Jökull - 01.12.1953, Page 11

situation, with the central area of Vatnajökull
covered. by clouds except for an opening just
above the Grímsvötn depression, I have ex-
perienced at various times on reconnoitring
flights over Vatnajökull, but also the opposite
condition, viz. clear cold weather with the whole
central area of the glacier bathed in sunlight
except for the Grímsvötn depression, which is
covered by a thin layer of fog. As to our ob-
servations in Grimsvötn, see below. At 18:25
hrs. we pitched our tents 1.8 km NE of Svía-
hnúkur eystri (Camp IV) in 1445 m height.
Temp. at 22:30 hrs. 3°C. Calm. While seven
of the expedition members climbed Svíahnúk-
ur eystri in order to ‘measure its height above
the lake level, J. Sigurjónsson and I dug a
pit 427 cm deep.
Thursday 2 July. — We woke up at 6:30 hrs.
Temp. 3° C. Calm, and the sky free from clouds.
but a thin fog layer covering the SW part of
the Grímsvötn depression. We set off at 07:00
hrs. and took the course straight towards Kverk-
fjöll. The southern slopes of Kverkfjallahrygg-
ur are steeper than shown on the topographical
map of the Geodætic Institute, and the steep-
est part could be forced only by backing the
Bombardier. At 13:00 hrs. we reached the high-
est point of the ridge along our route, 11 km
NNE of Svíahnúkur eystri, and in a height of
ab. 1660 m. Temp. at 13:00 5° C. Calm and
dazzling sunshine, but the glacier was wrapped
in clouds below 1500 m height. Pit V was dug
there to 435 cm depth, whereafter we started
again at 14:10 hrs. From the highest point to
a point 5 km farther NNE-wards the slope was
only 1:100, whereas from the same point 5 km
SSW-wards the slope was on average 1:30. The
surface was now better for driving than south
of the ridge, so we could move faster and at
21:20 hrs. we camped in Camp VI in ab. 1800 m
height, just before the pass between Kverkfjöll
eystri and Kverkfjöll vestri began to slope
northwards. We had then travelled 38 km
during that day. Temp. at 22:30 hrs. 1°C. Wind
NE 1. The summits of Kverkfjöll were veiled in
clouds.
Friday 3 July. — Weather at 09:00 hrs.: Temp.
-=-l°C. Wind SE 3. Dense fog. We stayed in
camp until the afternoon and finished the
digging of a pit 430 cm deep, which we had
started to dig the previous night. At 13:00 hrs.
the temp. was 2°C. Wind SSE 3. Fog. At 16:00
hrs. we set off for the thermal area (Hveradal-
ur) in Kverkfjöll vestri (cf. below). When we
were midways down the crevassed slopes the
fog luckily lifted and opened a view which re-
ally was enchanting. Below us lay a small lake
of greenish-gray colour with floating icebergs
reflected on its smooth surface. Behind the lake
the slopes and bottorn of the solfatara valley
appeared in bright yellow, green and reddish
colours, and from numerous vents steam was
rising towards the rose-coloured evening sky.
Saturday 4 July. — Wonderful 24 hours in-
deed. When we returned to our camp from the
solfatara valley ab. half an hour after midnight,
the temperature had dropped to h-4°C, which
meant that we could count on a frozen snow
surface during the night. Therefore we im-
mediately took down our tents and at 01:25
hrs. set off for the highest summit of Kverk-
fjöll eystri (1920 m). Jónasson drove the Bom-
bardier to nearly 1900 m height, and after hav-
ing measured the temperature of the thermal ex-
halations which we found on the steep eastern
face of the col just south of the summit (cf. p.
20), we reached the summit at 02:00 hrs., just
in time to see the sun rise over the clouds
covering the northern highlands above which
rose the summits of Herðubreið, Snæfell and
Trölladyngja.The peaks of Iíverkfjöll eystri
were swept in alpine glow, when we started
again at 02:55 hrs. Now we could travel as
originally planned (Fig. 3), standing on skis
and being hauled by the Bombardier which
now did as much 25 km/hour. At 05:37 hrs.
we reached our pit V. and therefrom conti-
nued towards Bárðarbunga, and at 08:40
hrs. we stood on the summit of this ice
cupola, the second highest in Iceland (1988 m),
having travelled 57 km during the night in
wonderful weather. On Bárðarbunga we dug our
last pit, 455 cm deep, and then at 12:10 hrs. set
off for Mt. Hamar, which we reached at 17:00
hrs. Down the southern slopes of Bárðarbunga
we had to zigzag between long crevasses, some of
which we had to cross on snow bridges.The snow
had now become heavy again, the temp. being
ab. 0°C. At 19:40 hrs. we came on our old track
between camps I and II. The slush zone began
in ab. 1050 m height and the temporary firn
line was now at ab. 1050 m height. We con-
tinued along the bare glacier without removing
the skis from the Bombardier, and reached the
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