I hiked fourteen miles in Vatnajokull National Park and the journey changed my life. We started the trek by hiking across the valley between two glorious mountains. The valley floor was covered in black rock and sand from the glacial outwash. As we neared the mountain, more vegetation appeared and soon we were hiking through one of Iceland’s only old growth birch forests. It felt so good to walk beneath trees again, for that is one thing that is quite rare in Iceland. At one point we had to cross a small stream. I took my shoes off and walked through the shockingly cold water. It was so cold it hurt, but at the same time it sent an exciting jolt of energy through my whole body and I laughed with joy. My feet had been starting to ache from the hike and the cold water brought life back into them. We moved onwards, crossing the valley again, and walking beneath the forest on the other side. The mountain rose steeply to our right. In every little gulley a waterfall flowed down from the snowy peaks. I have never seen so many waterfalls in my life. About nine miles in the hike, we reached our destination, the Morserjokull glacier. The glacier is a hidden wonder, for it is the only one in the park that requires a long trek to reach it. We sat near the glacier and gazed at it from across the glacial lagoon. We could see the thick Vatnajokull ice cap that the glacier descended from. Morserjokull has a voice and it rumbled many times while we were in its valley. It was so wonderful to hear the mighty rumble of the ice. It reminded me of a distant, but powerful, thunderstorm. This glacier ruled the valley. It shaped the mountains on either side, created the rock and sand that coated the valley floor, echoed through the valley, and sent cold wind that chilled me as I approached. Everything about that place was ruled by the ice. I realized as I was gazing at the glacier that I was looking at ancient ice. I am so grateful to have had the privilege to visit this ancient ice that is melting at an unprecedented rate.
Hiking that distance was tough, but it made me feel so alive. Walking all day in the fresh air with no encounters with other humans but the members of our group felt so good. Most of the natural features we have seen so far are crowded, but in this valley we escaped the crowd and found a peaceful place. This hike showed me that I am capable of such great things that I wasn’t aware of! It taught me that I am more powerful than I once thought and can accomplish anything if I give it my all. I really enjoyed how I felt after this hike: physically tired and spiritually enlivened. I loved carrying everything I needed on my back and this showed me that I want to pursue more distance hikes in the future. There is something very attractive to me about carrying everything I need for a long journey. It helps me learn what I really need when I have to carry the weight myself.
This hike had me fall more in love with Iceland. The land was so enchanting, I found myself just gazing awestruck at the Earth. Never before have I ever seen such a dramatic landscape filled with so much character. There are so many unexpected features in Iceland; so many hidden wonders. Taking this long hike sparked the desire to venture further to find all of these hidden treasures. Yet, as much as I wish to see them all, part of me hopes they will be forever hidden to preserve the beauty of this place.
-Casey Robison
