Reykjavík Grapevine - 15.07.2016, Blaðsíða 20

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 10 — 2016
20
Offering fresh Icelandic cuisine in a
stylish and casual atmosphere in the heart
of down town Reykjavík.
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The Grapevine regrets to report
that a French traveler to Iceland
who went missing on the evening
of July 13 was found dead early the
next morning. The incident began
when two French travelers were
walking back from Landmanna-
laugar near Torfajökull glacier.
One of them slipped and slid down
an icy embankment into a river,
and when the current carried the
hapless traveler under the ice, his
friend went for help.
What followed was one of the
biggest rescue operations that
Landsbjörg has ever carried out,
with the search party numbering
some 300 people at its peak. The
body of the missing hiker was re-
covered early this morning, and
extracted at considerable risk to
rescue workers. The name of the
deceased has not been released at
the time of this writing, although
officials say the victim’s family
has been informed.
While this incident is the kind
of freak accident that could hap-
pen to anyone, a great number of
tourist-related deaths are com-
pletely preventable with simple
preparation. To that end, here are
some safety tips you should bear
in mind when venturing out into
the Icelandic countryside:
1. Have clothes for anything.
The climate in Iceland is very dy-
namic. What begins as a warm,
dry, sunny day can become a cold,
rainy, windy day with little to no
warning. Being caught out in the
elements without proper clothing
can be potentially fatal—a great
many people who have died travel-
ing in the countryside were taken
by exposure. Never underestimate
Icelandic weather—check the
forecast before you head out, but
have clothes for anything.
2. Tell someone where you’re
going and when you expect to be
back. One of the more complicat-
ed aspects of rescue work is find-
ing the missing person in the first
place. This can often prove diffi-
cult, especially if rescue workers
have little idea where they need to
look. Further, people can be reluc-
tant to report someone missing if
they don’t know when you’re due
back. Don’t leave yourself twisting
in the wind, waiting for someone to
wonder where you are. Leave a des-
tination and return time estimate
with someone, such as a guesthouse
worker or camp ranger.
3. Avoid traveling alone into
treacherous areas. You might be
a pro climber who’s leapt over gla-
cier crevasses the world over, but
that still doesn’t mean it’s advis-
able to march into danger alone. A
traveling companion for Iceland’s
more challenging terrain can help
get you out of a tight spot, or can
run for help in the event it’s needed.
4. If you can, bring a GPS. These
days you don’t need to be a master
cartographer with a compass and
sextant to know where you are in
the wilderness. It can be very easy
to get lost in the countryside, es-
pecially in the highlands, lead-
ing you to waste precious time
just trying to figure out where
you are. Most smartphones come
with some kind of GPS capability
installed, and you can also down-
load the “112 Iceland” app from the
Google Play store, which alerts au-
thorities with your position in the
event of an emergency.
5. Choose the right vehicle for
the terrain. Not every single road
in Iceland is easily distinguish-
able, let alone paved, and driving
conditions in the highlands can
quickly shift from fine to im-
passable. That Yaris you rented
isn’t going to do you much good if
you end up washed out in a river,
bogged down in the mud, or oth-
erwise hopelessly stuck. Talk to
your rental agent about where you
intend to travel, and trust their
advice on the right vehicle for the
terrain.
6. When in doubt, turn back.
You’ve finally made it up into the
highlands on a bright, beautiful
morning, fulfilling a long-held
dream of yours to bear witness
to the natural beauty of this re-
gion—only to notice looming
storm clouds on the horizon that
may or may not be headed your
way. Don’t take unnecessary risks.
If conditions begin to worsen,
swallow your pride and turn back.
As heartbreaking as it may be to
turn back at this point, having to
defer your dream awhile is cer-
tainly better than having this trip
be your last.
Staying
Alive in
Iceland
TRAVEL ADVICE
The absolute basics you must know
Words
PAUL FONTAINE
Photo
ART BICNICK