Kverkfjoll and Hvannalindir
The Kverkfjöll Mountains - The Hvannalindir area
The Kverkfjöll Mountains -
Topography
The Kverkfjöll mountains are at the northern margin of the Vatnajökull glacier. Two calderas are in the Kverkfjöll mountains. The caldera to the south is covered by a glacier but the rims of the northern caldera, are mostly ice-free except on the south side. The highest peak is Skarpheðins-tindur 1,936 metres. The Kverkfjöll mountains are divided into eastern and western halves by Kverk, a wide pass in the abrupt rocky walls. Kverkjökull, flows outwards via the Kverk pass. Massive glacier tongues extend from the Vatnajökull ice cap on both sides of the Kverkfjöll mountains.
Kverkfjallarani, is made up of 5-6 parallel palagonite ridges.The glacial river Kreppa flows through an ice-filled valley, issuing from the Bruarjökull glacier. Another glacial river, Jökulsá á Fjöllum, issues from the Dyngjujökull glaciers just west of the Kverkfjöll mountains, but further to the west other branches disappear down into sand-covered lava.
Routes to the Kverkfjöll Mountains
Ancient sources and oral tradition suggest that people travelled over the Vatnajökull ice cap in medieval times. The route of those travelling south most likely lay just east of the Kverkfjöll mountains. After this route fell into disuse the area was very little frequented. Not until the turn of the 20th century is there any evidence of people travelling to Kverkfjöll. In 1910, the German geologist Trautz became the first person to scale the Kverkfjöll mountains.
In the summer of 1970, the glacial river Kreppa was bridged and a track was laid via Krepputunga, across the Hvannalindir area and through the Kverkhnjukaskarð pass to the Kverkfjöll mountains. At Mt. Virkisfell, the Sigurðarskáli hut was built in the summer of 1971, in a co-operative effort of the touring clubs of Fljótsdalsherað, Vopnafjörður and Husavík.
Geology
The Kverkfjöll mountains are located at the eastern margin of an active volcanic zone, extending to the Öxarfjörður fjord and the Melrakkasletta peninsula. The Kverkfjöll mountains extend south-west into the Vatnajökull ice cap, and Kverkfjallarani is clearly visible as a gigantic row of peaks extending 30 kilometres north-east from the Kverkfjöll mountains. The Kverkfjöll mountains were created mostly in volcanic eruptions during the last Ice Age. It is estimated that there were about 40 eruptions.
There is a large number of faults in the Kverkfjallarani, where numerous lava eruptions have occurred. The Lindahraun lava field less than 2,800 years old is considered the most recent. The hills in the Kverkfjöll range are to a large extent covered in black and reddish dross from magma extruded to the surface from nearby volcanic fissures.
In past centuries, volcanic eruptions in the Kverkfjöll mountains and under the Dyngjujökull glacier were often followed by great floods in Jökulsá á Fjöllum. A deluge of catastrophic proportions, thought to have taken place about 2,000 years ago, is attributed to eruptions in this area or in Mt. Bárðarbunga
Geothermal Activity in the Kverkfjöll Mountains
One of Iceland's most powerful high-temperature geothermal areas is located in the western Kverkfjöll mountains. The hot spring area is three kilometres long and nearly one kilometre wide and lies at an altitude of 1600-1700 metres. In the uppermost and southernmost part of the area is the Hveradalur valley, separated from Hveraskál [Lower Hveradalur valley] by the Þrengsli pass. In the northern part of the pass is Gámur, one of Iceland's most powerful geysers. North of the Hveraskál lies a ridge, and above that a surface depression; together, the ridge and depression make up a geothermal tract which has been named Hveratagl. A hiking trail slants from the Kverkjökull glacier up the Langafönn slope to the ridge and along its edges to the hut of the Icelandic Glaciological Society. In the innermost part of the Hveradalur valley is a large lagoon, often covered with ice but sometimes empty. Another lagoon or lake is in a caldera just east of the Icelandic Glaciological Society hut. The caldera is about 600 metres wide and about 100 metres deep. It was formed in 1959 in some sort of explosive eruption in connection with geothermal activity.
The river flowing from underneath the Kverkjökull glacier contains some geothermal water, which has caused the formation of an ice cave above the sub-glacial riverbed. Geothermal activity exists under the glacier, and there is some discharge into the river inside the cave from the depression high up in the caldera. Vegetation in the Kverkfjöll Mountains The Kverkfjöll mountains and Kverkfjallarani are at too high an altitude for continuous vegetation. Conspicuous, Pale Grey Lichen, known as öræfaostur (Stereocaulon arcticum), thrives in many places in the lava fields of the area. Patches around the hot springs in the Hveragil ravine are rich in vegetation.
The Hvannalindir Area
The Hvannalindir area is an oasis of vegetation at an altitude of 640 metres, north of the Lindahraun lava field, sheltered by the Lindafjöll mountains and the Krepputunguhraun lava field to the west and the Kreppuhryggur ridge to the east. In the Hvannalindir area, the river Lindá joins the Lindakvísl river, flowing from the south-west where it branches out between grown banks past a lone crater hill, Lindakeilir.
