CELL Field Trip to Geiser, Gulfoss, and Burfell Hydropower Station

As part our CELL semester program, we take a variety of field trips - from trips to Reykjavik to visit art and natural history museums to hiking trips in the mountains skirting glaciers and waterfalls... This week we took a trip to the Burfell hydropower station and then to Geiser hot springs, Gulfoss waterfall and, finally, to an enchanted Icelandic forest.

Burfell Hydropower Station: Our day started at 8:15 a.m. when Begga, our friend and mentor here at Solheimar and her Viking daughter, Birta, picked us up at our home. We drove for an hour or so toward the Burfell Powerstation near Mt. Hekla, Iceland's most active volcano, as the sun leisurely rose in the east (we have about 7 hours of daylight on November 6th, and we are losing about 7 1/2 minutes of daylight per day. At Christmas, there is a little over 3 hours of daylight here at 66 degrees North). We drove through beautiful Icelandic countryside with sprawling sheep farms, moss-covered mountains, and ocassional waterfalls garnishing the scenery. Just before we arrived at the power station, Begga took us on a detour to a beautiful waterfall cascading down an 80' drop into the river below. Iceland is an amazingly beautiful country with so many natural gems to be expored..

At the Burfell Hydropower Station we were met by our guide who ushered us into the reception area for hot tea and snacks. He then presented a slide show/lecture followed by a quick tour of the hydropower station. Over 80% of Iceland's electricity is produced from renewable hydro- and geothermal power. This small island nation leads the world in the percentage of its energy generated from renewable sources. As Iceland produces far more energy than it needs (ten times more per capita than in the U.S.) it exports its renewable energy by importing electricity intensive industries, such as aluminum smelting. Bringing the aluminum industry to Iceland, however, has been quite controversial here. Iceland is currently trying to attract data farms, high tech data bases like Yahoo and Microsoft - businesses that require large amounts of electricity but don't impact the environment as adversely as aluminum smelters. This innovative thinking will enable Iceland to diversify its economy while attracting more environmentally friendly businesses/industries.

While visiting Burfell, we learned some of the pros and cons of hydropower. First, the pros: Electricity produced by hydropower does not produce C02 emissions, and does not pollute the atmosphere; once a dam is completed, electricity can be produced at a constant rate and if electricity is not needed, the sluice gates can be shut - stopping electricity generation and saving it for when it is needed; dams are designed to last for many decades; and the lake that forms behind the dam can be used for many purposes from irrigation for farms to a variety of recreational activities.

Second, the Cons: Dams are very expenseive to build and must operate for many decades to become profitable; the flooding of large areas of land means that the natural environment is destroyed; the building of large dams can cause geologic damage; and building large dams disrupts the natural flow of water within a watershed: disrupting fish migrations and impacting irrigation and ground water downstream, etc.

As with so many environmental issues, hydropower has advantages and disadvantages. It provides, perhaps, the cleanest form of electricity production on one hand, but it permanently floods large areas of land and disrupts river flow downstream on the other. So what is the answer? What we are learning through our CELL experience is that maybe the answer is not "one" solution, but rather a combination of ideas that can lead to more wholistic solutions - solutions designed to learn from our best architect -Nature. There are viable solutions for any problem - solutions that will enable us to develop our economy while stewarding our environment. Many nations around the world are successfully practicing this ecological approach to economic development. We can too. For example, we can develop an energy policy that promotes a variety of renewable options from solar to wind, from hydropower to hydrogen, from increasing energy efficiency of appliances to increasing our public transit systems, etc. And in terms of hydropower, perhaps, we can learn to build a few dams on a select number of rivers where the environmental impact is less severe and to look at hydropower as one piece of the pie and not as the whole pie...

After visiting the hydropower plant, we strolled up a nearby hill to check out a replica Saga Age farm that was covered in ash by an eruption of Mt. Hekla in 1104. It was so interesting to visit the farm house and church that had been rebuilt to rough specifications uncovered in an archaeological dig nearby. The main house was around 70 feet long by 25 feet wide, built into the hillside with a grass-covered roof, a main sleeping/meeting/game/cooking room in the middle, a working parlor on one end where women would spin wool into yarn and perform other chores, and another room on the opposite side of the house where people would enter in through a sturdy-planked wooden door. In the middle room was a fire pit where the family would cook and come to warm themselves, play games, have meetings, sleep, etc. Visiting this replica farm really made the history of the Viking era come alive. You could really imagine what life must have been like here in Iceland in the year 1104. It certainly wasn't a romantic life, but, nonetheless, it captured our imaginations of what it must have been like to live simply and closely with the earth, and to experience Iceland's harsh climate in such primitive conditions.

