International (Europe/Japan/Southern Hemisphere) Your Moment of Zen: Iceland

[martyg]

 

[dbostedo]

Hmm... I think I need, like, a compendium of Zen...

 

[James]

Low snow year?

 

[martyg]

Low snow year?

Not much snow in March. It is sublime 1,000’ up though.

 

[James]

Don’t get trapped.

 

[scott43]

Low snow year?

Iceland's climate is funny. It's remarkably warm given it's latitude, thanks to the Gulf Stream. The temperature is remarkably moderated..as you would expect surrounded by water. I also didn't get the impression it snowed THAT much there. Having said that, snow more in the north than the south and mountains is mountains..

 

[Muleski]

It's a perfect environment for heli skiing. I was meant to go four years ago and had to cancel. We also booked a big family trip for two plus weeks the was originally going to be 2020. Covid ensues. Other issues this year. Now booked for late April 2023. Twelve of us. Will read all of this with great interest, though we have a number of friends who are regulars there, some working aka guiding or filming, more as guests. The vertical feet that some have piled up is, to me, amazing. Long, long days, great weather, great snow. My brother, son, SIL and I will sneak I some fishing.

I've done a fair amount of heli skiing in Canada and Alaska.....in my brother's words when describing his first Iceland trip...."This is just amazing....."

Have a GREAT trip!!!

 

[scott43]

Good notes Muleski.. I loved it there. Would love to get back and ski. Honestly I could spend months there.

 

[SBrown]

I stayed in that very cabin on the left a few years back. Amazing experience. Will go back. ALmost did this year.

I will say that I heard it was a bit brutal until the snow last week ... as in, feet of clear ice after rain and 180-mph winds. But now it's ok. You pay your money, and take your chances, right? Still, 100% great time.

 

[martyg]

Can’t post videos, or I would. I am alternating blocks of heli skiing with fly fishing for the month.

 

[Lauren]

I will say that I heard it was a bit brutal until the snow last week ... as in, feet of clear ice after rain and 180-mph winds. But now it's ok. You pay your money, and take your chances, right? Still, 100% great time.

You heard right, I was there 3 weeks ago. It’s the risk you take when booking something so far in advance. Got lucky enough to have one amazing day, but unlucky enough to have high winds the rest of the trip.

So happy the weather and conditions are turning for you @martyg!

 

[James]

180mph winds??
That’s 290km/hr. Are we sure on the units?

 

[scott43]

Probably a little liberty taken there in the wind speed. However, we were warned that damage to our car from sand blasting and broken door hinges as a result of high winds would not be covered..

 

[Lauren]

180mph winds??
That’s 290km/hr. Are we sure on the units?

Not sure about 180…but when I was there, we were regularly anywhere between 15-25m/s in town…the peaks were howling.

 

[tch]

Was driving a brand new Toyota RAV4 with studded snow tires around coast of southern Iceland about the time @Lauren was there. Wind gusts were strong enough to shift the whole car to the side when they came. I don’t know numbers, but anecdotally I’d testify they were some of the strongest winds I’ve experienced shy of a few mountain summits.

 

[martyg]

A rare, perfect blue bird day today.

We flew to another peninsula. On the way back, the chopper landed next to a micro-brew, we sampled, we left.

One of the coolest stops ever, outside of my time in the Military.

 

[SBrown]

It was the highest measured gust at 182, I’m sure on a summit, but I can ask again.

 

[scott43]

It was the highest measured gust at 182, I’m sure on a summit, but I can ask again.

I mean, it's stuck in the middle of the sea between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans with nothing to slow the wind down. I can imagine some pretty windy days there.

 

[James]

As long as those volcanos spelled with 25 letters don’t start acting up again.

 

[scott43]

As long as those volcanos spelled with 25 letters don’t start acting up again.

With characters we don't even have.