Askja and Víti
One of the most memorable days from our Iceland trip was a 12 hour round trip adventure to the Askja volcano, Viti crater and Öskjuvatn lake. It was the most off-road driving we had. It involved driving over sand, gravel, lava, snow, and through rivers. It’s no secret my style is attracted to warm light on the edges of daylight so this was not about creating sunset or sunrise images — because I came home with none. The rewards were all about the experience.
Today’s Image – Askja and Víti
The Askja stratovolcano is located in a remote part of the central highlands of Iceland. This crater and geothermal lake was formed in an 1875 eruption but getting here was not easy. With special permits and the guides from Fjallasýn, we rocked the cross country driving.
The Drive
Below Our truck for the day was a modified hummer capable of passing over the lava fields, crossing waist deep rivers and over soft melting snow. This super truck was super cool.
Below But to call these roads would be a generous statement. It was much more a marked trail from previous vehicles. If you have a few minutes and wish to feed the curiosity, here is a GoPro time-lapse of our drive.
The Hike
Below The super truck surprised us many times and on a few occasions, I think we all thought we were going to be stuck in the soft snow. The driver may have proved us all wrong but the road to Askja only went so far. This is where the drive turned into a hike.
Below A shot of Darwin Wiggett on the hike to Askja with business and life partner Samantha Chrysanthou not far behind.
Below Sam did catch up and threatened a dunking in the snow.
Below Darwin was roughed up a little in the scuffle but smiles all around.
Below From the truck, when they say “It’s just over the hill” – what they really mean is it is going to be a good long healthy walk.
Below Following the hike, our trek continued in style. Snowmobiling on a volcano sounds pretty cool!
Below What I remember the most is how soft the mud was. Sinking ankle deep in the sticky mud, my boots were gaining weight with each new step.
The Images
I will end this post with a few images made around the perimeter of the Víti crater.
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Hello Stephen!
Amazing photos! I have never been to Iceland and the colour of the water is so interesting. My favourite shot is the one at the top of the page where you can see the bright blue water on one side and the turquoise water on the other. Great job! Thanks again for sharing these amazing photos!
Have a great day,
Alix
Good day.
Your photos are great. I´m working on my brouchure and I would like to use your first photo of the Askja caldeira. Is it posible?
Geo Travel is a tour operator in Mývatn area and we work alot with Fjallasýn.
Best Reards.
Sæmundur
Geo Travel.