the wind.



Over the pass to Egilsstaðir, there was a light layer of white off the side of the road, but it disappeared as we drove farther. Turning inland, the Ring Road rose through rolling farm country between the coast and highlands. Eventually, as farmhouses became fewer and the landscape opened up, snow returned to the side of the road. When we stopped to take pictures of a reindeer crossing sign on the side of the highway, we got our first feel for the wind, opting to roll down the windows instead of having the doors jerked open.

We drove on, albeit much slower than the posted 90 kph. As the hills turned into mountains, it began to snow, with the flakes sticking to the road, and the gusts picked up - at one point the combination led to a short slide. Soon, visibility decreased and drifts formed on the road. Looking at our map, we decided to continue, thinking the highway would improve as it descended to a river about 40 kilometers from Mývatn.

When we reached the river, four cars were stopped at an intersection with a gravel road to the north - not a good sign. A person from one of the other cars told us the highway was being closed around us and a snowplow would be arriving to clear the unpaved road a few kilometers down to a farm, where we would be allowed to stay the night.



While we waited, more cars queued behind us and we relayed the message back, but the plow never appeared. Late in the afternoon, a Search and Rescue SUV with oversized tires arrived and began to ferry people down to the farm four at a time, leaving a collection of vehicles parked at a roadside pullout. When a Land Cruiser was allowed to follow, we grabbed our backpacks and cooler and climbed in with the two Norwegian occupants.

Down the road, we came to a collection of farmhouses and were directed to one where we could stay. There were three bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom; the power was on, but not the water or heat. Oddly, there was a Wi-Fi signal and we found the password, so had Internet access.

Soon, a couple from Wales arrived, then another from France. The caretaker of the farm stopped by and turned on the water and radiators, although they never really heated up, and told us Search and Rescue would return the next day to take us back to the highway. With the wind gusting nonstop and whiteout conditions outside, we huddled around the kitchen table for the evening, making new friends and sharing details of our travels in Iceland. We cobbled together dinner from food in our cooler and that the French couple brought.



The next morning, we woke to the same conditions outdoors, so sat and talked some more - and updated friends and relatives on our situation via Wi-Fi. We also were able to check weather and road conditions, and see when the highway had reopened. Everyone became antsy as the snow and wind appeared to subside slightly, but there was no sign of Search and Rescue yet. A couple of our housemates tracked down the caretaker and his family and learned he would begin driving people back to their vehicles as soon as he could get his started.

Soon, the Norwegians drove out on their own, leaving six of us at the house. We waited at the windows and eventually saw the caretaker begin to transport others and return. After feeling as if we had been forgotten, we flagged him down and were on our way again - 25 hours after arriving at the house.

Back on the highway, there were breaks in the clouds and the snow was no longer falling - it was, however, blowing sideways and the vehicles were drifted in place at the pullout. After freeing ours, we pushed slowly west on the snow-covered road. The scene was dizzyingly beautiful with a layer of snow blowing perpendicular to our direction of travel, obscuring the road.



We arrived at our guesthouse at Lake Mývatn at sunset, and found the power was out and the family-size cottage we had reserved went instead to a stranded family. The guesthouse had saved us a double room, which was ideal for the two of us and less expensive. The staff had cooked a free dinner for all, and we ate in a room that looked out on the lake as the last rays of light turned the sky orange. Late that night, the power came back on, and we had heat and hot showers.

The next morning, we were able to get in one short hike around the rim of the Hverfell crater adjacent to the lake before departing for Akureyri. On the way to the city, we stopped at the Stakhólstjörn pond, a waterfowl nesting area, and the arc-shaped Goðafoss waterfall. That afternoon and evening were spent strolling through town, looking in shops.



After an early stop the next day at a bakery whose front window and glass case were filled with treats sweet and savory, we were back on the Ring Road headed for Reykjavík.

In the days after the storm, we discovered just how bad it was. On its website, the Icelandic Met Office posted top gusts at two sites east and west of us of 32 and 104 meters per second - 71 and 232 mph. Unfortunately, I can't find a data archive to see if these recordings held or were only preliminary; I can find only information for the previous six days. The English-language news service, however, reported a top wind speed of 61 meters per second, or 136 mph. The 15 to 20 centimeters of snow that fell on the region was believed to be a record for that time of year, and the power outage in the area was the worst in 17 years. In all, 34 people spent the night at the farm.

