The Traveling Widower

Category: hiking

Posts for trips focused on hiking

  • Inside the Volcano – Crossing the River Styx

    View looking up at a colorful rocky cavern with textures and lighting from above.
    A long way up from the underworld

    June 22nd, 2026

    Way back when I was figuring out what to do with my two free days in Iceland, I had seen a few advertisements about the tour of an empty volcanic magma chamber – Inside the Volcano. My inner geologist said “Go for it”. And since I have been doing tourist cave tours for the past year or so, this seemed like a good adventure. I’m getting used to being underground. There was even some easy hiking involved with the tour. Perfect. Well, other than being crippled afterwards from the easy hike, this turned out to be one of those incredible experiences that you remember for a long time. Yes, I did have a good time today.

    The tour begins at a ski area, located about a 30 minute drive from Reykjavik, in a high volcanic ridge named the Blue Mountains. These are nothing like the Sierra or Rocky Mountains – just a high, steep plateau. And they are not blue. The volcanic rocks are covered in green moss – very pretty. Maybe Iceland should be named Greenland, and vice-versa. Just saying.

    Once the 10:30AM group was checked in, we met with the guides, who described the tour – a two mile hike across the lava fields to a base camp, where we would be outfitted for the descent to the magma chamber. He described the hike as moderate, and we would do it at a casual pace. I’d hate to be on a hike at his fast pace. I used to have a 5 speed transmission for hiking. I’m down to just 1st and 2nd gear. I’m slow but steady. I think the best term for my speed is “plodding”. He did stop once on the hike to talk a bit of geology on how this particular feature was created, since it is the only known empty magma chamber in the world. I won’t bore you with the details, but it is interesting to some people. 

    A winding gravel path through a rocky landscape with volcanic hills in the background under a cloudy sky.
    A winding gravel path through a barren, rocky landscape under a cloudy sky.

    The trail heads out from the ski lodge across the extensive lava fields – the trail is mostly gravel and with a few hard lava sections,  with a lot of ups and downs, plus a few small bridges crossing collapsed lava tubes. The photos above are from the start of the trail – the little lumps in the distance are the destination.

    A view of rugged volcanic terrain with a prominent lava tube entrance in the foreground, surrounded by rocky ground and distant volcanic hills under a cloudy sky.
    You do not want to fall in one of those (lava tubes)

    You definitely do not want to wander off trail. The view of the surrounding volcano cones is impressive – not quite as bleak as the younger lava fields in Hawaii. The trail runs for about 2 miles to the “base camp”, a rustic building at the base of the volcanic cone and entry point, where you can rest for a bit, and then get fitted with a helmet and harness. There was also an outhouse – no peeing allowed in the chamber. We also got to see their pet arctic fox. Really cute, but still a wild animal.

    I was a bit tired by the time we reached the base camp, but doing OK. There was still a very steep trail to climb to get to the chamber entrance at the top of the cinder cone. I was nervous about that last climb, but it turned out to be relatively easy, with a heavy rope posted along the edge – it helps to have something to haul yourself along with, sort of like the Half-Dome cable route. 

    A person standing in front of a volcanic landscape, wearing a dark jacket, an orange helmet, and a safety harness. They hold a trekking pole and pose confidently with one hand on their hip. In the background, a rocky hill and an Icelandic flag are visible.
    A hiking trail with a metal railing leads down a rocky and rugged landscape, where several people are walking in the distance under a cloudy sky.

    Here is where the River Styx reference comes from. You get in (and out) of the chamber on a highly modified window washer lift, which drops over 400 feet to the chamber floor. Not a good ride for anyone afraid of heights. The bottom where the lift ends is called the iPhone Landing – some folks just have to lean over to take a picture I guess. It’s a pretty amazing engineering feat to have built this contraption on top of a volcano. They disassemble it every winter, and ship the components to a firm in Germany for repairs. A good thing for sure. At any rate, the lift is located over a relatively small hole, and you have to cross a short catwalk over this gap to board the lift. You are clipped to a safety cable to get across, and the operator then clips your harness on to the lift.  Thankfully, they are very safety focused. 

    A metal walking bridge extending over a rocky canyon or cave entrance, surrounded by rugged terrain and earthy tones.

    As I crossed the catwalk, for some strange reason, I was reminded of Greek mythology, and how souls crossed to the underworld, paying a skeletal ferryman, Charon, to cross the River Styx. The guy running the lift was our ferryman, lowering us down to the underworld. He was much nicer though, did not require payment with special coins, and told a lot of jokes on the way down.

    A man in a green t-shirt holding coins stands by a boat, facing a skeletal figure in a hooded cloak reaching out with a bony hand. The background features foggy water and ghostly figures, creating a dark, mysterious atmosphere.