After our visit to the Viking Age farmhouse, we travelled to Geiser - the original hot spring from which the name geiser originates. Although the original Geiser now lies dormant, a sister hot spring nearby still dazzles visitors with her regular (10 minute interval) eruptions. It was exciting to wait in anticipation of the eruption which spurts from a geothermal hot spring hole in the ground 2 meters wide and filled with several thousand gallons of steamy-hot water. Just before she blows, the hot spring starts to bubble and rise and fall rapidly until suddently blowing its spout of hot steam 80 feet into the air (Geiser used to blow 80 meters/250 feet high). The anticipation of watching the hot spring build up pressure, was really fun - something like being a kid and watching an 80 foot jack-in-the-box about to explode, but not knowing exactly when and then jumping when it suddenly explodes out of the box. We all agreed that we could have stayed and watched the magic of the exploding steam for hours...

After visiting Geiser, we travelled to Gulfoss, an impressive waterfall (actually two waterfalls) dropping a combined height of over 100 feet. The canyon below Gulfoss was equally impressive extending for 3 kilometers downstream and reaching a depth of 70 meters (220 feet). Geologist believe that it may have been formed by torrential floods caused by glacial outbursts occuring near the end of the last ice age. It was so impressive to stand above the falls and to hear the roar of water below and to feel of the cloud of cool mist condensing on your cheeks. Just a small piece of experiencing Iceland...

On the way home from Gulfoss, we visited an enchanted forest near Geiser which I'll describe in a moment, but first a brief description of the area we are visiting. The land that surrounds Geiser and Gulfoss is typical Icelandic heathland - vegetated with lichens growing on rocks and forming irrigular patterns of varying colors. Farms also dotted the landscape with Icelandic sheep and horse pastures interspersed with wooly willows planted by farmers to provide wind breaks and to help control soil erosion. Shortly after Iceland's Settlement Period (AD 930), the country's forest and other vegetation became severely depleted. Where vegetation disappeared, the winds and rain quickly eroded the land. So, today, much of Iceland is devoid of forests, and some consider soil erosion to be Iceland's largest environmental problem. The Icelandic landscape, for the most part, is wide-open space with beautiful views of distant mountains and glaciers, but no trees. So, with this brief introduction, you might be able to emphathize with our sheer delight in visiting a real Icelandic forest.

We drove several kilometers from Geiser up a gravel rode to a several hundred acre spruce forest (one of Iceland's very few "forests") that had been planted by a Danish man 60 years ago. There's an Icelandic joke that goes: "What do you do if you get lost in an Icelandic forest?" Answer: "Stand up!" Most trees in Iceland are very short. The forest we visited, however, was different. It stretched from a valley up along a steep hillside with the largest trees towering over 60 feet above us. It was incredible walking along the forest trails over small foot bridges allowing us to navigate fast flowing, crystal-clear - drinkable water (no need to purify the water in Iceland, it is naturally the cleanest water in the world). As we walked, we absorbed the smell of spruce needles and moist air in our lungs. We hiked up a steep trail along a stream bed that dropped off sharply in places with mini-waterfalls along the way and soft moss-covered rocks. We hiked in twilight as the sun leisurely set in the west. It was such a peaceful place - an arboretum oasis - showing us the potential of what one man/one life can do to restore a gift of natural beauty to our planet. It makes me want to spend more time in natural areas and to support the conservation and preservation of wild places...

CELL Iceland Program Fall 2008

CELL offers life-changing study abroad programs for students who believe that they can make a difference in the world and who aren't afraid to try! During a Center for Ecological Living and Learning (CELL) Iceland program, students explore a semester theme of sustainability through community in one of the most remote, geologically unique, and environmentally friendly countries in the world. During the course of the semester, students experience Iceland's breath-taking beauty, live in one of the world’s unique ecovillages, learn experientially and through service to others; and are inspired by an island nation leading the world toward a path of sustainability. Our Iceland study abroad program is an educational adventure where we learn about imaginative solutions to global problems and what is being done today to solve these problems. CELL is more than a study abroad program, it is an opportunity to join a global community of people who are committed to making our world more sustainable. Below are reflections from students participating in CELL's 2008 Iceland program.

