On July 16, 2024, I completed a 12-day, approximately 240-mile (386 km) self-supported hike and float (packrafted about the last 40 miles) sea-to-sea across Iceland from the south coast to a fjord on the north coast. Most of the route was on trails, some on dirt roads, some on river, while a couple of sections were cross country in trailless wilderness (among the highlights). It was mostly amazing, at times challenging, and very uncertain as I had little to no information about most of the route. Iceland has been crossed many times but never by this route as far as I can tell.
My intention was to do a cool trip that tied in with my research work here in Iceland centered in part on conflicts between energy development and conservation as well as issues around roads and wilderness, and similar intersecting topics. This allowed me to gain a lot of first hand familiarity with my main research subject and to learn the land one step or stroke at a time, which is incomparably more intimate than any other form of travel. I intend to integrate my experiences and ample photos from this trip into a published article based on my research. I hope to find an outlet willing to run my article. Stay tuned (it will take many months at least). I also plan to create a great presentation about it that I hope to give at various venues.
PS: DISCLAIMER - some sections of this route are extremely dangerous; do not attempt to repeat.
A Flickr album with photos from this journey lives here.
Below is a non-narrated video montage.
My intention was to do a cool trip that tied in with my research work here in Iceland centered in part on conflicts between energy development and conservation as well as issues around roads and wilderness, and similar intersecting topics. This allowed me to gain a lot of first hand familiarity with my main research subject and to learn the land one step or stroke at a time, which is incomparably more intimate than any other form of travel. I intend to integrate my experiences and ample photos from this trip into a published article based on my research. I hope to find an outlet willing to run my article. Stay tuned (it will take many months at least). I also plan to create a great presentation about it that I hope to give at various venues.
PS: DISCLAIMER - some sections of this route are extremely dangerous; do not attempt to repeat.
A Flickr album with photos from this journey lives here.
Below is a non-narrated video montage.
