A small camper van got stuck in the Krossá river earlier this week while heading to Þórsmörk in the highlands, mbl.is reports.
Images posted on Facebook by the Þórsmörk-Langidalur chapter of the Iceland Touring Association and Safetravel.is showed the camper, submerged up to its windshield, being hauled from the river by a tractor. The tourists driving it were uninjured, but the camper came out somewhat the worse for wear. “These damages can be EXTREMELY costly (tens of thousands of dollars!),” Safetravel.is pointed out in their post. “Don’t attempt to cross any river you aren’t 100% sure you can cross safely as you are entirely responsible for any damage to your car. There is no river crossing insurance.”
Halla Einarsdóttir, a warden at the Langidalur mountain hut in Þórsmörk, said that although it’s still somewhat early in the season for hikers to be making their way to the highlands, there have been several groups crossing in the last week. It is, unfortunately, not uncommon for vehicles to get stuck in the Krossá river on their way to the area, as the river is surprisingly deep in many places and travelers often underestimate its extremely strong current. Halla noted that Icelanders have been known to get stuck in the river, too, from time to time, but that it’s generally tourists who try to drive straight into it, and often without a correctly equipped, four-wheel drive vehicle.
Travelers making their way to Þórsmörk do not have to ford the Krossá river in their own vehicles: it’s also possible to cross the river on foot, using one of the moveable, elevated footbridges in the area, or to book a seat on one of the elevated 4×4 mountain buses that make daily trips to Þórsmörk. People who intend to drive across themselves, however, are encouraged to call the Langidalur wardens (ph: 354-893-1191) beforehand to get guidance on where best to make the crossing.