Allison: Solheimar means "the home of the sun", a warm and inviting place that provides comfort and nourishment. Each day I wake up and walk down to morning meeting I feel this meaning. We all hold hands in a circle, sing together and then give a squeeze of energy. As we go our separate ways we begin our day with a reminder that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves.

And what a wonderful something bigger to be a part of! Every person is fully embraced for who they are. The love that you feel here is freeing. I feel it the most in the workshops. There is nothing like exchanging funny faces with home people at coffee break in the wood and candle workshops, or picking tomatoes in Sunna with Reynir yodeling in the background.

We are all a part of something bigger than ourselves; whether that be the community of our friends, our town, our country or our world. Embracing these communities is beneficial not only for ourselves but for everyone involved because we are social beings and everything is connected. Solheimar has been a wonderful place to not only realize this but experience it, live it.


Ana: We joked on our Landmanalaugar hike that we were a clan of Icelandic foster-brothers and sisters making our way to the Althing. The Althing, we learned in our classes with Begga, was the annual gathering at Thingvellir, which brought together the widely dispersed chieftans under the huge black cliffs. During the Commonwealth period, the Althing was as much a cultural festival as a place to settle disputes and hear the lawspeaker recite the new laws. Marriages were arranged, alliances made, and ale was consumed at the Teutonic plates of Thingvellir. Our trip to Thingvellir with Begga and Mamma Sue fulfilled that vision of us trekking through the barren highlands towards the law rock and the Tectonic plates.

We crammed into the silver Traffic (the name of our Icelandic chariot) as the sun was still beginning to rise at 8:00 and followed the blue and yellow highway sign that read “Thingvellir.” Similar to the excitement that is felt when a GPS says “north,” the sign that read “thingvellir” has a similar effect in the pit of your stomach: you know it’s an intense place.

Upon our arrival, we met our guide at the visitor’s center, who gave us an introduction to the history of Thingvellir and the significance of it’s location, at the divide between the North American and European plates. Then we headed out into the wind and rain with our guide, who wryly compared the weather to the state of the Icelandic economy. We saw a theme as we were lead through the path between the steep black plates, in our guide’s commentary. He was constantly poking fun at the failing economy. We thought his dry humor was remarkable considering the gravity of the situation. He managed to cover the period of the Settlement (AD 870 - 930) and Commonwealth (AD 930 - 1262), the brutal weather, and the Icelandic economy in the same sentence, and tie them all together wonderfully.

We also saw a chilling aspect to Thingvellir. Our guide started covering the period of the Reformation (AD 1500s) when we reached a pool of glacial water which was roped off and had signs which read: “do not swim.” This, we learned, was the drowning pool where women who were suspected of witchcraft were put to death. The fifteenth century was a time when a visit to Thingvellir could be fatal. It was transformed into a place of punishment rather than a cultural festival, and hundreds of men and women were burned, hung, beheaded, and drowned, for minor crimes. Standing beside the drowning pool was something that we won’t easily forget.

Something else that we won’t easily forget is the heavy wind and rain on our faces as we hiked up to a roaring waterfall through the rock formations. And as we walked by the river, we witnessed firsthand - trout spawning. Mason, our trout expert, was ecstatic! It was like Planet Earth, but up close and real! While Mamma Sue, Begga, and the girls went to see the prime minister’s house, the boys (Chance, Josh, and Mason) observed the trout spawning, and met us with a glow of incredible happiness. Under the massive black cliffs and near the bright white Prime Minister’s summer home, was a hidden treasure of spawning trout that would entice any naturalist into buying a plane ticket to Iceland to come witness.

