Herðubreið
1,682 m
Iceland
Also known as ХердубрейдAlso known as
Хердубрейд
- Elevation
- 1,682 m
- Prominence
- 1,009 m
- Difficulty
- 4/10
- Alpine hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Aug
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Sources differ: Difficult (Vatnajökull National Park (trail Hb5))
The only recognised route up Iceland's 'Queen of Mountains': from the end of the 4x4 track west of the mountain, about 1,000 m of steep, loose scree and a gully through the summit cliff band to the lava cap. About 3–4 hours up and 2½ down; the park warns of a great risk of falls and rockfall and tells hikers to wear helmets.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 2.7 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,007 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 1,682 m
- Time Up
- 3h 41m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 2h 21m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Most parties drive from Herðubreiðarlindir (about 2 hours on a rough 4x4 track heading towards Dyngjufjöll, along the foot of Herðubreiðartögl and through the gap between Herðubreiðartögl and Herðubreið) to the end of the track at the western foot of the mountain. Without a suitable vehicle, a marker-posted route leads on foot from Herðubreiðarlindir north and then west to the start of the climb, about 3 hours each way, making a round trip of about 12 hours. The climb itself has no marker posts. It goes straight up the steep west flank on loose scree and gravel, then through a gully that breaches the vertical cliff band near the top and onto the summit plateau, where a crater on the southern side can hold a small lake in summer. The national park gives about 1,000 m of ascent and 3 hours from the end of the track; a local guiding company gives 3½–4 hours up and 2½ hours down. Rockfall is the main danger: rocks can fall at any time, so do not climb in tight groups or directly below other people, and wear a helmet. In early summer snow and ice often fill the gully and make the climb difficult; crampons and an ice axe are then needed. Use only this route: the park advises against all other approaches. There is no water on the mountain, and in August darkness comes earlier, so start early. Descend the same way.
Start
Herðubreið western trailhead674 m
- No public transport to the trailhead was confirmed; most parties drive a 4x4 or join a guided day tour (e.g. Fjalladýrð from Möðrudalur)
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Herðubreið western trailhead → Herðubreið | 2.7 | 1,007 | 0 | 3h 41m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Herðubreið western trailhead674 m
End of the 4x4 track west of the mountain, about 2 hours' drive from Herðubreiðarlindir
- Summit: Herðubreið1,682 m
Key Passages
- Loose west-flank scree
- Gully through the summit cliff band
Equipment
0/7 packedDownloads
Route confidence 70%Overview
Iceland's 'Queen of Mountains' (1,682 m), a textbook flat-topped tuya rising alone from the Ódáðahraun lava desert. The single recognised route climbs about 1,000 m of loose scree and a rockfall-prone gully on the west side; helmets are advised and early-summer snow can make it difficult.
Herðubreið ('broad-shouldered') stands on the eastern edge of the Ódáðahraun lava desert in the north-eastern highlands near the Askja volcano. It is a classic tuya: a basalt volcano that erupted under the Ice Age ice sheet, building steep walls of hyaloclastite and pillow lava inside a meltwater lake before breaking through the ice and capping itself with lava flows and a small summit crater. The result is a steep-sided, flat-topped mountain visible for tens of kilometres, voted Iceland's favourite mountain in 2002. It has been part of Vatnajökull National Park since 2019.
The mountain looks unclimbable from most sides, and the national park allows for only one route: up the west slope from the end of a 4x4 track, through a gully in the summit cliffs. It is a short climb by distance but steep, loose and exposed to rockfall, and snow lingers in the gully into summer.
Below the mountain's eastern side lies Herðubreiðarlindir, a spring-fed oasis with a campsite, the Touring Club of Akureyri's hut and park rangers. It is the base for the climb and for other hikes in the area.
Climbing Notes
Plan a long day: about 2 hours' drive each way between Herðubreiðarlindir and the western trailhead, 3–4 hours up and about 2½ hours down; on foot from Herðubreiðarlindir the park gives about 12 hours for the round trip. Fitness, sure-footedness on loose scree and rockfall awareness are what matter. Wear a helmet, keep spaced out, and never climb directly below another party.
Ask the rangers at Herðubreiðarlindir about conditions and tell them your plans before setting out. Early in the season (late June and early July) snow and ice often fill the gully; take crampons and an ice axe and be prepared to turn back. Carry all your water, as there is none on the mountain. A 4x4 with experience of fords is required on the F-roads; alternatively, guided day trips run in summer from Möðrudalur.
History
The first confirmed ascent was made in 1908 by the German geologist Hans Reck and the Icelander Sigurður Sumarliðason; an earlier claim by William Lee Howard to have climbed it in 1881 is not considered credible. The outlaw Fjalla-Eyvindur is thought to have spent a winter at Herðubreiðarlindir in the 18th century before living in the highlands north of Vatnajökull with his wife Halla. The mountain was voted Iceland's favourite mountain in 2002 and became part of Vatnajökull National Park in 2019.
Season
Best Jul–Aug- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Not advisable
- April: Not advisable
- May: Not advisable
- June: Possible
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Possible
- October: Not advisable
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Highland roads closed; winter expeditions only
- May
- Highland roads closed
- Jun
- F-roads usually open late June; snow and ice in the gully
- Jul
- Main season; snow may linger in the gully early in the month
- Aug
- Best conditions; darker evenings, so start early
- Sep
- F-roads close in early September; first snow
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Þorsteinsskáli at Herðubreiðarlindir is run by the Touring Club of Akureyri (Ferðafélag Akureyrar); book with the club.
- Fees
- Camping and hut fees at Herðubreiðarlindir (Touring Club of Akureyri)
- Rules
- Vatnajökull National Park: use only the described west-side route up Herðubreið; other approaches should be avoided
- Off-road driving is illegal in Iceland; F-roads are for 4x4 vehicles only and only when officially open
- Getting There
Reykjahlíð (Mývatn); Möðrudalur is the nearest settlement
Akureyri Airport (AEY) or Egilsstaðir Airport (EGS)
- 4x4 on highland road F88 from the Ring Road (Route 1) to Herðubreiðarlindir, crossing rivers including Grafarlandaá and Lindaá; check road status on umferdin.is
- From Herðubreiðarlindir about 2 hours on a rough track towards Dyngjufjöll, through the gap between Herðubreiðartögl and Herðubreið, to the western trailhead
- Guided day tours run in summer from Möðrudalur (Fjalladýrð)
Hazards
- Rockfall
- Exposure
- Weather
- Remoteness
- River crossing
Huts & Shelters
1- 483 m
ÞorsteinsskáliHutStaffed
Summer, with hut wardens and park rangers at Herðubreiðarlindir