Climb Snaeffelsjokull? | Iceland - Lonely Planet Forum

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Sat, 03 Jul 2010 17:13:15 +0000

Hi!
I was wondering if it's possible to climb this peak (AUGUST). My LP guide says it is, and it gives 8 hours to do so (5 up, 3 down) for Olafsvik or Arnarstapi.
Questions:
-Is the route marked?
-What do you think about the timing (8h) given by the book? We are good walkers.
-The guide says we will need crampons and ice axes. Is this an exageration? We do have crampons and ice axes and we will probably take the first ones with us to Iceland, but ice axes only prove useful in steep frozen slopes and we were thinking of leaving them at home. In normal slopes, crampons + hiking sticks are enough. What do you think?

In general, I see that in Iceland there are many guided tours in glaciers, where they charge you for the guide and crampons. If I take my own crampons, is it possible and not too dangerous to go by ourselves? (always in "popular" areas like Vatnajokull, Skaftafell...). We are mountanieers and it would be silly to pay for something we have done before in the Pyrinees or in Himalaya, and we are properly equipped.

Thanks a lot!!

ONLINE

Sat, 03 Jul 2010 18:50:37 +0000

Unless you want to climb Snaefell by some hard routes - you can just walk up there. At least people do this all the time (midnight walks in the summer to see the sun for instance). And because it's easy to drive snowmobile all the way up - you can do that without crampons. It's more snow walking than ice climbing. Use road No. 570 to get to the start point (by car or on foot if you wish).
Most critical is the weather - you might not be able to see a thing if Shaefell decides to get its hat on. I mean - thick white cloud :-)

Have no idea about time because of my moto - "If I can't drive over there - I don't walk over there" :-)

PS. Could you post all you questions at once? ;-)

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ONLINE

Sat, 03 Jul 2010 19:01:50 +0000

PS. Could you post all you questions at once? ;-)

Why?? Then you would just have to answer once! This way is much more fun.
Thanks once again, Ruslendingur!
:-)

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ONLINE

Sat, 03 Jul 2010 19:59:39 +0000

It´s easy to walk to the top of Snæfellsjökull, just drive up to the hills on the east side, and walk from there.
About the other glacier you mention, it is not advisable to climb there without a guidance of some sort, at leas get info from the local mountain/glacier guides, on where to go, and how to go.
And by the way, you´we never done glacier climbing like Iceland before, not in the Himalayas or pyrinees. The glaciers over there are different from the icelandic ones. But experienced climbers like you, know that already, of course !
B-)

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ONLINE

Sat, 03 Jul 2010 20:54:33 +0000

Thanks a lot Borkur.
I take good note of your advice about guidance in the glaciers. Yes, sure, we are not so experienced, we've never walked on a glacier by the sea before! :-)

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