Iceland Update from Jared Vilhauer

Hey Everyone, Jared here reporting from Iceland.

After spending a couple of days traveling around the capital city of Reykjavik we have left the south in hopes of finding cold temps in the north. Although we have had a great time touring the city and exploring the nearby climbing area of Glimsgil, home of the largest waterfall in Iceland, the unseasonably warm temps and rain has ruined any hope of finding climbable ice here.

We are now in the far north staying at the amazing Bjorg Farm just outside of Husavik. This was a fairly easy 6-hour drive from Rekjavik (meaning that we only got our van stuck once!) and we got to see a lot of the western coast as well as the farming country more inland. The Bjorg Farm has become more and more famous with ice climbers over the past few years and has been the feature of many recent magazine articles include a spread and cover shot in Alpinist #22.

Normally the 5km cliff band running from the farm to the sea is covered with hundreds of climbs ranging from 40 to 130m high. However, with the warm temps here the ice conditions are similar to down south and routes are currently unclimbable. Trying to make to most of the time, we decided to crampon up the small mountain above the climbs to get an amazing view of the farm and inlet at sunset.

Although we are having a great time here at the farm hiking, eating local food and off-roading in our low clearance van, we are exploring our options for colder places in the country to find some ice. We have heard from a few locals that the West Fjord might be that place. So tonight will be our last night here in Husavik and tomorrow we will load up the van once more and make the 8 hour drive up there in search of what we came for, big frozen waterfalls. I would like to thank Peter and his family for being so hospitable and showing us a great time during our stay. I hope to be back soon.

http://www.bjorgum.is/icebjorg