While the storm forced us to abandon many of our plans in the north, we still had an adventure. And we have a reason to return!

Hverfell



Hverfell is a crater about 1,000 meters wide and 140 meters deep right across the road from the guesthouse where we stayed at Lake Mývatn.

Due to the snow, we parked on the Ring Road and hiked an access road east a little more than a kilometer to a frozen pond at the crater's base. From there, we continued north a short distance, then turned back south where a trail climbed to the rim.



We looped the rim, taking in the winter-white landscape around us and the lake, then descended and returned to our SUV at the road.

Here are more pictures of Hverfell.

Location: From Reykjahlíð, on the eastern side of Lake Mývatn, drive about 3 1/2 kilometers south on the Ring Road, then 1 1/4 km east on an access road.

Stakhólstjörn 



Stakhólstjörn is just off the side of the highway at Skútustaðir and has a handful off trails leading to views of the pond, lake and waterfowl. There weren't that many birds when we were there, but the view across the water was beautiful.

Location: Stakhólstjörn is about 14 kilometers south and west of Reykjahlíð on the Ring Road across from a hotel in Skútustaðir.

Goðafoss



The river Skjálfandafljót spills over the arc-shaped Goðafoss along the Ring Road east of Akureyri. It's name translates to Waterfall of the Gods, and the mists coming off of it make for an ethereal scene. There aren't really trails here, but you can walk out to the rocky ledge.

Here are a few pictures of Goðafoss.

Location: Goðafoss is located about 50 kilometers east of Akureyri on the Ring Road.

Walk among waterfalls in an Icelandic fjord

The next stop on our circuit of Iceland was Seyðisfjörður, a picturesque little port - population 700 - in the country's eastern fjords.



As we drove northeast from Skaftafell, we passed green farms backed by glaciers and waterfalls. In roadside ponds, we saw yellow and black-beaked whooper swans and other waterfowl, the extent of the wildlife we would see around the country.

After passing Höfn, the Ring Road begins its in-and-out route among the fjords. The drive is beautiful, but progresses slowly. Eventually, we turned up an unpaved road that cut a little more than 50 kilometers off the trip, driving by cascades and lakes and crossing a pass before rejoining the Ring Road.

A little farther on, we turned off the Ring Road at Egilsstaðir, drove up and over a pass with a ski area near the top, and down to Seyðisfjörður. There, colorful buildings sit at the base of the steep fjord walls.



In spring and summer, Seyðisfjörður is a ferry port for travelers from mainland Europe. A week into September, however, the town was quiet except for a small restaurant/gallery. We stayed in a more modern guesthouse - plenty of furnishings from Ikea - with a waterfall cascading down the steep slope behind it.

We had hoped to go kayaking on the fjord, but the outfitter shut down for the season at the end of August, with the departure of most travelers. We were staying only a night before moving on to the northeast of the country, so spent the evening walking around the extent of town instead.

When we arrived at the guesthouse, the owner urged us to check the weather forecast and road report because snow was expected in the area. That night, we looked online and called the phone number she provided for English-language information. Current conditions were rainy and snow was, indeed, in the forecast, but it didn't seem like anything we haven't seen at home in Montana.

The next morning, a dusting of white could be seen high up the fjord walls, but there were patches of blue sky and it wasn't currently raining or snowing.



On our way out of town, we stopped at a hydroelectric station on the river Fjarðará, which flows into town and the fjord. There, a trail follows the river up the lush, green slopes past a series of waterfalls. After hiking uphill for a little more than an hour, we turned around.



As we drove up and over the pass back to Egilsstaðir, we saw snow off the side of the road, but none on it. We would not be so fortunate later, on what was supposed to be one of the shortest driving days of our trip.

Here are more photos of the waterfall trail.

Location: The waterfall trail begins at the Fjarðarsel Power Station, down a short road on the south side of Route 93 about 2 kilometers southeast of Seyðisfjörður's main intersection.

