Will Poole

Will Poole

Hike to the Falls above Skógafoss

11/26/21

My wife and I have done a chunk of this today. The snow line was about 3km from the trail head and we didn’t go much further. Crossing the water courses that weren’t frozen could be crossed with the moderate athleticism that I’d expect from anyone having got that far, and it’s so, so worth it. Massive icicles forming mid-waterfall, freezing spray coating canyon walls and a trail which ultimately reaches Thorsmjórk (sorry, I don’t have an Icelandic keyboard) make for an absolutely essential hike. We had clear but extremely windy conditions, -1° and who knows what wind chill and turned back mostly because we say out late and didn’t want to run out of light. We hadn’t needed crampons up to that point but had needed to make creative trail choices in two or three areas not exposed to the sun due to predictable ice. In any conditions it’s worth making the winch up to the top or the headline falls, because even the ones which can be reached on a mettled path are equally - if not more - stunning. Get to Steinbogafoss and you’re in for a treat…

5.0