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The walk across the colourful
rhyolite alluvium at the foot of the rhyolite slopes to the end of the
Morsardalur Valley is very invigorating for body and soul. On the left
a short side valley framed with 600-1000 metres high mountains, among
them the sheer peak Thumall (1279m), opens up. This valley is called
Kjos. Its stream carries a great volume of rhyolite debris very
industriously to the larger River Morsa, which takes over the
distribution.
The whole landscape is indented
with gorges and gullies, coloured by rhyolite intrusions and decorated
with basaltic dykes. The glacier snout Morsarjokull adds to the
contrasts. It tumbles down the steep slope and precipice with
thundering noises echoing between the mountains. At the mouth of the
Morsa Valley are remnants of a forest and the alluvial fan is
decorated with new sprouts of trees and an increasing number of other
plants. The lupines were imported from Alaska and sown a few decades
ago.
The pyramid shaped barrier mountain between the
valley and the gigantic glacier tongue Skeidararjokull is called
Jokulfell. The outlet of River Skeidara is at its foot. Hot springs
are situated in its lower slopes, only a short distance from the
forest remnants, Baejarstadaskogur. The hike from the camping grounds
at Skaftafell to Kjos and back take 10-12 hours. |