Route Climbed: West Breach Date Climbed: July 25, 2004
2:30 pm Arrive at Herðubreiðarlindir. Attractive female warden advises since we have break in weather to climb now as it will be light all night. She says it will take 2 hours to get to the climb via trail and then 5 hours to climb it.
3:30 pm I set out through lava field.
5:30 Still hiking around base of mountain, still far from the climb. Cursing warden, even if she is hot.
6:30 pm Finally at west side and at base of climb. I must be some sort of wuss.
7:00 pm Climb is going much quicker than she said it would be. Doubt she's ever actually done the approach and climb. What's that weird fog to the south?
8:00 pm In the section of rock over hard crust. Kinda tricky and slippery here. This could suck if I fell. Making good time though.
8:45 At summit, cold and windy. Can tell it is not fog below now, but a sandstorm. Clouds rolling in too. Hmm, it might actually get somewhat dusky dark tonight for once.
10:30 pm Back down at base of mountain. Now I still have that suckass hike back to camp. Why did I not opt for driving the truck in and think it would be more of a climb if I did the long hike in. Hey, it's going to get kinda dark after all.
12:30 am Back at the northeast side of this mountain. It is light enough to see in front of me but getting hard to see the posts now.
1:00 am Hmmm, I lost the last post and can't see shit in this dusky light and flat lava field that I can't get a view up out of. Now I'm lost. Decide to bed down until it gets lighter. Can't believe it. It's been light 24 hours a day here until now. Must be a combination of the sand blowing around, the clouds and somehow it's the damn warden chicks fault too! Put on all my layers and curl up on a rock. Comfy. I must look like a dog curled up trying to keep warm.
2:30 am Hey I actually was able to fall asleep for a while. Kinda cold now. Too cold to sleep. Will sit here and wait for what passes for dawn here.
3:30 am Pinkish skies and it's lighter now. Can see back to the last post now. I pick up the next one and get back going again.
5:00 am Back at camp. I wake up the wardens to let them know I got back. They put a sign on their door saying "Dear American, Please let us know when you get back." Gee, they cared!
5:01 am Collapse in my tent. Oh good, other campers are starting to get up now.
Brian Jenkins - Aug 23, 2004 1:22 am
Route Climbed: West Breach Date Climbed: July 25, 20042:30 pm Arrive at Herðubreiðarlindir. Attractive female warden advises since we have break in weather to climb now as it will be light all night. She says it will take 2 hours to get to the climb via trail and then 5 hours to climb it.
3:30 pm I set out through lava field.
5:30 Still hiking around base of mountain, still far from the climb. Cursing warden, even if she is hot.
6:30 pm Finally at west side and at base of climb. I must be some sort of wuss.
7:00 pm Climb is going much quicker than she said it would be. Doubt she's ever actually done the approach and climb. What's that weird fog to the south?
8:00 pm In the section of rock over hard crust. Kinda tricky and slippery here. This could suck if I fell. Making good time though.
8:45 At summit, cold and windy. Can tell it is not fog below now, but a sandstorm. Clouds rolling in too. Hmm, it might actually get somewhat dusky dark tonight for once.
10:30 pm Back down at base of mountain. Now I still have that suckass hike back to camp. Why did I not opt for driving the truck in and think it would be more of a climb if I did the long hike in. Hey, it's going to get kinda dark after all.
12:30 am Back at the northeast side of this mountain. It is light enough to see in front of me but getting hard to see the posts now.
1:00 am Hmmm, I lost the last post and can't see shit in this dusky light and flat lava field that I can't get a view up out of. Now I'm lost. Decide to bed down until it gets lighter. Can't believe it. It's been light 24 hours a day here until now. Must be a combination of the sand blowing around, the clouds and somehow it's the damn warden chicks fault too! Put on all my layers and curl up on a rock. Comfy. I must look like a dog curled up trying to keep warm.
2:30 am Hey I actually was able to fall asleep for a while. Kinda cold now. Too cold to sleep. Will sit here and wait for what passes for dawn here.
3:30 am Pinkish skies and it's lighter now. Can see back to the last post now. I pick up the next one and get back going again.
5:00 am Back at camp. I wake up the wardens to let them know I got back. They put a sign on their door saying "Dear American, Please let us know when you get back." Gee, they cared!
5:01 am Collapse in my tent. Oh good, other campers are starting to get up now.