Laugavegur Trail - Hvanngil to Thorsmörk - June 2024
Summary
On Day 2 on the Laugavegur Trail, we hiked from Hvanngil to Thorsmörk, completing the trail in just over 30 hours.
Following AllTrails, we hiked from Mile Marker 15 to the final marker. This ended up being 19 miles on our watches, which leads us to believe the AllTrails version of this trail is short by around 3-4 miles.
Where
This is a continuation of the Laugavegur Trail in Iceland, which connects Landmannalaugar in the north to Thorsmörk in the south.
Logistics
This day was purely hiking from point-to-point so no real logistics were concerning aside from the rules related to camping which state that you must camp at or near a hut along the trail. This meant we needed to decide if we would hike roughly 9 miles to Emstrur or Thorsmörk. We had lost a day in our vacation due to flight delays, so our choice was made for us to proceed to the finish line on Day 2.
Hiking
We woke up on Day 2 well rested in Hvanngil thanks to our own private, warm room. Discussing our plans with the group, we decided to shoot for the finish line on Day 2, so we knew we would have another long, arduous day ahead of us. Our bodies were sore from backpacking and using different muscles than we normally train, but we knew we would loosen up as the day progressed.
Thankfully, Day 2 started off very flat and smooth. We had a few river crossings to contend with, however the first 8 miles or so to Emstror were easy miles where we could enjoy a relaxing pace while observing the unique scenery. One of the other benefits of this stretch was that we really only ran into 2 other people all morning!
At Emstror we were quickly reminded of the popularity of this hike. We had a quick late breakfast in one of the communal tents before proceeding on with the more challenging leg of Day 2. We quickly were faced with river crossings, descents into a canyon, accompanied by ascents back up out of the canyon. We also saw many other hikers along this stretch, and the weather became windier at this point as well.
Highlights through this last section of the trail were seeing vast views of the surrounding landscape, glaciers, and mountains. Things really opened up at this point and given the much easier terrain, we were able to stop and enjoy the trail. The most challenging river crossing was left for last, as the final obstacle between us and the finish line for this incredible 2 day adventure! After having waded through the river, the final few miles came easy. What impressed us the most in this section was seeing vegetation and forestry for the first time in 2 days!
Finally, we arrived at the Thorsmörk Volcano Huts with hopes of options for shelter and food. We decided we would treat ourselves and take a cottage if they were available given the effort we had put in in just over 30 hours. Fortunately, a cottage was available and we arrived in time to clean up and get settled before dinner that evening. We celebrated having completed one of the most famous and beautiful hikes in the world by having a Viking Gylltur beer together. We capped the night off by enjoying beef schnitzel, fresh cod, and playing cards in the community area. What a day!
I would highly recommend this hike to anyone looking for challenging weather conditions and unique terrain. You cannot take for granted gear and weather when hiking this trail, as even in late June, there were times where the wrong gear choice or preparation could have resulted in catastrophic consequences. Aside from this concern, the terrain was gorgeous, the hiking conditions were incredible, and the huts made for a very unique experience. The Laugavegur Trail is one-of-a-kind and would most certainly delight any avid backpacker.
Photos
All photos were taken with my current phone at the time, which was the iPhone 12 Pro.
