Icelandic Photos: Laugavegur Track, Part 2

Last week I started sharing the photos from this amazing trail in the Icelandic Highlands. Here's the next installment, where the weather turned... Icelandic :D

Laugavegur Trail Day 2 (Sept. 7): Hrafntinnusker Hut to Alftavatn Hut

You remember that lovely view from the hut from the previous evening, right? 

 Conditions in the morning were... changed.

The wind was coming up, the mist turning to rain, and it was clear a) why the tent sites have rock walls around them, and b) that I was really glad I'd chosen to stay in the huts.

From the start I was wearing my rain gear, my camera optimistically still on the shoulder strap though under its cover. Spoiler: that didn't last long. Within half an hour, the wind and rain had both picked up, I'd stowed the camera, put on the poncho (with a lot of tucking to keep it from flapping, and the rest of the day took cell phone photos.

Despite the conditions (and inability to see the mountains that surround the caldera through which I hiked most of the day), I saw beauty all around me.

Plants (or mostly moss/lichen) grew almost exclusively next to the warm run-off from hot pots. The minerals in those springs also colored the streambeds, at times vividly.

  

Though the wind and rain were unpleasant, they were, at least, coming from behind me most of the time. I found that my rain jacket was good, my rain pants were... not. Waterproof boots don't do much when the water is running down your legs and into the tops of them. 

I knew I was getting close to the edge when I saw this stream dropping down and down.

 

It took about 3 hours for me to cross the caldera and reach the point of dropping off the edge of the world.

Tonight's hut is somewhere down by that lake. Which looked impossibly far away, and actually was... not as close as I hoped.

The first night's hut warden warned us about the river crossings. On this day, there was only one, and it was encouragingly non-threatening. I changed into my sandals for the crossing, which was when I realized just how wet my boots were.

Easiest crossing, and the only one with a rope or any assist.

Nearing the hut. I could tell from the map it was just behind that bit of hill. What I couldn't tell in this featureless landscape was if that was near or far!

 

Because of the wind and rain, I did almost no stopping on the way, and rolled into the Alftavatn hut before noon (and before the wardens were ready to check us in or assign quarters). I was about 20 minutes behind the first hiker of the day; fortunately we could, at least, sit in the kitchen area and start the giant vat of water heating so everyone could have hot drinks. We could also nab the best spots for drying our clothes and boots, and did so.

It was a long way across the boardwalks to the loo. I'm standing just beside the bathroom building, which had running water (unlike the first hut) but was painfully far from our warm and dry refuge.

 

The lake (Alftavatn)

Stats: 3hours 40 min., 7.15 miles, only about 400' up but 1900' down. 

Day 3 (Sept. 8): Alftavatn hut to Emstrur hut

I'm not much for sleeping in when on a hike, still less when in a bunkroom. Further, there was some possibility of better weather in the morning hours, so I was once again up and out early--about 7 a.m. This would be a longer hike, and would have two somewhat unnerving river crossings.

This wasn't one of the scary crossings. It was right by the hut and had a bridge.

The hut complex and lake Alftvatan.

Wind and rain were with me from the beginning this day, and I armed myself against it as best I could.

A short way into the hike, I reached my first river crossing. Fortunately, a pair of hikers had gotten there just ahead of me, and were still thinking about where to cross. We eventually walked upstream a bit to cross where the stream was split in two.

Even divided, the water reached over my knees and I was glad to link arms with another hiker for safety.

Because the stream was intimidating and the bottom rough (and invisible), I decided with deep regret to cross in my boots, thus guaranteeing that I'd have wet feet all day instead of just part of the day. 

This terrifying river, loaded with black silt, had a bridge.

A beautiful sight.

Beyond that bridge the trail entered the black plain (I don't know if it has an official name, but I'll call it that). In less wet conditions, this could be uncomfortable with the wind blowing sand in one's face. That wasn't a problem, though the rain at times hurt as much.

At least we'd dropped enough that it was only rain--no snow. And I noticed the arrival of a few grasses.

 

A mile or less from the bridge, we encountered the second river crossing of the day. This one, again, was not for me to tackle alone, and I paid the price of having hiked fast and gotten ahead of the others. I waited 15 or 20 minutes for companions to cross. 

 

I don't have any photos of my own crossing, but one of my fellow-hikers shared this photo to illustrate what it was like. Again, fast-moving and above the knees on those of us who are a bit shorter than not. 

I'd give credit here to the photographer but don't remember now whose it is. Maybe Aimee from Crested Butte? Speak up if it's yours!

I was really cold after that crossing, and since I hadn't changed out of my boots, I took off from there at high speed, never totally warming up but able to stave off hypothermia. A quick snack break helped, once I'd taken the edge off. This was where nuts and chocolate really came into their own.

On across the black sands.

Another river the trail crosses on a road, with a bridge. Again, this one wouldn't be passable as a ford. Just looking over the side of the bridge scared me.

That is a glacial torrent.

As the trail dropped, there were more and more plants. There was also less and less rain, though it never really quit.

 

 

 
Just short of the Emstrur hut I got a glimpse of Markarflkjot gorge. By this point many streams draining the Myrdalsjokull ice sheet have joined together with a force that cuts through the basalt lava flows like it's butter.

This time we had to wait in a tent outside the hut, but I was able to change out of my wettest layers and eat my lunch. Eventually we got assigned our huts. There were 3 22-person huts, and they were pretty full. We'd already been getting friendly. There was no escaping social connections now!

You're looking a pretty much all there was. Two 2-level platforms, a longish table. Through the doorway to the left is the vestibule and drying room with the heater, and on the right is a counter with sink and 2 gas burners. 

 

Amazingly, by the time most of us had eaten dinner, the rain had stopped and the sun broke through! 

We even got a rainbow!

A glimpse of the ice sheet through the gap just left of center.

 

I wandered out to view the gorge with Aimee from Crested Butte and Ian from England. Putting my damp or wet clothes back on to go out took an act of courage, but I did it, and dried them in the process, between body heat and wind.

Aimee snapped this for me. The hut complex is in the background; the white tent where we waited for the huts to open is a cooking and sitting space for the tenters. Notice that I don't trust the weather for a minute, and am carrying my pack with the rest of my rain gear and some warm layers.

 

Hero shot.

Stats: The main hike was 10.6 miles, which I did in 4 3/4 hours (I actually was able to stop a couple of times for snacks as the weather was not as vile as the day before). Very modest elevation changes. The after-dinner hike was another 1:40, 2.7 miles and another 300' up and down. 

By the time I got to bed, I was done. I fell asleep about 9 p.m. and didn't wake when someone entered the hut and joined us about 10 or 10:30 p.m.!

Finish out the trek here.

©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2025   
As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated.


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