If there were an election for the most beautiful mountain in Iceland, Snæfell—the queen of the East Fjords’ mountains—would surely rank highly, especially among the residents of East Iceland. Snæfell is a tall mountain, standing at 1,833 meters, making it the highest mountain in the country outside of Vatnajökull. This ancient volcano formed about 500,000 years ago and has been building up ever since. Although it has been a long time since the mountain last erupted, geologists believe that Snæfell is still an active volcano. The area around the mountain has little vegetation due to its elevation, located northeast of Vatnajökull. However, in the summer, nature around Snæfell comes alive. It serves as a primary habitat for the reindeer population, and more than twenty different bird species currently nest in the area, particularly swans and pink-footed geese. From the hiking lodge near the mountain, there is a good 14-kilometer hiking trail to the summit, which takes about eight hours for a round trip. Snæfell is part of Vatnajökull National Park.
Snæfell, 02/12/2024 – A7R III, A7R IV – FE 1.4/24mm GM, FE 1.8/20mm G, FE 1.4/85mm GM, FE 2.8/90mm G, FE 1.2/50mm GM – Images & text: Páll Stefánsson
