Day 2: We continue our trek from Hrafntinnusker to Lake Alftavatn for another 12km. Aside from the rain, the fog and wind didn’t help descending from Hrafntinnusker. We were exhausted since we did two sections of the trip in a day. We were exhausted ascending in the morning and descending later that day. The forecast was supposed to be good the next day, so we’re happy to relax at Lake Alftavatn.
Hike
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Laugavegur Trail (Hrafntinnusker)
Day 2: The distance between Landmannalaugar to Hrafntinnusker is only 12km, but its probably the hardest part of the laugavegur trail. It’s not just the weather, but the majority of the elevation on this trip is the distance between the two huts. It was nice early in the day, but we had rain, wind, fog and overall bad weather near Hrfantinnusker. I’m assuming this is usual at higher elevation in Iceland. We stopped by to rest and eat food, but due to the weather this was probably the most miserable part of the trip. We decided to continue all the way to Lake Alftavatn.
Laugavegur Trail (Landmannalaugar)
Day 1: Landmannalaugar was the starting point of our four-day-long backpacking trip on the Laugavegur trail. I was surprised to find out that Laugavegur is a shortened name of “The Landmannalaugar Trail”. The usual four day trail ends in Þórsmörk, but one or two days can be added, trekking then all the way to Skógar nearly at the coast via Fimmvörðuháls between the two glaciers Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull.
Landmannalaugar is located in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve in the Highlands of Iceland. You are not allowed to use rented cars to get there as F roads are usually only intended for 4WD vehicles. It is at the edge of Laugahraun lava field and known for its natural geothermal hot springs and surrounding landscape as you can see at the end of the video. Landmannalaugar is the northern end of the Laugavegur hiking trail. The Iceland Touring Association operates a mountain hut with sleeping bag accommodation for 75 people and a public toilet with showers. During the tourist high season, there is also a small shop there that sells coffee and basic groceries, a horse tour agency.
There is also Icelandic horse riding in the area and you can ride on areas that are would be difficult to access on foot and not accessible by car as there are no official roads like the Jökulgil (Glacier Valley). Arctic char fishing takes place in Landmannalaugar and nearby lakes. From late June and through the summer, a shop called the Mountain Mall is operated inside a green American school bus from the 70s which stocks groceries and other things useful for camping. The buses are still operating and are driven there in June and taken back at the end of September when the season finishes. In the winter, the hut is used as a base for cross-country skiing
Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Charlie’s Bunion
The hike to Charlies Bunion begins from the Newfound Gap parking area. Hikers will travel eastbound along the Appalachian Trail to reach this popular rock outcropping. The steady climb over the course of the first two miles of this hike will quickly leave the crowds behind and you’ll enjoy grand views of the North Carolina Smokies towards the south. There are wide variety of wildflowers that bloom at these elevations during the spring and early summer, including varieties such as violets, spring beauty and trout lilies.
Charlies Bunion is a rock outcropping that was originally known as Fodderstack. The current name was derived when Charlie Conner went hiking one day with Horace Kephart, one of the early proponents for a national park in the Smokies. When they paused for a rest on the rocks, Conner took his boots and socks off and exposed a bunion that resembled the surrounding rocks. Looking at Conner’s feet, Kephart remarked, “Charlie, I’m going to get this place put on a government map for you.” Charlies Bunion offers spectacular views of the mountains to the north, Mt. Kephart and the Jump Off to the west, and Mount Guyot towards the east. Due to the extremely steep drop-offs you’ll definitely want to watch you’re footing in this area.