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Iceland

Ned and I joined our friends Dave and Tracy for 3 weeks in Iceland during April, the worst tourist/weather month of the year. The scheduling worked for us and we're used to getting pounded by weather. Ned and I arrived week earlier than D&T and traveled south on the ring road, checking out some fantastic geological sites as well as skiing a peak. Then we all spent 6 days backcountry skiing on the Troll Peninsula. Later, the four of us spent another week driving and skiing along the north (NW) side of the ring road before Ned and I flew home leaving D&T to finish the loop on their own. Overall a great first international trip with my sweetie and a fascinating landscape, with friendly/helpful people, to visit esp for those intrigued by geology and volcanology.
Planning to ski the highest peak
Planning to ski the highest peak		 Hvannadalshnúkur in Skaftafell National Park
Hvannadalshnúkur in Skaftafell National Park		 Icy bridge on way to ski peak
Icy bridge on way to ski peak		 Ned skinning up to climb Hvannadalshnúkur
Ned skinning up to climb Hvannadalshnúkur
Beautiful day skiing 'big' peak
Beautiful day skiing 'big' peak		 Summit area of Hvannadalshnúkur
Summit area of Hvannadalshnúkur		 Ned approaching summit
Ned approaching summit		 Hvannadalshnúkur summit!
Hvannadalshnúkur summit!
Obligatory 'summit pose', of course!
Obligatory 'summit pose', of course!		 Glacial flood area in Skaftafell National Park
Glacial flood area in Skaftafell National Park		 THE eponymous geysir
THE eponymous geysir		 Mid-Atlantic Ridge in Þingvellir
Mid-Atlantic Ridge in Þingvellir
Only place mid-ocean ridge is above sea level
Only place mid-ocean ridge is above sea level		 Split between oceanic plates
Split between oceanic plates		 Nesting Ptarmigan right by trail
Nesting Ptarmigan right by trail		 Grey geese, ubiquitous
Grey geese, ubiquitous
Wishing well at site of original Parliament
Wishing well at site of original Parliament		 Foss (waterfalls)
Foss (waterfalls)		 Hydro-power and geothermal heat Iceland
Hydro-power and geothermal heat Iceland		 Everyone is a tourist somewhere
Everyone is a tourist somewhere
Hula sheep (keeps them warm enough)
Hula sheep (keeps them warm enough)		 Another roadside foss
Another roadside foss		 Lava didn't quite bury this barn, luckily.
Lava didn't quite bury this barn, luckily.		 Ned in latest Icelandic fashion
Ned in latest Icelandic fashion
Fate of the few polar bears who make it to Iceland
Fate of the few polar bears who make it to Iceland		 Gullfoss
Gullfoss		 Favorite hot springs, right by ocean
Favorite hot springs, right by ocean		 yep
yep
Cool volcanic islands
Cool volcanic islands		 Troll Peninsula in the NW Fjordlands
Troll Peninsula in the NW Fjordlands		 Boat ride to the hut...
Boat ride to the hut...		 ...to ski for 5-6 days in Hornstrandir
...to ski for 5-6 days in Hornstrandir
Abandoned town, stayed in an old house
Abandoned town, stayed in an old house		 Ride to shore
Ride to shore		 Arrival posers
Arrival posers		 Icelandic meal courtesy Borea Adventures
Icelandic meal courtesy Borea Adventures
Wider view of historic decor
Wider view of historic decor		 Arctic fox, white in winter
Arctic fox, white in winter		 Came right up to hut to beg
Came right up to hut to beg		 Only mammal native to Iceland
Only mammal native to Iceland
Do well in temps FAR below zero
Do well in temps FAR below zero		 Skiing the Fjordlands
Skiing the Fjordlands		 Lots of sastrugi
Lots of sastrugi		 Nice views when we had the weather
Nice views when we had the weather
More common weather in April
More common weather in April 		Dave trying to see in flat light
Dave trying to see in flat light		 Long days that far north (just shy of Arctic Circle)
Long days that far north (just shy of Arctic Circle)		 Ned, Dave, Tracy
Ned, Dave, Tracy
Lunch on the beach
Lunch on the beach		 Skiing next to the coast... weird!
Skiing next to the coast... weird!		 Amazing land/sea-scape
Amazing land/sea-scape		 Little summit in NICE weather!
Little summit in NICE weather!
Dave and Tracy
Dave and Tracy		 Nice turns in good light
Nice turns in good light		 Laps even
Laps even		 Ned shucking mussels
Ned shucking mussels
Great terrain
Great terrain		 Back to the hut
Back to the hut		 Sea and ski... very novel concept!
Sea and ski... very novel concept!		 Iceland Horses, sassy and tough
Iceland Horses, sassy and tough
Top national recreation is riding
Top national recreation is riding		 More amazing falls
More amazing falls		 with Ned
with Ned		 Deep snow still in April in fjordlands
Deep snow still in April in fjordlands
Ahhh.... fjordside/roadside hot tubs
Ahhh.... fjordside/roadside hot tubs		 Driftwood - a major source of lumber
Driftwood - a major source of lumber		 Skinning a run at tiny closed ski area
Skinning a run at tiny closed ski area		 Hiking with '76 Olympic skier near their guesthouse
Hiking with '76 Olympic skier near their guesthouse
Hiking to ski
Hiking to ski		 Cold crossing
Cold crossing		 Still enough snow
Still enough snow		 Weather moving in
Weather moving in
Desperately windy ascent
Desperately windy ascent		 Dave's skin after having removed it in high wind!
Dave's skin after having removed it in high wind!		 Linking snow
Linking snow		 Just a bit farther
Just a bit farther
Rental car touch-up
Rental car touch-up		 After a quick soak at Blue Lagoon
After a quick soak at Blue Lagoon		 Blue Lagoon geothermal power station
Blue Lagoon geothermal power station		 Sleeping in Denver airport; missed last bus
Sleeping in Denver airport; missed last bus

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