Vestri Hnappur is one of the peaks of Öræfajökull. It is located on the south rim of Öræfajökull. The peak is 1851m and you can enter the climb at 1700m.
In order to access this peak, we traveled along the antenna access road behind Foss Hotel Glacier Lagoon and up to about 800 meters. We came to Stigárjökull at about 1000 meters and roped up from there to the base of the Vestri Hnappur. In late June, this area is fairly crevassed and you will have to end run many crevasses as compared to earlier in the season.
This climb is to the east of the previously climbed route, Einhyringar. This path follows the avalanche gully, which is fairly steep but somewhat mellows out after the initial 6-7 meter steeper section. From there, it’s about a 50degree snow climb until the section just below the summit, which is the last tricky area until the walk to the top.
Overall, it’s not very changing climb but the lack of reliable protection makes it one to think about. Ice screws are fairly useless being that I was only able to place 3, one of which I trusted, but if you bring an extra picket for intermediate protection, it would serve you well.
Lastly, why ‘Gnar for Breakfast’? Because although it would not stand alone on the scale of a Gnarly climb, it was good enough as a warm up for something proper… hence, Gnar for breakfast.
* As pictured, route # 1 is ” Einhyringar ” and route # 2 is “Gnar for Breakfast”
Michael Reid, Eugene Gilbun, and Deividas Matkevicius – 24 June 2019
Pictured is the 2nd coming up onto the 50 degree snow slope.
Aðkoma: Frá Sandfelli er hefðbundið eilífðarþramm, líklega best að fara upp á öskjuna, hliðra inn að Hnapp og ganga niður fyrir hann vestan megin. Ef aðstæður og bílakostur leyfir er beinni og styttri leið frá Sléttubjörgum (keyrt upp veginn að mastrinu ofan við Fosshótelið á Hnappavöllum). Eftir því hvað hægt er að keyra langt er aðkoman um 2-4klst og um 700-1200m hækkun. Besta að fara í austur eftir að komið er á jökul (Stigárjökul) og upp á hrygginn sem liggur niður frá Hnapp.
Leiðin liggur upp greinilega kverk rétt vestan við stólpan syðst á Hnapp. Fyrsta spönn var up 50m, nokkuð brött í byrjun (AI3) en brattinn gefur svo eftir og komið í ágætan og nokkuð skýldan stans. Þaðan var farið áfram augljósa rennu í nokkra metra og svo upp til hægri. Þar sést í þröngan skorstein (EK, um AI3+) sem var klifrað upp. Ágætur stans í brekku ofan við skorsteininn, samtals um 40m. Þá er mesta klifrið búið, hrímaðri brekku fylgt áfram upp og svo stutt haft til að komast upp á topp, um 30m.
Af toppi leiðarinnar er stutt ganga á blátoppinn. Þaðan er besta að halda í vestur (í átt að Rótarfjallshnjúk) og niður þá brekku. Ath að það er jaðarsprunga í þeirri brekku og eftir aðstæðum getur verið nauðsynlegt að tryggja yfir hana.
Tryggingar: Ísskrúfur (sem þarf að grafa eftir, gott að hafa skaröxi), Spectrur og mögulega snjóhæll á toppnum og til að komast niður. Bergið er ekkert sérstakt þarna en ef leiðin er klifruð snemma eða seint gætu fleigar og/eða hnetur komið að notum.
Leiðin er nefnd til heiðurs Red.
FF.: Árni Stefán Haldorsen og Kathryn Gilsson, 2. Mars 2023
Vestri Hnappur is one of the peaks of Öræfajökull. It is located on the south rim of Öræfajökull. The peak is 1851m and you can enter the climb around 1700m.
In order to access this peak, we traveled along the antenna access road behind Foss Hotel Glacier Lagoon and up to about 800 meters. We came to Stigárjökull at about 1000 meters and roped up from there to the base of the Vestri Hnappur. This ascent was done in April so there were almost no exposed crevasses on the way up to Vestri Hnappur.
This climb is between both Einhyringar and Gnar for Breakfast. This path follows the avalanche gully, which is slightly steep but somewhat mellows out after the initial 3 meter steeper section. From there, it’s about a 50degree snow climb until the section just below the summit, which is the last tricky area until the walk to the top.
Overall, it’s not very changing climb but the lack of reliable protection makes it one to think about. It would do you well to carry 3 snow pickets and use 1 as an intermediate belay and the other 2 to make a bomber anchor to belay up the second.
Lastly, why ‘Gratitude’?
Being in this country has been a pleasure beyond belief. So much opportunity exists here to learn and grow as an alpinist and a guide. This climb goes out to all the Icelandic alpinists both current and past, who have laid the foundation that allows us to play in this amazing alpine environment.
Vestri Hnappur is one of the peaks of Öræfajökull. It is located on the south rim of Öræfajökull. The peak is 1851m and you can enter the climb at 1700m.
In order to access this peak, we traveled along the antenna access road behind Foss Hotel Glacier Lagoon and up to about 800 meters. We came to Stigárjökull at about 1000 meters and roped up from there to the base of the Vestri Hnappur. In late June, this area is fairly crevassed and you will have to end run many crevasses as compared to earlier in the season.
This climb is to the east of the previously climbed route, Einhyringar. This path follows the avalanche gully, which is fairly steep but somewhat mellows out after the initial 6-7 meter steeper section. From there, it’s about a 50degree snow climb until the section just below the summit, which is the last tricky area until the walk to the top.
Overall, it’s not very changing climb but the lack of reliable protection makes it one to think about. Ice screws are fairly useless being that I was only able to place 3, one of which I trusted, but if you bring an extra picket for intermediate protection, it would serve you well.
Lastly, why ‘Gnar for Breakfast’? Because although it would not stand alone on the scale of a Gnarly climb, it was good enough as a warm up for something proper… hence, Gnar for breakfast.
* As pictured, route # 1 is ” Einhyringar ” and route # 2 is “Gnar for Breakfast”
Michael Reid, Eugene Gilbun, and Deividas Matkevicius – 24 June 2019
Pictured is the 2nd coming up onto the 50 degree snow slope.
Vestari Hnappur er einn tinda Öræfajökuls og situr á öskjunni sunnanverðri. Hnappurinn er 1851m hár og klifrið hefst í rúmlega 1700m hæð.
Aðkoma: Hnappaleið liggur beint við. Hægt er að keyra upp í 8-900m hæð upp jeppaslóða sem byrjar rétt austan við Foss Hótel Hnappavelli. Þaðan er gengið upp vestan við Stigárjökul upp í um 1200m hæð þar sem komið er á jökul. Jökullinn neðan við Hnapp er heldur sprunginn og geta erfiðleikar í aðkomu farið eftir árstíma og snjóalögum. Ef aðstæður eru erfiðar væri Sandfellsleið einnig möguleiki og þá þyrfti að fikra sig austur eftir öskjubrúninni inn að Hnappnum.
Farið var vestan megin við áberandi hrygg sem liggur niður vegginn og liggur leiðin beint upp vegginn meðfram hryggnum. Klifrið er um 100m í snjó og ís og að því loknu er stutt ganga upp á topp Hnappsins
Í frumferð var klifrið illtryggjanlegt en ísinn í veggnum var ekki hefðbundinn vatnsís heldur hrím bólstrar á klettunum sem hentuðu illa til trygginga.
FF.: Árni Stefán Haldorsen, Freyr Ingi Björnsson og Sveinn Friðrik Sveinsson, 5. nóv 2016.
