Baula
934 m
Iceland
Also known as БаулаAlso known as
Баула
- Elevation
- 934 m
- Prominence
- 522 m
- Difficulty
- 4/10
- Alpine hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Aug
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Sources differ: I (short sections) (hikr.org trip report, August 2022 (search excerpt))
The standard ascent of Borgarfjörður's orange rhyolite cone: from road 60 at the Bjarnadalsá river, up a side valley past a waterfall at the mouth of Mælifellsgil and over terraces to the foot of the cone, then a long, steep climb on loose rhyolite scree and boulders to a summit with a guestbook. About 8–12 km return and 800–950 m of ascent; 4–7 hours.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 4.1 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +799 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 934 m
- Time Up
- 3h 11m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 2h 07m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Park on road 60 (over Brattabrekka) before it crosses the Bjarnadalsá river in Bjarnadalur (N 64°49.930' W 21°29.199'). Follow the river up a side valley with a waterfall, then climb the steep slope at the mouth of the Mælifellsgil gorge and continue more gently over grassy and stony terraces to the start of the big scree fields at the foot of the cone (about 300 m of ascent, 1–1¼ hours). The cone itself is the serious part: some 500 m of steep, loose rhyolite scree and boulders, with short sections where hands are needed. The rock is very slippery when wet. The summit has a guestbook in a steel box and wide views over Borgarfjörður and the mountains of West Iceland, from Snæfellsjökull to Eiríksjökull and Langjökull. Descend the same way, or make a loop down the south side as suggested by FÍ. The loose ground means the descent takes almost as long as the ascent. Go only in dry, clear weather, and avoid climbing directly below other parties because of stonefall.
Start
Bjarnadalsá parking133 m
- None to the trailhead; long-distance buses on Route 1 pass Bifröst and the road 60 junction, about 10 km away (not verified).
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bjarnadalsá parking → Baula | 4.1 | 799 | 0 | 3h 11m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Bjarnadalsá parking133 m
Park before crossing the river (FÍ)
- Summit: Baula934 m
Key Passages
- Steep slope at the mouth of Mælifellsgil
- Steep loose scree of the upper cone
Equipment
0/5 packedDownloads
Route confidence 67%Overview
A near-perfect cone of orange rhyolite (934 m) at the head of Norðurárdalur in Borgarfjörður, one of the most recognisable mountains in west Iceland. The ascent from road 60 is short but steep, on loose scree and boulders, with a guestbook and wide views on top.
Baula rises above Norðurárdalur and Bjarnadalur in Borgarbyggð, west Iceland, a few kilometres north of Route 1 near Bifröst and the Grábrók craters. It is a laccolith: a body of rhyolite magma that intruded beneath the surface about 3–3.4 million years ago and was later exposed by erosion, which gives it its pale orange-red colour and steep, regular pyramid shape. Its smaller companion Litla-Baula has unusual rhyolite columns; together they are often called Iceland's most beautiful pair of mountains.
The usual ascent is from Bjarnadalur on road 60, up a side valley past Mælifellsgil and then straight up the cone. It is short in distance, about 8–12 km return, but the upper 500 m are steep, loose scree and boulders, slow both up and down. The summit has a guestbook and views over the whole of Borgarfjörður and the mountains of West Iceland.
Go in dry, clear weather: wet rhyolite is very slippery, and winter ascents need full winter mountaineering kit.
Climbing Notes
For fit, sure-footed hillwalkers: allow 4–7 hours for 800–950 m of ascent, most of it on the steep, loose cone. Boots with good grip and walking poles help, and a helmet is sensible if other parties are above you. Pick a dry day with good visibility; the rock becomes slippery in rain and the steep scree is unpleasant in wind. In winter the cone is a serious undertaking requiring ice axe, crampons and avalanche awareness.
History
The first recorded ascent was made in 1851 by Halldór Bjarnason, district officer at Litla-Gröf. Folklore tells of a pond on the summit that produces wishing stones on Midsummer Night, though no walker has found it.
Season
Best Jul–Aug- January: Not advisable
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Possible
- June: Good
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Good
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; only with full winter mountaineering equipment and skills
- Feb
- Experienced winter parties only
- Mar
- Winter conditions on the cone
- May
- Snow on the upper cone
- Jun
- Long days; snow patches high up
- Jul
- Best conditions
- Sep
- Shorter days
- Oct
- First snow possible
Access & Permits
- Rules
- The approach crosses farmland in Bjarnadalur; respect fences and livestock and park without blocking the road
- Getting There
Bifröst; Borgarnes for services
Keflavík International Airport (KEF); Reykjavík Airport (RKV)
- Car: Route 1 north from Borgarnes past Bifröst, then road 60 (towards Búðardalur over Brattabrekka) into Bjarnadalur; park before the bridge over the Bjarnadalsá
- No public transport to the trailhead; Route 1 buses pass the road 60 junction (not verified)
Hazards
- Rockfall
- Weather
- Exposure