    The lift drops down over 400 feet, most of it sort of free fall since it is not attached to the sides – this is not something you want to do if you are afraid of heights. The ride is a bit bumpy at first, as the opening is very narrow, then suddenly expands outward – the chamber is shaped  like a wine bottle.

    A view inside a dimly lit mine shaft, showcasing rough rock walls with some illumination from overhead lights and a metal track system.
    Interior view of a deep rock formation with a bright light shining from above, highlighting various textures and colors of the rocks.
    View looking down into a deep cave or pit, showing rocky walls and a metal ladder leading down.

    It’s hard describing the ride down to the bottom, and what it’s like once you get there and wander around for a while. The images I’ve posted do not come close to doing justice to the experience. The chamber is just so enormous, with bands and patches of colored volcanic rock along the walls. There are a few points as you descend where you can see what was the surface of the volcano, which was then covered by further eruptions. Very interesting if you are into geology. There are flood lights throughout the chamber, so you are not descending into a black hole – there is a lot to look at on the way down.

    Landing pad for the lift (and dropped phones)

    Once you hit bottom (maybe not the right term, more like gently stop), you are unclipped, and told to be careful as you follow the marked trails. And told not to wander off the trail.  The bottom is very rocky, and the trails are difficult to traverse if you have balance issues. The helmets they give you have headlamps, which do help on the trails. I made it down to one of the viewing stations, then found a good rock to lean on, with a good view of the chamber, for the remainder of our time on the bottom. After a while, I stopped taking pictures, and just gazed around until it was time to pay Charon once more to get back to the surface. Here’s a bunch of photo’s:

    A colorful cave interior with a textured ceiling and rocky ground. Small figures can be seen exploring the area, with safety barriers marked by red posts.
    A dramatic view of a cave interior with colorful rock formations illuminated by artificial lights, showcasing a variety of textures and colors in the stone.
    A climber stands in a colorful cave, illuminated by artificial light, showcasing textured rock formations in shades of orange, brown, and black.
    An aerial view of a rocky cave with illuminated areas and textured orange and yellow walls, revealing mineral deposits and a narrow passageway.
    A group of six individuals wearing helmets and headlamps inside a dark cave, exploring the colorful rock formations illuminated by artificial lights.
    Inside a colorful cave, featuring illuminated rock formations and a silhouetted person observing the scene.

    You can get a sense for how enormous the chamber is, when you see the little figures with orange/white helmets further away (expand the photo’s). I did not have the urge to explore too much – too risky walking around, and I was just absolutely enjoying just looking around from my comfortable rock.

    I had wondered why the Web site makes reference to “lamb soup” provided after the magma chamber exploration – what’s the big deal? After 2+ miles of hiking, and an hour wandering around underground, just about anything resembling food you put in front of me would taste good. The soup was excellent though. And it was fun sitting with the group and some of the staff. But unfortunately, the rest period ended, and we all had to hit the trail back to the ski lodge, and the bus waiting to take me back to Reykjavik. Somehow, the two mile hike seemed a lot longer, and the group was split into the 4th, 2nd and 1st gear walkers. I was the only 2nd gear, so I got to hike the entire way by myself. Sniff. By the time I made it back to the lodge, the first group was already gone – I was surprised that no one on the staff was counting heads to make sure everyone returned – what if someone fell into a lava tube? Too bad for them I guess.

    A narrow metal staircase leading down from rocky terrain, with hikers walking along a winding path in a barren landscape featuring mountains and patches of snow.
    A panoramic view of a volcanic landscape featuring mountains and a cloudy sky, with two individuals walking on a rocky path in the foreground.
    A group of hikers walking along a rocky path in a vast, open landscape with mountains and clouds in the background.

    I was pretty exhausted after the hike back, and my goal was to drop my stuff at the hotel, and then consume large quantities of gelato at the shop I discovered the night before. I figured I deserved it…but then that’s my excuse every time I have gelato. 

    A modern black wooden building featuring large windows and a colorful sign reading 'GGEALEATTAO'. The storefront showcases gelato offerings and has an ice cream cone decoration on the wall. Nearby, there is street art on adjacent buildings.

    I was quite successful on the gelato phase of my adventure. Two scoops eased much of the pain.

    The rest of the National Geographic tour group shows up on Tuesday, so I’m not planning on doing much until our group meeting. A day off sounds good – it seems like I’ve been here for a week. I’m glad that we have the Blue Lagoon scheduled – I really need a good soak in a giant hot tub. Not too sure about the mud facial though – I’ll pass on that.

    Peace

  • The First Day In Iceland – The Good, The Bad, And The Weird

    Panoramic view of a calm ocean with distant mountains under a clear blue sky.
    Looking back at Reykjavik

    June 21st, 2026

    My apologies to Clint Eastwood.