Speaking of treasure, we passed on the way to Mosfell (a nearby town) the archaeological site where a Viking longhouse was discovered. It was in a dairy and sheep farmer’s backyard, however he let us look at the site, which was covered up for the winter. We had read Egils' Saga with Begga in our history and language class, and the Viking hero Egill Skallagrimson was said to have spent the last years of his life at a farmstead in Mosfell. This particular archaeological site was where some historians think he may have lived, which adds a whole new dimension to the place. Before he died, according to the saga, Egill hid treasure somewhere in the area, either up in the hills or in a nearby marsh. The great mystery of it is that nobody really knows. However, after the black plates of Thingvellir, looking at Egill’s possible home in Mosfell was "mjor, mjor, gott." In the words of Chancery Perks, “you can’t touch that!” We were actually standing where Egill could have lived, and under the mountain where he could have hid his treasure (his final act of reckless roguishness) while a herd of sheep were baah-ing rudely in the background. Then the Icelandic cappuccino at the Mosfell bakery made the experience as a whole extremely hardcore and Icelandic….Egill would be proud!

CELL Snaefellsness Trip

Josh: Our journey to the Snaefellsness peninsula began with an early drive through an Icelandic snowstorm, watching the headlights of our van illuminate the white flakes as they fell against the blackness of early morning. Passing through the outskirts of Reykjavik, we stopped briefly at a coffee shop to enjoy some warm beverages and sweet treats. the sun was rising and the snow had stopped as we piled into the van to continue our northward passage, driving through a tunnel under a fjord and then along Iceland's west coast, marked by mountains rising to the east and waves crashing to the west. We enjoyed the views while they lasted, mesmerized by the frontlines of the battle between earth and ocean, but soon the snow and wind soon returned. We felt the power of Iceland's weather and found a new respect for the cautious respect Icelanders show during harsh storms.

Thankfully we made it to our lodging for the weekend without any major mishaps, although we did get a chance to work as a team to help turn our van around in the deep snow drift at our guesthouse. We unpacked our belongings into our suite, complete with "CELL loft" and hot-tub, then started to make some delicious stew that would feed us for the remainder of our stay. By the time we had finished lunch, the worst of the storm had passed so we decided to head further out on the peninsula for some sightseeing. We found Snaefellsness to more than live up to our expectations, as we watched the sunlight play through the clouds over the ocean and soaked in the rugged landscape that rose sharply from the sea.

We eventually came to a short trail to hike along the rocky coast. Watching the waves crash against the rocks, I was reminded of the coast of Maine, except painted black by the volcanism of ages past. Our hike culminated at an impressive landmark: two massive stone pillars on the coast, towering over us like two giant trolls who had lost track of time watching the ocean one night and turned to stone at daybreak. We lingered over the view of the ocean, waves pounding against the coast, and the soothing rhythm of the surf. It was incredibly peaceful and inspiring. As we were allowing life to wash over us, we noticed a looming dark, grey cloud makings its way to where we were sitting, ready to wash over us with more snow, so we quickly headed back to our van to return to the safety of our house. Once there, we jumped in the hot tub to watch the whiteness engulf peak after peak as it moved toward us. We spent the rest of the night working on our knitting and pondering life's inner and outer mysteries.

We awoke the next day to the continued blowing of the wind and snow, which didn't stop some of us from running down to the ocean for a (very) quick swim and a jaunt back to the hot-tub to regain feeling in our appendages and sanity in our minds. The rest of the day we were driving around the peninsula, enjoying the sights when the snow would stop blowing, and doing our best to stay on the slippery roads through mountain passes. Frederick showed us around to some of the best places in Snefellsness. We decided to stay an extra night to avoid the possibility of being blown off the road by the wind, and headed back to Solheimar early the next morning. The entire weekend was a great opportunity to see more of Iceland, more of each other, and even more of ourselves.

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CELL Research Projects and Landmannalaugar to Porsmork Hike

Chance: As members of an amazing community comprised of people from many walks of life, we (students, Solheimar staff, community members, and others), find we get a lot out of our time here. Our curriculum is diversified, including experiential and service-learning, thought provoking readings and journaling, amazing field trips, and real-life researchh projects focusing on a sustainability theme.

We (students) have been asked to do a research project that will enable us to give something back to this village, which has given us so very much. Topics were suggested to us but we were ultimately given the option of developing a project of our own imagination and passion. After we looked at what the town could benefit from and where our strengths and passions lie, we chose topics that gave us the best opportunities to learn while also serving the needs of our host community.

