Info About Dýrafjörður
Dýrafjörður is a 32 Kilometer long Fjord Situated in the Westfjords region of Iceland. Being one of the most isolated places in the country this area has a long history of fishing and viking settlements. Along the southern shore is the town Þingeyri which has a population of 246 people. The Westfjords are located on the Northwest corner of the country and the whole region has 7,115 people being the least populated municipality within the country. During the winter this fjord is only accessed from the north through a tunnel that was built in 1996. Though Dýrafjörður is one of the least populated areas it is considered one of the longest inhabited areas in the region.
How we Ended up in Iceland
Iceland was only a stop over on our way to Northern Norway. Iceland Air was running a promotion for up to a week layover for free so we jumped onto the idea of visiting the Land of Fire of Ice. Once Jason Hummel and I set up our place tickets our friends Ben Starkey and Gabriel Ciafre joined us for the Iceland Trip. There was no plans other then to go skiing and see what type of ski touring terrain the country offered.
Leaving Seattle we went on a direct flight to Reykjavik arriving super early in the morning. It was still 6:00 A.M. and everything was closed as we walked around the airport attempting to figure out what to do next.
Walking across the airport we went to a rental car place and started getting our transportation arranged. We needed a SUV to fit all of our gear and were fortunate that they had one available. After getting volcano insurance in case the car was damaged in an eruption we threw our gear in the back and drove to town.
Arriving in Reykjavik the streets were still empty. We still had an hour before the grocery stores opened so we spent the time walking around and taking in the views.
The town is situated right next to the sea with mountains in the distance. Being the Capital of Iceland it has a population of 131,136 and by far the busiest place in the country.
Driving out to Dýrafjörður in the Westfjords
Looking at the maps we needed to come up with a plan of where to go skiing. Game mentioned that he had a friend in the Westfjords area on the upper left corner of the photo below. From what we could tell it was a long filled with mountains and fjords so the scenery would be dramatic. From what we were told this area was having the best snowpack in decades.
Driving North the landscape was barren but off in the distance there were mountains in all directions. Being a 7 hour drive we would occasionally stop to stretch the legs and take in the views.
Once in Westfjords the road kept running around fjord after fjord. It was a bit painful seeing the road on the other side of the shoreline but having to spend 30 minutes just getting there.
Once in Dýrafjörður we made our way to Þingeyri where we would be staying for the night. Camilla Edwards was kind enough to set us up with room to sleep and we sat around for a few hours asking millions of questions about the place and about how her ski touring season had gone so far.
During the night there was an alert for the Aurora Borealis so we went outside to see them. Jason took out his camera in hopes of capturing them but the sky was filled with clouds. The next hour we goofed around with the camera taking photos in hopes that the clouds would clear but they didn’t.
Day 2: About to get our First Turns of the Trip
The next morning we got our first view of the terrain around Dýrafjörður. It was a stunning location with mountains dropping down to the sea. Looking across the valley there was a nice looking couloir that grabbed our attention. Being our first run of the trip it’s semi mellow slopes would be the perfect way to check out how the snow conditions were.
We threw on our ski gear and put our boots in the back of our rental car before heading off.
Driving around to the north side of Dýrafjörður we parked at the base of the gully and prepared for the climb. The day was overcast and flat light but with rocks being on the side it would offer descent visibility.
Putting our skins onto our skis a random dog showed up out of nowhere. We joked that he was a part of our crew and knew the best way up.
Within an hour of putting on the skins we were on the summit looking out among Dýrafjörður below. The snow below us was slushy so we knew that it would be a fun descent.
Snowboarding down to Dýrafjörður
Strapping our snowboards to our feet we were about to take our first turns of the trip. Off in the distance we could see the house we were staying at in Þingeyri.
We rode the whole way down with the dog following us and having the time of his life. Riding back to the car we felt confident in the snow conditions and made the plan to head out for another line further north on Dýrafjörður While the line we had just skied was great it was only a sample of what was to come.
We got back into the car with our snowboard boots still and started heading West. Having checked the forecast it seemed like the weather would improve and we wanted to take a sunset lap to make the most out of our day.
Going for Another Run at Sunset
Spotting a nice looking face it was time to get out and start climbing again. The scenery was stunning being near the mouth of Dýrafjörður with the Atlantic Ocean as far as the eyes could see.
Once on top of our face we still had a bit over an hour to wait for sunset. Everyone had there cameras out and I was able to take a shot of Ben taking a shot of Jason taking a shot. The sky was still cloudy off in the distance but our hope was that the sun would go below the clouds as it set to the west.
Gray turned to pink as it was clear skies over the sea. The clouds had seemed to build up on the land but with a bit of patience we were about to have an amazing light show.
Before long the light starting coming out and it made Dýrafjörður light up with an erie glow. Instead of a standard sunset this was started lighting up the lower slopes before arriving on the summit.
Sunset Over Dýrafjörður
We patiently waited for our moment to get back onto the snowboards from our vantage point.
Once the slope was basking in the sunset alpenglow it was time to start riding. It was such a unique experience snowboarding in such a remote place with the sun setting into the ocean right in front of us. One by one we rode down as Ben and Jason snapped photos along the way.
Driving back to Þingeyri we had to drive 45 minutes around Dýrafjörður. Once in town we were invited to someones birthday party where we had an opportunity to eat traditional Icelantic food and learn more about the culture. Everyone was really kind and it was a great crash course in everything Iceland. This was the perfect way to end the day and before long we were back in our sleeping bags and wondering what would be in store for us next.
