It’s easy to dismiss a glacier as a big, boring slab of ice. I get it. But you will never again think that way once you’ve stood on one. You hear water rush under and over it. You’ll hear the groans and cracks of its movements. You’ll never truly fathom how dynamic glaciers are until you spend time near them.
I can’t replicate the experience here … but I can give you some of the flavor with these photos of scenes from a glacier. I hope you like what you see enough to visit someplace where you can spend a day on a glacier. I promise, it will exceed your expectations.
In these photos, you’ll see Falljökull, a glacier on the southern portion of Vatnajökull, which is the largest ice cap in Europe. It’s also near Skaftafell National Park, which is a must for any outdoor adventurer planning a stop in Iceland. Glacier Guides guys Gisli and Robert equipped and led us. Click any photo to get a closer look.
Here we are starting our approach to Falljökull. This means “falling glacier,” and you can see why as it tumbled down this mountain. By this point, we’re wearing crampons and harnesses … and we have ice axes!
Here, I’ve aimed a 200mm lens at an icy outcrop. All the gray stuff you see is probably soot from the then-recent Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption.
A little bit more ice. Just imagine how many gallons and gallons of water this one glacier contains.And it’s just a baby as part of the larger ice cap.
My advice – don’t fill up on water before you go to the glacier. Just stick your bottle or hydration bladder under some flowing water for some of the tastiest glacier meltwater you’ll ever drink
Water and movement carve out incredible nooks from the nice. This one is just one of my favorite scenes from a glacier.
Another cranny carved by nature.
I love all the stripes in the ice, along with all the ripples and folds.
White ice with streaks of blue, with the darkness of rock in the background.
Looking back toward the flatlands and ultimately the ocean. My camera faces south in this photo.
Our hike didn’t go up high into the folds and spires, which was a bit disappointing. The glacier guides say it’s too dangerous up there.
Sarah, a German hiker and Robert from Glacier Guides.
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wow, that looks amazing! I have to admit I’m a bit jealous!
The good news is you’re not to far away … and IcelandAir flies direct to Iceland from quite a few cities in Norway. Let me know if you decide to take a trip. I’d be happy to give you a few ideas!