Each member has chosen great topics. Mason and Ana are working together to set up an Internship system that will allow college students from around the world to come and work at Solheimar in return for a ‘certificate of completion’ (which is much needed for undergraduate education) and the practical educational experience that will inevitably come with it. Josh has been making great strides on finding an affordable system to upgrade the geothermal components of the electricity production for this small village.His work has proven to be quite technical and will benefit the town for years to come - promoting earth friendly electricity production. Allison is doing a project involving Anthroposophy and she's exploring ways to redesign the décor of the greenhouse Café to better set a mood for the mingling of the village residents and the visitors alike. And I have had a wonderful opportunity come my way. Since I study forestry, it was suggested that I reforest a field on the Northeast side of Solheimar. I will hopefully be using this to double as my undergraduate Capstone, and I will be returning in May to put my plan into effect.

We have all greatly enjoyed this educational journey and the feeling that comes from being a proactive part of this community is unmatched by experiences we have had to date.

Mason: As we sat in anticipation for a week due to the cancellation of our big hike to Landmannalaugar, our
imaginations flew. Outside the rain poured and the wind howled like wolves from the west. We were glad we were not out in the elements but something inside of us longed for our Icelandic Wilderness experience. When our trip was cancelled because of heavy rains causing the rivers to rise making it dangerous and life-threatening to cross, we did not know whether we would experience Landmanalagar and our spirits dropped. But late in the week, Begga (our Icelandic host at Solheimar) announced the weather was somewhat clearing and we would be leaving for Landmanalagar in two days and to make sure we had good rain gear. Once again our imaginations got the best of us making us question our gear as we flew from room to room asking what each person was and wasn’t taking. The next day we rose early from our beds filled with excitement (for anticipation is half the experience of life). Everyone ate a large breakfast as we did not know what to expect from the hike. All we knew was that the weather had cleared and the terrain was rough.

As we climbed into the “super jeeps” we knew that serious terrain awaited us. We whispered about the cars and their large tires and giggled as the drivers munched down on harth fiskur (dried fish). Little did we know that very soon we would be begging for the very food we were laughing about. We drove past Skaltholt towards Hekla and our favorite spot where an older couple lived, which we nicknamed Lamb Chops lair. From our previous stay at Lamb Chops lair, we knew the terrain and roads fairly well around Hekla, and our Forestry guide pointed out the direction of our future hike to Landmannalaugar. Soon we took a turn off the rough gravel road into a lava field with Hekla looming over us in the background. Our drivers got out of the super jeeps and lowered the pressure in the tires to enhance their off road traction. This made all of our faces light up because we knew we were near. Life was great - in fact it was perfect. We slowly exited off the gravel road and disappeared into two rough tracks taking us deeper and deeper into the lava field. We drove through rough country fording rivers, streams, and puddles for a little over an hour until we drove up to a scenic crater where we got out and snapped quick pictures. The cold breeze crept up and startled us making everyone realize where he or she was - in the Icelandic highlands. The scenery from the crater resembled the section of the highlands we had explored with the Soil and Conservation department. Questions flooded our minds: Where did the hike start? How far were we going to hike? What would we eat? How many miles was the entire hike? All we knew was that we were in good hands, for the famous Pauli and Roza (aka: Mama and Papa Iceland), two of the most famous guides in Iceland were our guides. At this point we had spoken to them but not long conversations, mostly small talk. Little did we know how much we would love, respect, and appreciate both of them as our hike progressed. As we descended from the overlook, we arrived shortly at our destination Landmannalaugar which consisted of several buildings with public bathrooms, natural hot springs, and a river which had to be forded in order to get to the building. We knew we were in remote Iceland and civilization was a long ways away. As we climbed out of the super jeeps, our legs were cramped and our stomachs growled with hunger but something else was calling us, natural hot springs. After eating some sandwiches, we could not turn down the enticing steam rising from a warm river. We grabbed our suits, stripped down and ran in the cold air to the water. After a heavenly 20 minutes of soaking in the warm, geothermal heated hot spring, we dried ourselves and prepared for the hike. This was when it really hit me that we were about to set off on one of the most beautiful backcountry hikes in Iceland with two of the best guides in the country!!! We tightened our backpack straps and followed our able guides up through the hills that rose above into the most incredible obsidian lava field anyone has ever set their eyes on. It was if someone had dropped a backdrop in front of us and we were walking into it. Like crows we couldn’t stop looking and wanting to touch the shiny obsidian that covered the ground. We progressed through the field and towards the end we faced one of the most breathtaking landscapes I have ever seen in my life. In front of us was 180 degrees of barren colorful Icelandic highland mountains with a marsh meadow under them. We stood at the edge of the obsidian field thinking we had transcended into another world, which we had. Smiles lit up on everyone’s face and the moment stopped in time, we were here, life was perfect, and our biophilia stopped us dead in our tracks.