The name Hvannalindir is derived from the plant archangelica (hvönn in Icelandic), which thrives in the area undisturbed by the grazing of livestock. As an oasis of vegetation and an ecosystem, Hvannalindir is a unique site in Iceland, mostly undisturbed by the grazing of livestock since the country was first settled, and surrounded by desert in all directions. The most conspicuous plants are fields of Salix and flourishing hosts of Angelica at the margins of the lava and along rivulets, where the abundance is the greatest. Still, only 32 species of flowering plants exist in the area. A total of thirty species of birds have been observed at Hvannalindir and at ponds south of the area. Six species can be considered annual nesting birds in the area: Pink-footed Geese, Long-tailed Ducks, Ptarmigan, Purple Sandpipers, Red-necked Phalaropes and snow Buntings. The Hvannalindir area was declared protected by the Iceland Nature Conservation Council (now the Environment and Food Agency) in 1973.
Important cultural relics are preserved in the Hvannalindir area, including the ruins of an outlaws' lair, by the edge of the Lindahraun lava field. The ruins were discovered in 1880 by Þorgils gjallandi and three local companions, and were investigated by archaeologist Kristján Eldjárn (later President of Iceland) in the summer of 1941. It is widely held that the legendary outlaw Fjalla-Eyvindur and his consort Halla lived in the Hvannalindir area for some years after 1767 before moving to Eyvindarver by the river Þjórsá.
Hiking Trails and Points of Interest in the Kverkfjöll
Mountains and the Hvannalindir Area
Fog, stormy weather and sandstorms can occur with little notice in the area. Special care should be taken on tracks leading to ice caves and glaciers because of potential collapse, glacial crevasses and poor visibility in murky weather. Taking along all the necessary equipment when travelling on glaciers, such as a compass, rope, crampoons and sun-glasses, is of vital essence!
- The Sigurðarskáli Hut - The Ice Cave
The distance from the Sigurðarskáli hut to the foot of the Kverkjökull glacier is about three kilometres. The utmost care should be taken in case of collapse at the edge of the glacier.
- Mt. Virkisfell - Mt. Biskupsfell
Begin the tour by heading north to Mt. Virkisfell (1,108 m). Mt. Biskupsfell (1,240 m) is one and a half kilometres further east and can be easily scaled from the south side.
- The Sigurðarskáli Hut - Kverkfjallarani - the Hveragil Ravine
The tour follows route 2 over rocky terrain, and then runs twelve kilometres east over volcanic fissures and lava strips. In several places in the Hveragil ravine there are hot springs of up to 62°C.
- The Track through Eastern Kverkfjallarani to the Hveragil Ravine From the Hvannalindir area, a 38-kilometre jeep track extends from the Kverkfjöll road to the Hveragil ravine. The track lies through waves of gravel, past ponds and across lava strips.
- The Western Kverkfjöll Mountains
The tour starts from the Sigurðarskáli hut, heading towards the Kverkjökull glacier north of the ice cave, and proceeds upwards south over the glacier, past crevasses into marginal rocky slopes. The tour continues upwards and across the Langafönn slope, then via Hveratagl to the hut of the Icelandic Glaciological Society, at an altitude of about 1,700 metres.
- The Skarpheðinstindur Peak - the Kverk Pass - the Sigurðarskáli Hut
From the hut of the Icelandic Glaciological Society, it is possible to walk south-east across the caldera of the Kverkfjöll mountains to the Skarpheðinstindur peak (1,936 m), which rewards hikers with a panoramic view. The peak can be descended west of the Kverk pass.
- Hvannalindir - the Kreppu-hryggur Ridge - the Kreppuþröng Narrow
A road lies from the Kverkfjöll route in the Hvannalindir area south-east to a parking area at the end of the Kreppuhryggur ridge. The ridge is within short walking distance and provides a breathtaking view over the Hvannalindir area and south-east across the Lindahraun lava field to the Kverkfjöll mountains.
There is a short distance from the ridge eastward to the Kreppuþröng narrow.
- Hvannalindir - Ruins of an Outlaw Lair - the Lindakeilir Hill
The parking area (see 7) is within a short walking distance from the Lindahraun lava field. At the edge of the lava field, are the ruins of an outlaw lair. There is a 2-kilometre hiking trail from the ruins to the Lindakeilir hill.
- The Hvannalindir Area - River Lindaá - the Krikatjörn Pond
From the ruins in Hvannalindir a longer hiking trail can be chosen along the river Lindaá and the margin of the Lindahraun lava field south toward the Krikatjörn pond or the Sjónarhæð hill leading to the track to the Hveragil ravine.
- The Lindafjöll Mountains - Mt. Rifnihnjukur - Mt. Upptyppingar
The track from the Sigurðarskáli hut to the bridge across Jökulsá á Fjöllum, lies through the Krepputunguhraun lava field, west of Lindafjöll and north-east of Mt. Rifnihnjukur (780 m) Mt. Rifnihnjukur is a 100-metre high palagonite mountain of pillow lava with a cap of tuff at the summit, deeply marked with cracks and faults.
