Retreat of Sólheimajökull Glacier Traditional Geocache

This cache has been archived.

Pohatu Nuva: it's time to archieve

More
Hidden : 2/18/2014
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works
Looking for a different adventure?

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:

Have you ever wanted to know what all the fuss about retreat of glaciers is about?
Well, can you see the glacier? It was where you are standing in spring 2013.

Sólheimajökull Glacier is a glacier tongue coming from the fourth largest of Icelandic glaciers called Mýrdalsjökull and it is also the southernmost of them. As it is easily accessible by car and on a day trip from Reykjavík, it is also among the most visited ones. Unfortunately those are not the only top positions it claims.

Coming often to Sólheimajökull Glacier, it feels like its disappearing in front of my eyes. And I find it really worrying. I first saw this boulder peaking out from underneath the glacier's edge in April 2013. Since then it's been left behind as Sólheimajökull Glacier is one of the fastest retreating in Iceland, too. It's been losing about 100 metres/330 feet per year.

If you want to learn more about the glaciers' retreat all around the World, watch a time laps video from Sólheimajökull and other glaciers not only in Iceland, learn how to take action and more, visit the web-page of  EXTREME ICE SURVEY.
I am in no way related to the project, but find their work being a great afford and easily understandable to everyone.
Own experience or seeing their pictures and videos is better than thousands words. And it is also the aim of this geocache.

The cache is easy to find, but at some times it might be muggled all around. It is quite an easy walk that could be done in less than 30 minutes from one of the two nearby car-parks. Most tour operators make a walk to the location and thus it should be possible to log it for most people travelling along the south shore.

I would appreciate if you take a picture from the cache location towards the glacier and post it with your log with a permission to use it in the listing for an overview of the glacier's retreat. A photo from the lower parking lot (from the bench or stretchers) is welcome, too. You can also estimate how far from the coordinates the glacier was when you visited it. And if, by accident, I will happen to be in the picture, you have a plus point (and thank you note in the log).

PLEASE, DO NOT ACCESS THE GLACIER WITHOUT PROPER GEAR AND KNOWLEDGE  and/or WITHOUT A PROFESSIONAL GLACIER GUIDE!
IT IS A BIG HAZARD TO DO OTHERWISE.

The conditions and access to the cache location were safe during my visits in mid March.
However SPECIAL CAUTION SHOULD BE PAID to possible landslides along the path and at the cache site during spring melting.
Use your common sense and follow the instructions of the locals or/and authorities.
Oct 29, 2013   Feb 18, 2014
October 29, 2013                                            February 18, 2014

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Haqre gur ovttrfg obhyqre, gur tynpvre fvqr.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


Advertising with Us

Inventory

View past Trackables

What are Trackable Items?

Bookmark Lists

View all bookmark lists...