Glacial exploration in southeast Iceland

The next stop after our trip inland in Iceland was Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park, where massive glaciers push down from the mountains along the country's southeastern coast.



Along the way, we turned a short distance off of the Ring Road about 33 kilometers east of Hella and stopped to stretch our legs on a short trail at Seljalandsfoss. Here, water pours over a cliff into a grass-ringed pool 60 meters below. The walk leads behind the falls and a short distance along the cliff to two smaller cascades.



The last 125 kilometers of the drive to Skaftafell passes through the sandar - plains of dark gray glacial sand. The terrain is so level and view so unobstructed that the mountains of Vatnajökull could be seen nearly the entire way. The 1,000-square-kilometer Skeiðarársandur, just west of Skaftafell, is the largest glacial sand plain in the world, and the reflection of the setting sun on rivers running across it makes for an impressive sight.

Founded in 2008, Vatnajökull National Park merged two existing parks and other lands spanning Iceland from north to south. The resulting 14,000-square-kilometer park is the largest in Europe; the 8,100-square-kilometer glacier it is named for also is the largest on the continent.



At Skaftafell, we stayed at the Bölti guesthouse, an old farmhouse on the hillside above the park visitor center and campground. It's likely one of the oddest accommodations we've stayed in on our travels. The property includes the main house, two small bunkhouses and another building with a shared kitchen. The decor and structures obviously have been added to over many years.

Late that afternoon, we strolled out an easy trail through a moraine and to a glacial lagoon. The next day, lacking the necessary equipment ourselves, we hiked on a glacier with a guided group. Later, we checked out a few waterfalls near the guesthouse. The day we departed, we stopped at another glacial lagoon filled with icebergs and seals.

After the stop at the lagoon, we were on our way through Iceland's eastern fjords to the small, picturesque town of Seyðisfjörður for a night before traveling to the north of the country.

Our main takeaway from Vatnajökull was how small the glaciers in our own backyard are. (We've never been to Alaska.) North of our home in Missoula, sits Glacier National Park, where we often hike and cross-country ski. The park recently has been emphasizing its glacial geology, rather than the glaciers themselves. Vatnajökull really reinforces that Glacier is much closer to the end result of the process.

Day 1: Skaftafellsjökull moraine



After a day of driving, the short and mostly level walk out the Skaftafellsjökull moraine to the lagoon at the base of the glacier was easy to do before dinner.

Leaving from the visitor center area, two parallel trails - one mostly paved and accessible, the other rougher - track northeast along the base of a mountain. At the lagoon, we explored the sandy beach for a little while and marveled in the size of the glacier, the returned the way we arrived.

Here are more pictures from the Skaftafellsjökull moraine.

Location: The trail begins north of the park visitor center at Skaftafell, 231 kilometers southeast of Hella on the Ring Road.

Day 2: Falljökull



The next day, we woke early and made our way to one of the guide offices adjacent to the visitor center. We usually don't go on guided tours while traveling, but thought it wise this time because we wanted to get out on a glacier but lacked the proper safety equipment.

Our group was small, and only one of two that got an early start on Falljökull after a shuttle ride southeast of the visitor center. After a short walk through the moraine, we donned our crampons and ice axes and stepped onto the ice.



Looking at a map, you can tell that Falljökull is one of the smaller glaciers in the area, dwarfed by Skeiðarárjökull to the west, but it still was impressive. We've trekked through snowfields and on smaller glaciers in western Montana's mountains, and we'd never seen anything like the jagged blue-gray spires of ice above us up close.

The guide led us uphill to the northeast, stopping to explain glacial features such as caves, streams, crevasses, moulins and ice falls. Depending on where we were standing, the ice was 400 to 600 meters thick.



As we continued up, we hopped small crevasses and listened for the delayed crack of rocks the guide dropped down moulins. When the angle of the glacier steepened at the bottom of an ice fall, we stopped for lunch.



Soon, we were on our way back down a different route. Along the way, we stopped to step inside a water-carved channel through the ice, which was illuminated blue by the light from above.

