Sauðhamarstindur
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 12.48 mi
- Elevation gain
- 5,367 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Difficult
- Elevation loss
- 5,348 ft
- Max elevation
- 4,354 ft
- TrailRank
- 27
- Min elevation
- 619 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Time
- 13 hours 56 minutes
- Coordinates
- 953
- Uploaded
- July 23, 2008
- Recorded
- July 2008
near Bjarnanes, Austurland (Ísland)
Viewed 5103 times, downloaded 118 times
Itinerary description
This is a somewhat epic journey involving a glacier crossing as well as fording a fast-flowing glacial torrent (thus the rating - apart from these two phenomena it's a walk in the park). The river was difficult enough on the outbound trip in the morning, by afternoon the day's sunshine had caused it to swell considerably. It was crotch deep for the vertically-challenged (5'2") of us and fast to boot - the five of us linked arms as we made our way across. Not to be attempted single-handed methinks.
If anyone hikes this route they should use our return track, not the outbound one, as we were far too high on the slopes of Múlatindar in impossible terrain (a rhyolitic scree - the worst kind there is) and then lost over 100 metres of elevation! On the ascent, make for a boulder lying all by itself on the shoulder of Múlatindar just short of the pass (or follow my descent track - amounts to the same thing).
At the top, aim for the cleft between the two tuff monoliths, then make your way south immediately under the cliff face of the larger one. At its southern end there is an easy route to the very top - where the view is incredible!
An easier ascent can probably be made from the "other side" - i.e. the Lónsöræfi area.
If anyone hikes this route they should use our return track, not the outbound one, as we were far too high on the slopes of Múlatindar in impossible terrain (a rhyolitic scree - the worst kind there is) and then lost over 100 metres of elevation! On the ascent, make for a boulder lying all by itself on the shoulder of Múlatindar just short of the pass (or follow my descent track - amounts to the same thing).
At the top, aim for the cleft between the two tuff monoliths, then make your way south immediately under the cliff face of the larger one. At its southern end there is an easy route to the very top - where the view is incredible!
An easier ascent can probably be made from the "other side" - i.e. the Lónsöræfi area.
Waypoints
Waypoint
696 ft
Ford 1
This is where we crossed the river in the morning. The bottom is very uneven and rocky so I wouldn't recommend this route even in the morning.
Waypoint
741 ft
Ford 2
OK; this is where we crossed on our return trip - the bottom is much better here though the current is fast enough to roll small rocks along the bottom.
Campsite
817 ft
Keiluvellir
The Book recommends camping here before ascending the mountain. Although that would of course have been pure luxury we weren't willing to allocate three days to this mountain so we just walked past. Nice place for camping though ...
Summit
4,360 ft
Summit
20-JUL-08 15:51:39
Campsite
662 ft
Camp
19-JUL-08 10:38:29 - 19-JUL-08 10:38:29
Comments (1)
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Hi Leifur Hákonarson,
On the map I see a walking trail from Mulaskali huts towards skyndidalur valley via saudhamarstindur. I've read some reports about several people who hikes this including yours. You describe that aside from crossing the glacier and fording the river it's a walk in the park. Do you mean it's easy walking after crossing the river and towards saudhamarstindur? I was looking if it would be possible to walk from mulaskali towards skyndidalur valley and then out towards jokulsardandur, so we won't have to cross the glacier where you crossed.
Best, Jaap