Thrihnukagigur Volcano Iceland

#Thrihnukagigur_Volcano_Iceland 

After being dropped off from Reykjavik (30 minutes) we begin our 1.6km (1 mile) walk to the base camp

Now this adventure is not cheap ($400 US) but it includes one or two guides, instructional briefings plus the fact you are doing/going the Centre of the Earth Tour
 Which should say it all

 

Iceland averages a volcanic emission every three to four years because of the Eurasian and North American plates that are grinding here

Of the 130 volcanoes located here, the active ones which are located under icesheets are called subglacial eruptions
This creates many of the prominent topographic features here in this country

Life and Culture

A) Although harsh, the lava fields are often covered in a thick layer of green moss which contrasts with the dark rocks
B) At the Eldhraun location it was used by the Apollo 11 crew to train
 for their moonwalk
C) The Dimmuborgir lava fields has served as a filming location for several movies plus the HBO Series; Game of Thrones 
D) Inside the Viogelmir lava cave, archeologists have found
 Viking-era bones and jewelry
E) After the 2010 eruption at Eyjafjallajokull it created two new craters which were named after the sons of Thor; Magni and Mooi

Street Sign
Well i never expected to find one out here 😆

Fun Facts
Stop Signs at one time were yellow, but changed to the universal color of red in 1954
The sign shapes do have meaning; Octagon always means Stop, Diamond is used for Warnings, Rectangle for Speed Limits and Directions, plus a Circle typically warns of a Railroad Crossings

Unusual Signs
In our world we do have some unique ones, such as kangaroo, camel or dogsled crossings
But this one i took a photo of, SHOULD be included on that list jajajjaja

Basalt Lava Rocks
This is a natural filtration system which produces some of the purest water on Earth
But its a decades long process, as the glacial meltdown (plus rainfall) takes many years to slowly seep through the layers of porous rocks before emerging into the springs
Because the water is so pure, it requires a minimal treatment before reaching the taps as no chlorine or other chemicals are needed

As we get near, i am told by one of our guides that Thrihnukagigur (Three Peaks Crater) was discovered in 1974 by cave explorer Arui B Stefansson
 Which then opened the area for this unique type of Ecotourism in 2012
He was lower by his friends using a ropes to become the first human to see the magma empty chamber after a period of 4,000 years of inactivity

Moving Forward
This is the only volcano in the world where visitors can descend to the bottom

Base Camp
This unique facility is flown in by helicopter (also the elevator inside the volcano) each season then removed 
The area is only accessed by guided hike and no driving is allowed to here, as the location is in the water reservation area for Reykjavik

We get a safety briefing
 Then fitted with helmets plus a harnesses and i would also suggest bringing a jacket, as the temperature really drops once inside the volcano

The final steep climb of 50 meters (150 feet) for our ride to the Centre of the Earth

The special lift can hold seven or eight people depending of size
 with a total of fifteen for each tour to the floor
It is based on those to wash windows of tall buildings but modified as an open scaffold system for viewing

In 2010 National Geographic used a bridge apparatus to cross the crater as their were filming a documentary inside the volcano
After that, a non-profit company started in 2004 which developed the current tour

Claustrophobic
Had one of the six grab my arm.....just close your eyes and use visualization of this as an open space, within minutes we had lots of vastness

At first we were bouncing from side to side but then the area opens up as we are
 lowered 120 meters (400 feet)

Look closely and you can see the safety cables to guide us to the bottom

I used one of my fellow visitors to highlight the size of the magma chamber

How big you ask;
 The height could fit the Statue of Liberty, with room to spare
 and the ground space is almost three basketball courts

The walls of the magma chamber are that colorful due to the mineral deposits from the volcanic activity
Red caused by iron deposits,
Blue is created by sodalite, Yellow is the result of sulfur and Green comes from copper

Instead of the chamber being filled up and plugged with the cooling lava, the magma appears to have simply withdrawn through tunnels plus arteries
Scientists call this as a "pristine collapse" as the area remained intact instead of a cave in or solidifying

So because this magma had to go somewhere
 One NEEDS to follow the safety markers on the floor, as there could certainly be a crevasse or an abyss with your name on it waiting for you

Kaleo
The band from Iceland did a music video of their song "Way Down We Go" inside the magma chamber Which created a visually stunning backdrop and also showcasing their roots from this country 

Volcano Facts

A) There are more than 1500 active on Earth with the tallest Mauna Loa in Hawaii

B) The largest in our Solar System is Olympus Mons on Mars

C) The ash is not soft as it consists of sharp rock fragments which can be carried for hundreds of kilometers that are dangerous for airplanes
For example in 2010 with the Eyjafjallajokull eruption
It caused unprecedented chaos with over 100,000 flights cancelled over an eight day period, costing the airlines billions of dollars of lost revenue

Here comes my return ride
 The entire tour (including the hike) takes about four hours
Have a hot drink or a bowl of soup (lamb or vegetable) at the base camp to warm you up
 before the return transportation back to the city

At the base camp before you trek back to the dropoff / pickup point

 The Lava Shop has apparel (sweaters, hats, gloves etc) with the "Inside the Volcano" logo plus other souvenirs related to the tour
Please Note;
 These items are only available here physically and not online through the website

All which helps keep this experience to stay open for our future adventurous travelers

Thanks Thrihnukagigur Volcano
 For a journey i will never forget in my lifetime!