Reykjanes Volcano
Iceland’s Fagradalsfjall Volcano took the world by storm for the early portions of 2021. When the volcano erupted near Keflavik International Airport on the Reykjanes Peninsula March 2021 it disrupted flights, caused thousands of earthquakes and was the subject of mind blowing photographs. The eruption was a spectacle for months, and became almost like a pilgrimage site for avid outdoors photographers. However, by the summer of 2021, the volcano was mostly dormant and, while still erupting in part, it was nowhere near as impressive as in the spring. With international travel largely back following a year of covid shutdowns, Iceland was high on my list for outdoor travel destinations. A free stretch in August led me to plan a 9 day Iceland trip with plans to loop around the island (see Iceland Ring Road article). Being largely dormant, the Fagradalsfjall Volcano was largely unconsidered in the planning stage. But, once I arrived in Iceland, the volcano presented a once in a lifetime opportunity.
It was day 4 in Iceland and I was on the south coast near the town of Selfoss. That day, I had a guided group 4x4 trip to Landmannalaugar (covered on its own in the Iceland Ring Road article). On the ride back from the trip, I was talking to the guide about things to do on the rest of our trip. She suggested going to visit the Reykjanes Volcano. I was confused, as I thought the volcano was largely closed up by now– but apparently, a new crater had just opened up. With plans to head to the Westfjords region in just 2 days, I needed to visit the crater that night to have any shot at watching the eruptions. Upon arriving back in Selfoss, I dropped off some gear from the trip at the hotel and paired down on photography equipment. At around 7pm, I began the hour-long drive west towards the eruption site.
Despite getting to the parking lot around 8pm, there were still about 2 hours of daylight left. Because this was a newly erupting location, there was no trail; instead, I just followed the crowds. The weather on the peninsula was about as bad as it could be, overcast and foggy. With such thick fog, visibility was no more than a hundred feet at points. I wondered if the volcano would even be visible once I reached the base. Passing hikers assured me it was still worth the trip!
About 15 minutes into the hike, I began the steep portion up a volcanic mound. Hiking alongside a dried lava field with smoke in the distance made the volcano palpable, but I was still a while from the base. The next section of the hike was up a steep volcanic ridge, heading into the clouds. At this point, I was questioning how I could possibly see the volcano, I could barely see 20 feet ahead of me. Nevertheless, returning hikers kept telling me to just keep going. The path above the ridgeline was mostly flat and unmarked. The fog continued to get thicker and thicker and at every 5 minute interval, I debated turning around and cutting my losses. But out of stubbornness I continued along the ridgeline, which eventually blended into a plateau. For about 2 miles, I watched as signs of smoke got closer and crowds grew. And then, it was there! As I reached the edge of the plateau, the volcano came into view. With the heat of lava creating its own microclimate, the fog dissipated revealing a fully active lava field. Barely maintaining focus on the path, I continued down into the valley and set up on the rim of the lava field (don't worry there were at least a 100 people with me in the area)!
The time was now 9:30 and the sky was beginning to darken. But I was so deep in the moment, that the return trip was not crossing my mind. I began shooting with a telephoto lens trying to zoom in on the peak of the volcano. High temperatures caused a heat haze, which warmed the area yet ever so slightly blurred my photos. But I kept shooting.
A few hundred photos in and I began to set up my drone. As I was still within the drone’s 1 year warranty period, I was moderately comfortable taking risks of flying it towards the volcano. I took the drone up a few hundred feet and photographed the lava field. The various paths of lava flow which could not be seen at ground level became connected like a web at the drone’s height. Once at a sufficient height, I flew towards the main eruption site, capturing photos and videos along the way. The sky became pink and orange as the brightness of the lava overpowered nighttime (oh yea, it was dark outside now). A little past half a mile into the flight (the volcano was 1 mile away), the drone recorded heat warnings and I took that as a sign to begin flying back towards the rim. I continued the cycle of alternating between handheld shots, aerial shots and just enjoying the views for another hour and a half.
A faint drizzle reminded me that I had a 2 mile return hike still awaiting me. Although I considered waiting it out until the morning (as the sun only sets for around 4 hours during August in Iceland), I decided to brave the return. As I climbed out of the first valley, the temperatures dropped heavily and my clothes were getting wet from the drizzle. What seemed to be an easy path to follow in the daytime now seemed impossible. With almost no cell reception and dwindling flashlight battery, the situation seemed bad. Despite doubting every move I made, I continued forward. Luckily, there was no official trail and any direction across the plateau would work as long as it was in the direction of the parking lot. After 30 more minutes of struggling through the sharp and rocky terrain, I could make out the ends of a parking lot in the distance. I breathed a sigh of relief! Even though I still had a decent way until the parking lot, being able to see my destination was all I could have asked for in the poor conditions. I spent the next 20 minutes carefully descending the final slope making sure not to twist an ankle on the way down. By 12:30 am, I had reached the car and began the 1 hour drive back to Selfoss– where this long day began.
My time at the Fagradalsfjall Volcano was nothing short of amazing. The experience continues to rank among my top 3 natural experiences in my entire life. Alongside the amazing memories from the volcano, I also brought some valuable lessons about nighttime safety in the outdoors. Looking back, the night at the volcano was a night I will never forget.