Sprengisandur To Open Early This Year

The historic Highlands path will be opening about two weeks early, due to rapidly melting snow brought on by a very warm start to the summer.

RÚV reports that Sprengisandur will be open for travel on June 27, about two weeks earlier than it was opened last year. Ómar Ragnarsson, who regularly flies over Iceland, told reporters that last year, Sprengisandur was still buried in snow on June 19. Flying over the area last Friday, however, he noticed the snow has all but disappeared.

By the same taken, another Highlands route – Öskjuleið – will be open on June 20, a week before Sprengisandur. In the eastern part of the Highlands, by contrast, Ómar said that he saw more snow than he had seen in decades.

The early snow clearance should come as no surprise to readers who have been following the scorching heat wave that has been washing over Iceland lately. In fact, this summer has already broken heat records, and is the likely culprit behind clearing the way for prospective travelers over Sprengisandur this summer.