13 July Askja / Viti

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Skirting Odadahraun, a vast lava field so large that it is sometimes referred to as a lava desert, we followed the flow of Jokulsa a Fjollum crossing several of its tributaries. Our destination was the Askja caldera. After a couple of hours the landscape turned to pumice fields before we stopped at the trail head leading into the caldera. Shortly before our arrival we passed through the area where the NASA Apollo astronauts trained for the first moon landings. Our hike took us to the crater lakes of Oskjuvatn and Viti, another name for hell. After a walk along Viti's rim some headed off on side hikes while others, myself included, headed down to the shore of Viti's lake. Part of the climb down made me think of a mini lahar. We took a swim in the warm waters of the crater and used the lava mud from the bottom for a good skin scrub. After climbing back up to the rim we joined the others for the hike back. For the return drive Olie took another road that he heard was not as rugged as the way in, so we missed out on a second Mercedes massage.

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