Fimmvörðuháls

About Fimmvörðuháls

Fimmvörðuháls is a mountain pass between the Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull ice caps in South Iceland, crossed by a 25 km trail from Skógar to Þórsmörk. Few day hikes in the country pack in as much: a gorge full of waterfalls, a climb to roughly 1,000 meters, craters from the 2010 eruption and a steep descent into the green valleys of Þórsmörk.

The first 8 km are the reason many people come. From Skógafoss the path follows the Skógá river upstream through a gorge lined with waterfalls, each one different from the last, until a footbridge marks the end of the green and the start of the real climb. Above it, gravel and lingering snowfields lead up toward the pass.

Near the top, the Fimmvörðuháls trail crosses ground younger than many of the people walking it. A fissure eruption opened on the pass in March 2010, weeks before the larger summit eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, and left two new craters, Magni and Móði, along with a lava field the trail now crosses. From there the route descends the exposed Heljarkambur ridge, where a chain helps on the steepest section, and the narrow Kattarhryggir before reaching Goðaland and Þórsmörk.

Ferðafélag Íslands splits the route into two legs: Skógar to its Baldvinsskáli hut (12 km, 4 to 5 hours, about 1,000 meters of ascent) and Baldvinsskáli to Þórsmörk (13 km, 4 to 6 hours). Fit hikers do the whole crossing in one long day. Others spend a night at Baldvinsskáli, which has 16 beds, or at Útivist's Fimmvörðuskáli near the top of the pass, and both huts must be booked in advance.

On average the trail is open from about June 25 to September 15, though snow cover shifts the dates every year. Even in July, fog, strong wind or snow can close in on the pass within hours, and the Brattafönn snow slope can stay slippery all summer. Outside the season, the crossing is winter mountaineering for experienced, well-equipped parties only.

The Fimmvörðuháls hike is free, but it runs one way, so sort out transport before you start. Skógar is on Route 1, about 2 hours' drive from Reykjavík, while Þórsmörk can only be reached by highland bus or a suitable 4x4 because the road has unbridged river crossings. Before you set out, leave a travel plan with ICE-SAR and check the weather warnings for the pass.