Askja and Holuhraun Drive
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 142.92 mi
- Elevation gain
- 4,058 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 4,058 ft
- Max elevation
- 3,350 ft
- TrailRank
- 41
- Min elevation
- 1,470 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Time
- 8 hours 6 minutes
- Coordinates
- 7071
- Uploaded
- September 7, 2015
- Recorded
- July 2015
near Reykjahlíð, Norðurland Eystra (Lýðveldið Ísland)
Viewed 2287 times, downloaded 65 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
Askja is a caldera situated in a remote part of the central highlands of Iceland. The name Askja refers to a complex of nested calderas within the surrounding Dyngjufjöll mountains, which rise to 1,510 m (4,954 ft), askja meaning box or caldera in Icelandic.
The region is only accessible for a few months of the year. Being situated in the rain shadow to the northeast of the Vatnajökull glacier, the area receives only about 450 mm of rainfall annually. The area was used during training for the Apollo program to prepare astronauts for the lunar missions. Their main objective in Askja was to study geology.
Holuhraun is situated at the southern end of Ódáðahraun, which is one of the largest lava fields in the country. Holuhraun is the site of an ongoing volcanic eruption which began on 29 August 2014 and produced a lava field of more than 85 km2 (33 sq mi) and 1.4 km3 (0.34 cu mi) – the largest in Iceland since 1783.
The region is only accessible for a few months of the year. Being situated in the rain shadow to the northeast of the Vatnajökull glacier, the area receives only about 450 mm of rainfall annually. The area was used during training for the Apollo program to prepare astronauts for the lunar missions. Their main objective in Askja was to study geology.
Holuhraun is situated at the southern end of Ódáðahraun, which is one of the largest lava fields in the country. Holuhraun is the site of an ongoing volcanic eruption which began on 29 August 2014 and produced a lava field of more than 85 km2 (33 sq mi) and 1.4 km3 (0.34 cu mi) – the largest in Iceland since 1783.
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