Jökull - 31.12.2001, Page 74

E. Lyn Lewis
Figure 6. The highest part of the caldera rim of Askja, at this volcano’s southern edge. - Að á suðurbrún Öskju.
disastrously, so no breakfast on day fifteen! North of
us, about 16 km away, was the volcano, Askja, a place
we had intended to explore by the easiest route. The
highest point of Askja was on the mountains forming
the southern rim of the caldera. Some way below this
summit was a very attractive snow patch, about 600 m
above our campsite. We set off and 1 remember vi-
vidly the effort involved in walking nphill with a hea-
vy pack lacking food and water, but by 16:00 we had
eaten and drunk a large meal using melted snow. Mist
now obscured vision and, although we went on, a way
up to the summit ridge eluded us, so we camped on
the lower reaches of the upper cliffs. The mist pers-
isted until 11:30 on the next day, but then route find-
ing was possible. We were too far east and, retracing
our steps, reached the ridge sometime later (Figure 6).
Descending into the caldera posed some problem, but
by lowering our packs down maybe 15 m of cliff we
could, unladen, readily climb down.
One third of the caldera of Askja was occupied
by a lake, the Öskjuvatn, about 10 km2 in area. We
reached the shore of the lake and walked east then
north to camp on the beach at its northeast comer.
The lake water must have been near freezing point,
but here and there patches of algae showed where gas
bubbles rose from between stones on the lake bed.
72 JÖKULLNo. 51