Hverasvaedi @ Kerlingarfjoll EarthCache
Hverasvaedi @ Kerlingarfjoll
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Hverasvaedi @ Kerlingarfjoll
Hverasvaedi @ Kerlingarfjoll roughly lays in the middle of Iceland. It is a colorful interesting geological area showing geothermal wonders like hot pots and steam-vents. It's well worth your visit.
Notice: This cache is only accessable by 4x4 cars in summer season !!!
Iceland lays on a crack in the earth's crust. Geologycally seen is Iceland the place where the so called Eurasian tectonic plate and the North American tectonic plate come together. These plates divergent, which means that the gap between the two plated is broaden. On these more or less unstable 'cracks' in the earth's surface interesting geological processes will take place. In the gap between the tectonic plates the internal heat of the Earth get the opportunity to manifest itself. The internal heat of the earth is driven by melted stone called 'Magma'. Powered by this internal heat geothermal 'natural wonders' will happen...
These natural wonders are Volcanos, Geysirs, Hot Springs, Mudpots and Geotermal fields.
Hverasvaedi @ Kerlingarfjoll is a Geotermal field with active Hot Springs and Mudpots. In the Hot Springs water is heated by the Magma and the water reaches the earth's surface as a 'boiling pot'. Hot Spots are not only producing boiling water but also steam. These steam vents are called 'Fumarole'. The (noisy) steam escaping from the Fumarole contains water vapour and gasses like carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. These gasses produce the so characteristic smell for Geotermal fields.
At Hverasvaedi @ Kerlingarfjoll you will see Mudpots as well. These look like stew pots with fluid sand and stone at very high temperature. The mud contains asids who decompose the surrounding rocks. Minerals in the mud as Silica and Rhyolite will color the ground around the mudpot like a 'paint-pot'.
Hotspring... Mudpot...
Also geologically seen is Hverasvaedi @ Kerlingarföll an intresting area. Here crosses a stream the geotermal field in the slopes of the Kerlingarfjöll. The Kerlingarfjöll mountains are formed in the ice ace by Vulcano eruptions. Therefore the mountain slopes are made out of Tuff stone (rock consisting of vulcanic ash) which contains a of lot Rhyolite (Also called Liparite, a silica rich rock containing fragments of quarts). This all gives Hverasvaedi @ Kerlingaröll his special shape and color. Together with the snow topped mountains this is a very special and interesting place also in geological aspect.
Use the following references when you like to read more on this geological interesting area:
The Kerlingarfjoll mountains of Central Iceland (by Darren Wilkinson)
Explosive rhyolite tuya formation: classic examples from Kerlingarfjol, Iceland (by John A. Stevenson et al.)
Kerlingarfjoll, the untouched beauty (by Icelandic Times)
Go and see for yourself what is boiling in the Hverasvaedi @ Kerlingarfjoll...
To log this earthcache it's required to proof that you were here !!!
You can do this by simply answering the following questions or give me in you own words a description of the natural wonders of Hverasvaedi @ Kerlingarfjoll in a way which undoubtedly proves that you were here. Of course nice pictures are welcome too.
Don't spoil these answers in the cache log but send them directly to me via geocaching email.
Questions are:
1) From the cache coordinates you will see an unusual colored spot on the opposite slope of the mountain. What is the color ?
2) Why are mudpots/hotsprings causing these unusuall colors ?
3) Describe in your own words the smell of Hverasvaedi @ Kerlingarfjoll ?
4) What do you think is causing this smell ?
5) According to the road sign you passed, what is the English translation of Hverasvaedi ?
Please, be creative !!!
How to reach Hverasvaedi @ Kerlingarfjoll...
Hverasvaedi @ Kerlingarfjoll roughly lays in the middle of Iceland. It is accesable via the Kjolur route by mountain road F35 (Kjalvegur) and exit road F347 to Kerlingarfjoll (at my waypoint Fx). Both roads are only accessable for 4x4 cars and are in general only open from the second half of June till September. See http://www.vegagerdin.is for the actual road conditions. Unlike what some travelguides are saying, NO rivercrossings are required any more as all streams are bridged.
From the F35 it is 10 km to the Kerlingarfjoll Camping/Mountain Lodges (at my waypoint Rx). Keep the lodges on your right hand site and go up-the-hill for 4 km. Then follow the sign Hverasvaedi for the last 1 km to the cache coordinates.
Finally I hope you enjoyed your visit to Hverasvaedi @ Kerlingarfjoll as much as we did...
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)