Iceland: Blue Ice Part 2

As we were getting our"kit" on at the bus, I started to realize I should be fine. And I was. The trek was easy, just like my hikes in New England, except for a completely different back drop. 

After getting our harnesses on (for the ice climbing), sizing the crampons to our boots, we loaded them up on our pick axe and were on our way.  We first climbed on the lower hills of the mountains.  The squishy moss underfoot made for a pleasant new experience. Right off, one of the british couples struck up a conversation. This was their second trip and had done the helicopter ride to a volcano before and snorkeling just the day before, apparently the water is the same temperature year round. 

As we climbed, you couldn't help marvel at the ruggedness of the landscape, the mountains carved by the receding glaciers, the rocks and boulders scattered around, and the moss and grasses (like hay), growing at the lower elevations.  The melting water created these streams everywhere that we crossed over.  The weather had cleared up by the time we left the parking lot, no rain and the sky was starting to clear up. 

So by the time we reached the ridge you couldn't help marvel at the first sighting of the glacier. I don't know what I was expecting, but not what I saw.  It was glorious, with the grey clouds parting just above the tongue of the glacier in the distance. Still overcast, so traded grey skies for white skies.  It was just amazing.  I was happy to have just been able to see the glacier, let alone experience all the wonderful exploration the rest of the day unfolded.

We kept trekking, slow climb up, but not bad at all. If anything I got overheated with all my layers. Six on too with my long underwear, two cashmere sweaters, down inner jacket, winter shell, and the rented rain jacket. On the bottom, it was just right, my long johns, jeans, and industrial rain pants.  And my feet were great with my super warm socks and the waterproof rented hiking boots. On the head I had a bit too much and kept taking on and off my face mask which was under my winter hat, under my orange helmet, under my hood of my rain jacket. My winter skiing mittens were great, although by the end, the cuffs were soaked from pulling them on and off so much. I had no pockets in the rain jacket (they had busted long before) so found the best thing to do was to keep my camera inside my mitten. There was extra space, so could still grasp the ice axe when needed. 

We arrive to the edge of the glacier and take a break to put on the crampons and get debriefed on safety - stay single file was the main take away. Up until this point we were the loan group with just one sighting if a private tour of three people. As we were leaving to descend down to the glacier, several other tour groups our size showed up. I definitely choose the right tour though because they were only out on the glacier for a brief time - about 45 minutes maybe.  

We had arrived around 11:30 and probably departed around noon, with another 30 minute trek to the glacier. We didn't get back to the van until 5 PM. So a good five hours out, enjoying the scenery. 

We proceed single file down this very steep "path". It was barely a foot width wide and then we come to these two gentleman that have been working with just a pick axe to create these marvelous ice steps. I don't know how else we could have made it down. This was probably the hardest part to just now fall. 

Our guides take us up onto the glacier and we make our way to a moulan for our ice climbing.  If I've got this right, moulans are created from all the run off water as it finds the path of least resistance. They are everywhere, especially under the surface, making climbing so dangerous. If you cut the glacier open in section, it's like Swiss cheese - full of tunnels and paths. 

I didn't realize how well you could tell what part is the glacier.  Iver said it was a good day because the glacier wouldn't be covered with snow and ice.  I thought that was strange since glaciers are ice.  But it's such a different type of ice. That first step from the snow to pure glacier was amazing, like taking a first step on the moon. 

Before hiking on the glacier, we head off to find a good spot for ice climbing.  We head down to this "river bed" like formation. There are walls of this amazing glacier ice on both sides. The ice looks smooth but up close it has this bumpy texture of about a grapefruit indentation. And the coloring. It's like marble or some other sedimentary rocks, with these veins of beautiful dark blues. 

We make our way down, and Iver had scouted the ground with the long pole they use.  He directed us to stay on the middle part and away from the edge, along the ice cliff we will climb.  Which looking back, is strange since, later we walked on the "potentially dangerous" part when we were gearing up for the climb.  Maybe it was ok for one or two of us but not all 15 of us.  After saying, stay off certain parts, Iver and Thor proceed to leave us and climb back out to go attach the anchors to the top of the ice wall.  

It was a strange feeling, lambs at slaughter almost, in this deadend chasm, where you couldn't see a thing around.  At one point you could hear a mountain slide in the distance. A gorgeous way to go.  A moment later our guides appear far above. 

Iver gives us a little lesson how to climb up using the two pick axes and the crampons of your boots and how to climb down without hurting yourself with the sharp axes. It looks so effortless. And then the first two people go - we had two lines set up. 

It was not easy.  After the third guy struggled to make it up, I started wondering if maybe I should pass. They were using a lot of their upper arm strength to pull themselves up. But it turns out your supposed to mainly use your feet and I had an advantage. The rental boots are these heavy hard things that are perfect for getting a grip. I'm the second girl to go and the first one with the good boots.  I had practiced behind me on the cliff on the other side. Just two inches off the ground and got a feel for the angle of using the crampons. Plus by the time I had gone, there were a few holes from previous ice axes that you could build on.  I thought maybe I'd just go up a little and then call it quits, but several others had tried that before me and Iver would coax them to go a little farther.  Even some who were pretty much at the top, he'd encourage one more step. So it was all or nothing. 

I really surprised myself and did a great job.  I used mainly my feet and was able to make it up with only one slipping occurrence. The first guys slipped most of the way up. I did take larger steps, mainly because I knew my arms wouldn't hold out for too many swings.  You really had to lug the axe back to get a good hold - usually 2 or 3 times. Especially on the left arm, you got tired.  They were heavy too.  But I made it to the top and looked down.  It was a good thing I hadn't really looked down before this point - just to see where to put my for next - or rather kick my foot.  It was quite high and I got a bit of fear of heights moment, but not too much to take away from the beauty of climbing out of the cravace and seeing the glacier.  I walked down the ice face and was back on the "ground" in seconds.  

It was amazing how fast you got down compared to how long it took to climb.  I think I went relatively fast up the wall too. By this point I had made friends with another british couple and the Wisconsin couple on their honeymoon who took pictures for me.  

It was both fun and cringe worthy watching people climb. I did find my toes killed when I was back down.  They still hurt the next morning as I write this at the airport. Definitely bruised the big toes, but wanted to get good grips and didn't loose any toenails, which I thought for sure I did.

A few more people went after me and then we were off.  As we come out of the chasm, the crowds have disappeared and we're almost the only ones on the glacier. We spend the rest of the afternoon following Thor in single file, while Iver scouts ahead and figures out the best path. We stop periodically to take in the views and try to see the occasional mountain fall we hear off in the distance.  

It's an amazing experience.  Like being on the top of the world.  Looking one direction,the way we arrived, you can see the enormous force of nature, of the mountains clearly carved by the glacier, scraping the sheer cliffs.  And when you turn, with your back to the mountains all you see is the horizon line of where the endless white glacier meets the endless white sky.  You are struck with awe. 

We stop to see a mulan hole. Only one person can go down at a time and Thor is there very cautious you don't fall in as you lean over to peer down into this endless hole carved by four "streams" coming together.  We have no ropes and only his outstretched arm to catch you. 

Again the blue glacier ice is just striking in this over cast day. We climb out and off we go, stopping at this mound covered with ash from the 2010 volcano eruption and an eruption of another volcano a few years back

As we continue on, it starts to snow and we "hike" along a long endless stretch of glacier.