    Life was looking pretty good where I left off on the last post. I made it to Portland after yet another ticketing mess at SMF, the plane to Reykjavik was nice and left on time, the flight was long but comfortable, with a really good dinner. And once we landed, I breezed through immigration, unlike the Panama trip. The agent was very pleasant, and I did not have to lie about being an employee of National Geographic. That was a big relief. I then headed over to pickup my luggage – this was a strange flight. Most everyone on the plane was going somewhere else in Europe, so there was not much of a crowd at the luggage carousel. Here is the very WEIRD part – as with most airports, there are large screens on the carousels which display tourist advertising – I glanced up as I was waiting and first saw one for some lava related movie, followed by an add for “Inside the Volcano” which I’m visiting and then there was … what? I stopped in my tracks, and stared up through the next cycle, and there it was again:

    A vibrant sign displaying 'The Penis Museum' with the website phallus.is, set against a pink background.

    Yes, this is real, there is an Iceland Phallological Museum. I’ll pass on that one.

    And now for the really BAD – a small bunch of luggage pieces slid on to the carousel, as I waited patiently for my brand new roller duffel bag, adorned with National Geographic tags. I was ahead of schedule, and looked forward to heading out to meet the ride that I had pre-ordered. And then the carousel shut down, and a message appeared on the screen, which stated that all luggage had been dispersed. Huh! Where’s my bag? I headed over to the luggage control windows, and calmly asked (not really) where my luggage was. A very nice lady checked on the computer and told me that the bag appeared to be in Portland! She must have been used to people breaking into tears, and/or started cursing. I was too tired for either of those, other than softly muttering a few expletives. She was well prepared to handle the situation. She had me fill in a form, and then gave me very detailed instruction on where to go to get any type of clothing or gear that I need, all paid for by the airlines. That would be a lot of stuff, given that I did not have any of my rain gear, hats, gloves, hiking poles, hiking shoes….not to mention underwear and bathroom stuff. All I had was my camera gear and medications. So much for my stress free trip. OK – I grabbed the printed instruction, and went out to the lobby where the driver was patiently waiting. At least that worked. 

    And now for the mostly GOOD. The drive to Reykjavik was really cool – lots of lava and volcanic cones. Sort of like the big island in Hawaii. It was beautiful, if you like volcanics. Which I do. The city center looked interesting – wide streets, clean with lots of shops.

    She showed me how to get to the gear shop, which was just a few blocks from my hotel, and opened at 8AM. Plenty of time to get what I need before my pickup time for the whale/puffin trip. The rental place was great – I got everything I needed, including socks and underwear….but not toiletries. I needed to hit a grocery store for that. 

    The bus pickup spot for all of the tourist tours was a short walk from the hotel, and it was pure chaos – mobs of tourists milling around, a line of vans and buses with drivers calling out names. But it worked – I found my bus, and was deposited by the harbor docks where the various cruise boats head out. It was an absolutely beautiful morning – perfectly clear, sunny, blue skies, flat ocean. I was hoping to do the puffins first since I was just doing the whale tour to kill time. Unfortunately, the whales came first. My expectation were pretty low, and those were met. It was great seeing the coast, and looking back at Reykjavik from out in the bay, but the whales were not very exciting. It was like a bad day in Monterrey Bay. A few spouts, lots of whale backs, but nothing else. Once we returned to the docks to switch to the smaller puffin boat, the skies clouded up, temperatures dropped, and the waves were a bit higher. The puffin boat was packed, elbow to elbow – it was a short cruise out to the puffin colony, and there were lots of puffins on the island or in large clusters on the water. The problem was the boat driver never really slowed down much, or stopped for photographers to get some decent shots. That and it was hard to find an opening through the crowds, and almost impossible to focus with a bouncing boat. I did get a couple of good ones, and it was nice to see so many of the cute, colorful birds. I’ll have another opportunity later this week, and next year as well.

    A puffin swimming on the surface of the water, with a distinctive black and white body and bright orange beak.
    Four puffins swimming in the water
    A puffin spreading its wings on a grassy area, with a fuzzy chick resting nearby.
    Two Atlantic puffins standing on lush green foliage with a cloudy sky in the background.

    As we headed back to the docks, I did get some really good news – my wayward luggage was on its way to Reykjavik, and I should have it by the evening. There are other flights to Iceland, so they just loaded it up on the next flight out. I can wear my own gear tomorrow!

    A maroon wheeled suitcase with tags standing on wooden flooring next to a gray armchair.
    Welcome back!

    I did wander around the city a bit, walking back to the hotel (and walked past THAT museum), and then later in the evening (longest daylight of the year). I was really beat due to lack of sleep, too much sitting on a plane, and too much standing on boats. But, not a bad first day now that I was reunited with my luggage.Tomorrow..Inside the Volcano!

    Peace

    One last comment on the good side – our hotel, The Hilton Canopy City Center, was absolutely wonderful. Large, comfortable and modern rooms, a great restaurant and bar, great lounges all over the place with comfortable seating. Right off the main shopping street, and a few blocks from the bus stop for all the tours.