After about five hours on Falljökull, we were back on the shuttle headed for the visitor center.

Here are more pictures from Falljökull.

Location: Falljökull is about 8 1/2 kilometers southeast of Skaftafell on the Ring Road, then up a short unpaved access road. Guide companies have offices across the parking lot from the park visitor center at Skaftafell.

Day 2: Svartifoss



After returning to the guesthouse where we were staying, we set out on a nearby trail to explore the waterfalls and viewpoints uphill to the northeast.

Shortly, we passed Hundafoss and Magnúsarfoss, then climbed higher. After reaching an open area, the trail turned west and dropped slightly to Svartifoss. This frequently photographed waterfall spills from a shelf into an amphitheater formed by basalt columns.

From there, we continued uphill to the west, then turned north on another trail and arrived at the Sjónarsker viewpoint. Here, we could take in peaks higher up, vast Skeiðarársandur and across it to the giant Skeiðarárjökull beyond.

Afterward, we turned south and followed the trail back to the guesthouse.

Here are more pictures from Svartifoss.

Location: The trail to Svartifoss begins at the park visitor center; we joined it uphill to the northwest, where it passes near the Bölti guesthouse.

Day 3: Jökulsárlón



The next day was gray and rainy, and as we drove east from Skaftafell we stopped at Jökulsárlón, where large pieces of ice that have calved off of a glacier float in a lagoon just in from the coastline.



We arrived early enough to watch seals and birds feeding in the water after a short walk around the edge of the lagoon.

After a while, we crossed the Ring Road and briefly explored the black-sand beach, where smaller chunks of ice polished nearly transparent by the water wash ashore in the waves.



Here are more pictures from Jökulsárlón.

Location: Jökulsárlón is about 55 kilometers east of Skaftafell on the Ring Road. Parking is available on both sides of the outlet river; a visitor center is located on the east side.

On foot at Fjallabak Nature Reserve

Our first stopover in Iceland - and the place where we would spend the most time - was Fjallabak Nature Reserve, where trails climb into the rhyolite hills from the Landmannalaugar Hut.

Our intention was to backpack part of the well-known Laugavegur trail south to the Hrafntinnusker Hut, spend the night, then return to Landmannalaugar. However, when trying to reserve bunks in the huts in Reykjavík, we found Hrafntinnusker full. Instead, we stayed at Landmannalaugar for three nights and dayhiked in the area.

Getting to Landmannalaugar is a small adventure in and of itself. On the way that morning, we stopped at Geysir and Gullfoss to see the thermal area and waterfall. From there, we followed mostly paved roads south and east to connect with the main route into Fjallabak - the F208.

Iceland's F roads are mountain routes, similar to our forest roads. While some of these roads likely are passable in a two-wheel-drive vehicle, rental car companies will only allow four-wheel-drives on them - there are many signs, brochures and stickers warning of this - due to extreme terrain and river crossings.

The northwest segment of the F208, which we drove, is one of the more tame F roads, mostly being rocky and washboarded. At Landmannalaugar, however, you have a choice: About 200 meters before the hut, the road crosses two braids of a river with parking on each side. After stopping short, thinking we would walk our gear across a footbridge to the hut, we watched a couple of vehicles cross the stream and decided instead to ford it. It ended up being simpler than I thought, and even easier on the way out.



At the hut, we were assigned a room on the second floor with several bunks with sleeping pads. Lucky for us, only two other people were in the same room the first night, so we all could spread out our packs and sleeping bags. Unluckily, the room was full and noisy the second night. The last night was better with only four other people. The kitchen, on the main floor, was clean and well-stocked with pots, pans, dishes and utensils, and had several cooking stations. A separate washroom was equally spacious, with sinks in a common area and separate stalls for men and women. Several makeshift laundry lines were strung up by people drying swimwear after having soaked in the nearby hot springs-fed creek.



The afternoon we arrived was pleasant and we went on a short walk through a lava field. The second day, however, it rained nonstop. Even so, we trekked up a drainage, crossing a stream several times, until reaching snow blocking the end of it. The third day was partly sunny with a strong wind and fresh snow higher up. Still, we hiked over one mountain, up to a plateau then back over another mountain.