After snapping pictures that could never even begin to capture the essence of what our eyes were seeing, we headed off to the left up what appeared to be a very steep ridge leading to steam pouring out of the ground. We climbed the side of the mountain with sulfur wafting into our noses every step. As we gained height, we began to pass small holes where steam and heat poured out of the ground, a surreal Kodak moment of nature's natural heat and power. Contentment was inside everyone in our group and time slowed. At every ridge we hiked to, a new breathtaking vista awaited us. We climbed and climbed until we started to see little remnants of snow from last winter with several glaciers in the background to lure us further. Every once in a while we would stop and look around in awe at the incredible beauty of the country - trying to trace our footsteps from what appeared to be a tiny valley in the far distance. When Pauli asked us if we wanted to stop in a ravine to have a snack we realized time had flown by.

We ate lunch by the edge of a stream which we freely drank from with no need for water purification. Life was good. The weather was perfect and the sun beamed down on us as we entered the snow line where we began to see more and more snow. A highlight of this section was our first encounter with glaciers and our curiosity of what they were. We crossed a frozen ravine with a hole in it; Chance climbed down into it enthusiastically taking a movie declaring we were standing under a glacial tongue. Pappa Iceland quickly reminded him the stream was not completely frozen. and, therefore, it wasn’t a glacial tongue.

Rising close to the summit of the mountain range ahead of us - a marker caught our eyes with what appeared to be a tomb near it. Sure enough we discovered it was the symbolic grave where someone had died in a freak summer blizzard. This scene chilled our bones for we were in the backcountry now, there was no turning back, and it was just nature and our group. High ridge lines lead us over into a new valley with a small A-frame warm hut waiting for us. The first day was soon to be over and had flown by in what seemed to be seconds. On arrival we dropped our bags and headed to the high peak a short hike away from the hut to watch the sun set over the terrain we had just come across. As the sun set, our minds transcended into bliss with a contentment of the moment - time stopping in its tracks once again. A crackling radio startled us when our super jeep driver announced that there was a missing Frenchman in the backcountry who slept where we were staying three nights before. Our mood quickly changed as we realized the urgency of the moment.

We climbed back down to the warm hut with questions about the lost Frenchman filling our mind. Pauli and Roza lightened the mood by offering us an Icelandic snack that resembled America’s well known cat food “Fancy Feast,” the two insisted we must try it and that it was a great source of energy especially when hiking. Upon trying the snack it wasn’t half bad and not only lightened the mood but our hunger as well. As dinner was being prepared the radio squalled and the super jeep driver asked if we could help translate the words the Frenchman had written in the guestbook. The handwriting was poor but some of us who had taken French in the past managed to translate the writing. The possibility that there was a French man freezing to death out in the elements was not exactly pleasant. We were not frightened but instead woken to the fact that we will never be able to conquer nature.

After dinner I climbed into the super jeep and we drove off into the dark night while a blizzard approached. The car scrambled over ravines and crossed glaciers until we met up with four other search and rescue guys in another super jeep. I translated another guestbook from a different hut written by another Frenchman with the same name but who had a woman with him. After translating it was obvious that the notes were not written by the same person, our Fabien appeared to be missing. The snowfall turned into a white out and the men questioned whether the jeeps could get back to the huts. We said farewells as the men passed around snuff, and we climbed back into our jeep and headed back to the hut through the blizzard.

