Skíðadalsjökull: Glacier Names Above Skíðadalur
Skíðadalsjökull refers to mountain glaciers at the head of Skíðadalur in North Iceland. Similar names on maps need care: the main glacier group and the features labeled eystri or vestri are not automatically interchangeable.
Which Skíðadalsjökull?
The USGS reference describes the main group as glaciers usually connected by firn, the compacted snow between fresh snow and glacial ice. It records nyrðri and syðri names for parts of that group, and separate entries for Skíðadalsjökull eystri and vestri farther north.
An older description is explicitly corrected
The reference rejects an earlier description that placed the main group on the divide between Skagafjörður and Eyjafjörður. Repeating a plausible-sounding watershed description would therefore lose an important correction already made in the source.
Before choosing a mountain outing
Ask a guide to identify the exact glacier and route on a current map. A tour described only as “Tröllaskagi skiing” does not establish that it visits this glacier. Historical photographs and name coordinates are not present-day trailheads, and this page does not verify an independent ice route.
Sources and further planning
USGS: Geographic Names of Iceland’s Glaciers: Historic and Modern, Oddur Sigurðsson and Richard S. Williams Jr., 2008, printed page 176. Historical identification checked September 10, 2026.
Continue with the wider region or glacier system, or compare guided glacier activities. For an actual departure, check SafeTravel alerts, weather warnings and road conditions.
Planning help
Glacier questions
Quick answers with safety notes where it matters.
What is Skíðadalsjökull?
Skíðadalsjökull refers to mountain glaciers at the head of Skíðadalur in North Iceland.
Does this page provide a current route onto the glacier?
No. Glacier identification and historical photographs do not establish current access. Check official conditions and get advice for the exact route; use the operator’s confirmed meeting point for a guided activity.
Country reference: Iceland statistics.