The next day, as we drove back to the Ring Road, we were forced to pull aside for about 1 1/2 hours to let a 22-car rally race pass on the F208. Once back on the main road, we went east across the sandar - glacial sand plains - to Skaftafell, at Vatnajökull National Park.

The following are our Landmannalaugar-based hikes. We bought a copy of "The Laugavegur Hiking Trail," published by Ferðafélag Íslands (the Iceland Touring Association), which contains a basic map and information on trails in the Landmannalaugar area. Unfortunately, it doesn't include distances.

Day 1: Grænagil and Laugahraun



We arrived at the Landmannalaugar Hut late in the afternoon, and after checking in there still was time for a short walk before dinner.

Hiking a short distance south of the hut, we turned southwest into Grænagil, the Green Ravine, named for the color of rhyolite found in the canyon. Here, the trail follows a stream between the Laugahraun lava field and the north flank of the mountain Bláhnúkur.

Soon, the trail leaves the water's edge and turns up into the lava field, where obsidian and patches of moss can be found. The rock is mostly stable, but likely would be painful to fall on. Colored stakes mark the route as it climbs partway up the mountain Brennisteinsalda and leaves the lava.



The trail from Grænagil connects with the Laugavegur trail at a steaming outcrop on the multicolored side of Brennisteinsalda. Turning north, we descended along the edge of the lava field to an open valley with the mountain Suðurnámur on the opposite side.

We finished the loop by turning east back through the lava and hiking down to Landmannalaugar.

Here are more photos from Grænagil and Laugahraun.

Day 2: Brandsgil



A downpour the second day at Landmannalaugar didn't deter our desire to go hiking, so we put on our rain gear and set out for Brandsgil on the advice of the guidebook - "ideal if there is a limited view of the mountains."

Walking south from the hut again, we passed Grænagil and continued along the flank of Bláhnúkur into Brandsgil, a deep but flat-bottomed canyon with a river flowing through it.



We followed the river up the canyon as it narrowed, crossing the stream several times and taking in the surrounding mountains and rock spires.

Near the end of the canyon, we reached a large snowfield that appeared impassable, although the guide notes a waterfall just beyond if you feel like scrambling. With the rain nonstop, we turned around and went back to the hut.

Here are more photos from Brandsgil.

Day 3: Bláhnúkur and Brennisteinsalda



We awoke the third day to see snow high on the surrounding mountains, but only partly cloudy skies and a breeze. The decent conditions allowed us to go on our longest hike while at Landmannalaugar.

South of the hut and just past Grænagil, we switchbacked south up the obsidian-black ridge of 945-meter-tall Bláhnúkur. With a strong wind blowing and a dusting of snow at the summit, we hunkered down for a few photos next to a round metal viewfinder that describes the surrounding mountains.



Over the top, we quickly descended west into Grænagil, crossing the stream at the bottom. Here, we briefly detoured to the south to a spot where a side channel spilled out of a narrow orange canyon. Retracing our steps, we joined the Grænagil trail and made our way to the steaming outcrop partway up Brennisteinsalda.

At the Laugavegur trail, we climbed southwest up the flank of Brennisteinsalda and continued on the path toward the Hrafntinnusker Hut. After reaching snow, we paused at a high point on the plateau to take in the view then turned around.

When the trail returned to the flank of Brennisteinsalda, we followed a route north to its 881-meter summit. Seeing the Vondugil below - as it went from wide and flat on the east end to narrow at the west - we descended the trail into the canyon.



At the bottom of  Brennisteinsalda, the wind subsided and we crossed the valley floor, past a stream and pond, back to the Laugavegur trail. From here, it was a short walk back over the Laugahraun lava field to Landmannalaugar.

Having been out all day, we ended with a soak in the hot-springs fed creek.

Here are more photos from Bláhnúkur and Brennisteinsalda.

Location: From the Ring Road just northwest of Hella, the Landmannalaugar Hut at Fjallabak Nature Reserve is 82 kilometers northeast on Route 26/F26, 26 km south on F208 and 2 km southwest on F224.