K E R L I N G A R F J Ö L L
64° 37' 8.36" N 19° 16' 4.34" W
The biggest mountain of the Kerlingarfjöll called Snækollur stretches up to a height of 1.477 meters. Its white snow shield within an otherwise grey and almost desert-like landscape makes it visible from afar. The name of the mountain range refers to a 25 meter high columnar rock formation hidden somewhere in the hilly landscape - in which the first explorers saw a petrified troll woman. From then on, the barren and snow covered landscapes of volcanic origins were known as the "troll woman mountains".
First informations about the area can be dated back to 1890, when Icelandic and foreign scientists scouted the surroundings. Their journey must have been exhausting and arduous, as it is believed that the first vehicle did not make it to the region until 1936.
Ásgarður
the mountain resort, nesting right at the banks of the Ásgarðsá river
The construction of the first hut by Ferðafélag Íslands, the Icelandic Trekking Association which was founded in 1927, is dated back to 1938. Soon after the first group of tourists visited the area for skiing, the establishment of a summer ski school came to plan and turned out to be a huge success. It also caused the end of the once so isolated area which from now on got busier as a popular recreational site for locals and tourists.
Until 1990 almost all of the other accomodational buildings in the valley were added, but it didn't take long until nature and climate took over. Until the turn of the millennium, all commercial benefits of skiing around the area got destroyed. So it came that Kerlingarfjöll became increasingly popular for hikers from 2000 onwards.
Hveradalir
one of the largest geothermal and hot spring area in Iceland
What was left after the last signs of the ice age, was a landscape of such beauty, structural variety and colors that it nowadays easily competes with other much older highland regions Iceland has to offer.
Created around 70.000-320.000 years ago from subglacial eruptions of a volcanic system, the Kerlingarfjöll are a relatively young rhyolite mountain cluster, residing on the main Kjölur plateau. Nowadays visitors find themselves on top and in between multi colored, partially snow covered hills - exploring them over bridges and along steep paths.
Volcanic activity here is by no means a thing of the past: Within the valleys there are countless of hot springs, fumaroles located - keeping some parts of the landscapes free from snow and ice during the whole year. Thanks
to the moving sulfur clouds one is able to experience a constant interplay of light and shadow.
So while during centuries the Kerlingarfjöll were a remote and not so friendly place, also known as bad weather mountains, the touristic area now is thriving. A new built mountain resort opening 2022 will just add to that
and make this phenomenal place accessible for even more astonished eyes.
