Reykjavík Grapevine - 03.02.2017, Page 57

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55The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 02 — 2017
Perhaps the best way to experience
the gleaming glacial badlands of
Iceland is on the back of a snow-
mobile. Yes, with one gear and one
accelerator, you can satiate your
thirst for both adrenaline and
beauty. Driving to the Langjökull
glacier takes about an hour and
a half from downtown Reykja-
vík, and it’s the perfect location
for some snowy exploration. Just
ten minutes into your tour you’ll
lose sight of day-to-day life, find-
ing yourself surrounded by pure
unending white as far as the eye
can see, save for the occasional
speck of another snowmobile in
the distance. Framed by jagged
mountains and the shining sun,
you can enjoy the beautiful vista
as well as a few jumps, if you’re
brave. But don’t forget, of course,
to stop for a moment and gaze at
the desolate wilderness: You won’t
find this anywhere else. You’ll be
awed. You’ll be dwarfed. Most im-
portantly? You’ll be satisfied. HJC
Úlfarsfell is a 296m hill located
between Reykjavík and the nearby
municipality of Mosfellsbær. The
fact that it is neither very steep,
nor far away from the city centre
makes it a safe bet for a winter
hike. Although a relatively easy
and short hike of about 4.5km back
and forth, and ascension of about
160m, the payoff is dispropor-
tionately high—from the top of
Úlfarsfell, the hiker will get a pan-
oramic view of Reykjavík and its
surrounding suburbs, along with
a view of Faxaflói bay and its sur-
rounding mountains. Park your
car by the Hamrahlíð Forestry
parking lot, just off Vesturlands-
vegur (Route 1) and look for a sign
that explains the two available
routes up the mountain. If the hill
is covered in snow, pick the south-
ern route as it is not as steep. The
hike should take about 1.5 hours
all in all. JTS
HIKE OF THE ISSUE
SEASONAL TRIP
Snowmobiles
Úlfarsfell