The next morning we awoke to wet snow, freezing rain, and howling wind. The weather was rough, and we remembered that had we gone the previous weekend the entire trip would have had weather similar to what we were experiencing. Breakfast was served, stories were told, and games were played as we waited out the storm. At one in the afternoon the storm had not lifted and we were forced to head out into it in order to make the next hut by nightfall. This day put our group to the test: we climbed ravines, crossed creeks, scrambled up deep snow drifts which tried to swallow us, yet we held our heads high through, rain, snow, wind, and mud. Throughout the day screams, hollers, and hoops were passed around along with smiles and high fives. Spirits never fell and they carried us to the next hut in no time. Climbing over the last ridge line, the clouds lifted, and we looked down on the most beautiful valley anyone of us had ever seen. Celestial light beamed down on the valley resembling a scene out of “Land Before Time,” in fact the moment brought all of us to our knees in awe. The hut we stayed at sat on the edge of a beautiful lake called Swan Lake with mountains completely surrounding us. Once again we enjoyed getting dry, sharing stories from the day, and eating dinner. Life was good except for the cold, wet, smelly outhouse, which we all knew we would have to visit in the near future. After sleeping long and hard we woke early and started off again. On this day, cold glacial rivers awaited us, which we would have to cross. The anticipation of the crossings flooded everyone’s mind wondering how cold and deep they would be. As we neared the first one, smiles lit up on everyone’s faces, cloths were stripped and the cold water was met with our screaming enthusiasm. Anticipation had made the crossing worse than it was and we quickly dressed and headed off again. This day lead us through a long volcanic desert with black sand and mountains surrounding us. Being the third day, we suffered with blisters and sore joints; our very own Viking Josh Skallagrimson had a sore knee, making it difficult for him to walk. For the remainder of the hike our group rose to the occasion with our moto, “Where we go one, we go all.” We eventually made it and treated Josh’s knee with the help of Begga’s husband Oskar who happened to be a physical therapist. It always pays to have someone like Oskar with you at all times. For the last backcountry dinner we made a feast almost making Chance’s stomach explode with Icelandic “Fancy Feast”, potatoes, Carrots, Icelandic Joe, and good stories. Life couldn’t get any better than these moments we shared together as a group.

Beautiful breathtaking colors: orange, red, and brown leaves made this day especially memorable reminding us that winter was coming and Fall was in its peak. Being a forester and a naturalist, Chance was in a trance with the abundant Icelandic trees. Once again time stopped and moments lasted for hours bringing us finally to one of our last vistas overlooking the incredible terrain which we had recently passed over. We scrambled up a final ridge and stood hand in hand in bliss. This was our group and the love we all share for each other became clearly visible through hugs and hums as we looked over the ridges and mountains. Soon after the trip ended in a gorgeous river valley. Once again we climbed into the super jeeps, with glacial tongues mocking us from all around, we headed for home. Before we left the backcountry, we stopped right next to where a glacial tongue flowed into a lake. Breathtaking doesn’t even amount to what we felt, seeing the mass sheer force of ice meeting the lake is impossible for words to describe.

We said our goodbyes to the backcountry as we left Porsmork, for the rest of the car ride snoring and reminiscing stories filled the air as we approached one of the driver’s restaurants that he had previously owned. Civilization, wow, pizza never tasted so good in our lives. Final stories and laughter from the hike flooded dinner. When we arrived at Solheimar, all of us voiced how good it felt to be home. Home sweet home.

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CELL Soil Conservation and Seed Planting Service Trip

This past week has been another unbelievable chance to experience the beauty of Iceland’s landscape and meet some of the people that make this country such a unique place. Our four-day excursion began with a trip to the headquarters of Iceland’s Soil Conservation Service in Gunnarsholt where we got a tour through a successfully reforested area that was a desert in 1927.


It was amazing to see that what is now covered by grasses, moss, and trees was once a shifting sand dune of volcanic ash. These early successes have inspired the Soil Conservation Service to undertake a much larger project in the wastelands surrounding Mt. Hekla, the most active volcano in Iceland.


After our tour we all gathered inside to listen to a presentation about the history of desertification and soil loss in Iceland, which has been a problem ever since the early settlers used the trees to stoke their fires. This historic problem continues today as the loss of tree cover allows dust storms and rain runoff to carry away the precious topsoil, but the Soil Conservation Service told us about their many projects to help restore the vegetation and protect their soil from further degradation.


The people of Iceland are well aware of this careful balance of conservation and wise-use of their land and it was exciting to see the number of participants involved in the Soil Conservation Services’ projects.


Afterwards, our group decided to take a hike up to the top of Mt. Bjólfell. From the top we were able to get an amazing view of the surrounding land, including the large lava flows from Mt. Hekla. Iceland continues to amaze us all with the beauty of its varied landscapes.





That evening we stayed at a cozy bed & breakfast. The hospitality of the owners was heartwarming, and their generous servings at every meal were more that we could ever ask for (or finish eating!).








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