UKC

Hello,

A friend and I are currently looking at planning a weeks ski touring holiday for Easter. We were originally planning a trip to Norway but have suddenly wondered whether Iceland would be a possibility and was wondering whether anyone had any advice or experience?
We were wondering whether there is any mountainous terrain nearish reykjavik (someone where we could set up a base camp and ski from) and how easy it would be to get into the mountains there/ any other information people have. Many thanks

In reply to ford23:
I've been having similar thoughts and found this

http://korpijaakko.com/category/vatnajokull-2012/

interesting reading

There's an account of a vatnajokull trip in a Nordic ski tour memoir called "Taxi for the snow line", although the prose style wasn't worth shelling out for a new copy. eBay maybe?

I can't tell you anything more other than informal chat with a guiding company in Reykjavik indicated a Nordic tour was a distinct possibility but that Iceland lacks the hut system which makes Norway an attractive option.

Lonely Planet Iceland said pretty much point your skis in any direction and go for it but don't expect to hire gear in-country. I expect the numerous Reykjavik guiding outfits could give you more nuanced advice.

There was a salutary tale in the papers at the start of the year of some rather over optimistic students getting rescued three times on a south to north Icelandic epic.

Unlike Norway I think public transport to the start point would be tough to find in winter. Private hire would do it, again guides in Reykjavik will help.

Iceland, like Norway, is wonderful and very very windy.

Good luck.

In reply to ford23:
I've been having similar thoughts and found this

http://korpijaakko.com/category/vatnajokull-2012/

interesting reading

There's an account of a vatnajokull trip in a Nordic ski tour memoir called "Taxi for the snow line", although the prose style wasn't worth shelling out for a new copy. eBay maybe?

I can't tell you anything more other than informal chat with a guiding company in Reykjavik indicated a Nordic tour was a distinct possibility but that Iceland lacks the hut system which makes Norway an attractive option.

Lonely Planet Iceland said pretty much point your skis in any direction and go for it but don't expect to hire gear in-country. I expect the numerous Reykjavik guiding outfits could give you more nuanced advice.

There was a salutary tale in the papers at the start of the year of some rather over optimistic students getting rescued three times on a south to north Icelandic epic.

Unlike Norway I think public transport to the start point would be tough to find in winter. Private hire would do it, again guides in Reykjavik will help.

Iceland, like Norway, is wonderful and very very windy.

Good luck.

In reply to ford23:
I've been having similar thoughts and found this

http://korpijaakko.com/category/vatnajokull-2012/

interesting reading

There's an account of a vatnajokull trip in a Nordic ski tour memoir called "Taxi for the snow line", although the prose style wasn't worth shelling out for a new copy. eBay maybe?

I can't tell you anything more other than informal chat with a guiding company in Reykjavik indicated a Nordic tour was a distinct possibility but that Iceland lacks the hut system which makes Norway an attractive option.

Lonely Planet Iceland said pretty much point your skis in any direction and go for it but don't expect to hire gear in-country. I expect the numerous Reykjavik guiding outfits could give you more nuanced advice.

There was a salutary tale in the papers at the start of the year of some rather over optimistic students getting rescued three times on a south to north Icelandic epic.

Unlike Norway I think public transport to the start point would be tough to find in winter. Private hire would do it, again guides in Reykjavik will help.

Iceland, like Norway, is wonderful and very very windy.

Good luck.

In reply to ford23:

The Tröllaskagi mountains around Akureyri and Dalvik are Iceland's ski-touring mecca - really world class stuff, but plenty for all abilities. You can get there from Reykjavik by bus or internal flight. There is a local bus service from Akureyri to Dalvik and beyond, but it would be possible just to head out of Akureyri town up into the Glerárdal valley and set up a base camp there. As mentioned above, you could get some pretty rough weather at Easter, though.