Skíðadalsjökull: Glacier Names at the Head of Skíðadalur
Skíðadalsjökull is the USGS name for mountain glaciers at the head of Skíðadalur in northern Iceland. The USGS reference also lists nyrðri, syðri, eystri and vestri entries, which are not interchangeable.
Skíðadalsjökull is, in USGS Professional Paper 1746, a group of mountain glaciers, usually connected by firn, at the head of Skíðadalur valley in northern Iceland. This guide keeps the listed names apart and gives no route onto the ice. USGS PP1746, printed p. 176 (source checked 2026-11-06)
Key takeaways
- Skíðadalsjökull is listed in USGS Professional Paper 1746 as mountain glaciers, usually connected by firn, at the head of Skíðadalur valley, with printed coordinates 65°42′N., 18°47′W. USGS PP1746, printed p. 176 (source checked 2026-11-06)
- USGS records Skíðadalsjökull nyrðri as the western part and Skíðadalsjökull syðri as the eastern part of the main Skíðadalsjökull group. USGS PP1746, printed p. 177 (nyrðri) (source checked 2026-11-06) USGS PP1746, printed p. 177 (syðri) (source checked 2026-11-06)
- Skíðadalsjökull eystri (65°45.6′N., 18°48.7′W.) and Skíðadalsjökull vestri (65°45.5′N., 18°51′W.) are separate USGS entries for mountain glaciers in Skíðadalur, Kolbeinsdalur. USGS PP1746, printed p. 177 (eystri) (source checked 2026-11-06) USGS PP1746, printed p. 177 (vestri) (source checked 2026-11-06)
- USGS says an earlier description of Skíðadalsjökull as lying on the divide between Skagafjörður and Eyjafjörður is not accurate. USGS PP1746, printed p. 176 (correction) (source checked 2026-11-06)
- Jökull 70 counts approximately 170 glaciers on the Tröllaskagi peninsula, covering approximately 130 km² in 2019; the figures cover the whole peninsula, not Skíðadalsjökull alone. Jökull 70, p. 3: national glacier inventory (Tröllaskagi) (source checked 2026-11-06)
| Fact | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Northern Iceland (USGS group: Norðurlandsjöklar) | USGS Professional Paper 1746, printed page 176 (PDF page 188) |
| Main group, printed coordinates | 65°42′N., 18°47′W. | Name coordinates from a names reference, not a trailhead or access point |
| Nyrðri / syðri | Western part 65°42.2′N., 18°47.4′W.; eastern part 65°42′N., 18°46′W. | USGS Professional Paper 1746, printed page 177 (PDF page 189) |
| Eystri / vestri | Separate entries: 65°45.6′N., 18°48.7′W. and 65°45.5′N., 18°51′W. | USGS Professional Paper 1746, printed page 177 (PDF page 189) |
| Tröllaskagi glaciers (whole peninsula) | About 170 glaciers, about 130 km² in 2019 | Jökull 70; covers the whole peninsula, not Skíðadalsjökull alone. The USGS entry refers to figure 8A, named glaciers in Tröllaskagi (printed page 24) |
| Distance Reykjavík to Dalvík | 405 km first listed row (paved column 386, gravel column 19); 411 km second row, all paved | Vegagerðin's distance tool; distance to Dalvík only, the tool has no Skíðadalsjökull page |
| Road conditions | umferdin.is | Vegagerðin states that its watch stations update road conditions there |
What is Skíðadalsjökull?
Skíðadalsjökull is described in USGS Professional Paper 1746 as “Mountain glaciers, usually connected by firn, at the head of Skíðadalur valley”, in northern Iceland. The paper prints 65°42′N., 18°47′W. for the main group and files it under the group Norðurlandsjöklar. USGS PP1746, printed p. 176 (source checked 2026-11-06) The printed coordinates are name coordinates from a names reference, not a trailhead or access point.
Which Skíðadalsjökull is which: main group, nyrðri, syðri, eystri or vestri?
USGS Professional Paper 1746 lists five Skíðadalsjökull names with their own printed coordinates: the main group, nyrðri as its western part, syðri as its eastern part, and eystri and vestri as separate entries in Skíðadalur, Kolbeinsdalur. USGS PP1746, printed p. 176 (source checked 2026-11-06) USGS PP1746, printed p. 177 (nyrðri) (source checked 2026-11-06) USGS PP1746, printed p. 177 (syðri) (source checked 2026-11-06) USGS PP1746, printed p. 177 (eystri) (source checked 2026-11-06) USGS PP1746, printed p. 177 (vestri) (source checked 2026-11-06)
| Name | USGS description | Printed coordinates | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skíðadalsjökull (main group) | Mountain glaciers, usually connected by firn, at the head of Skíðadalur valley | 65°42′N., 18°47′W. | USGS PP1746, printed p. 176 (source checked 2026-11-06) |
| Skíðadalsjökull nyrðri | Western part of Skíðadalsjökull mountain glaciers | 65°42.2′N., 18°47.4′W. | USGS PP1746, printed p. 177 (nyrðri) (source checked 2026-11-06) |
| Skíðadalsjökull syðri | Eastern part of Skíðadalsjökull mountain glaciers at the head of Skíðadalur | 65°42′N., 18°46′W. | USGS PP1746, printed p. 177 (syðri) (source checked 2026-11-06) |
| Skíðadalsjökull eystri | Mountain glacier in Skíðadalur, Kolbeinsdalur | 65°45.6′N., 18°48.7′W. | USGS PP1746, printed p. 177 (eystri) (source checked 2026-11-06) |
| Skíðadalsjökull vestri | Mountain glacier in Skíðadalur, Kolbeinsdalur | 65°45.5′N., 18°51′W. | USGS PP1746, printed p. 177 (vestri) (source checked 2026-11-06) |
Was Skíðadalsjökull once described as lying on a watershed divide?
USGS Professional Paper 1746 says of an earlier description by Rist (1985), which placed Skíðadalsjökull on the divide between Skagafjörður and Eyjafjörður and so flowing into two separate drainage basins, that “this description is not accurate”. USGS PP1746, printed p. 176 (correction) (source checked 2026-11-06) A watershed description of the main group is therefore not repeated on this site.
How big is Skíðadalsjökull, and how many glaciers does Tröllaskagi have?
None of the sources used for this guide gives an area, length or retreat figure for Skíðadalsjökull itself. For the Tröllaskagi peninsula as a whole, Jökull 70 reports approximately 170 glaciers covering approximately 130 km² in total in 2019. Jökull 70, p. 3: national glacier inventory (Tröllaskagi) (source checked 2026-11-06) The Jökull 70 total covers the whole peninsula, not Skíðadalsjökull alone.
The USGS entry for Skíðadalsjökull refers to figure 8A, which USGS Professional Paper 1746 captions as named glaciers in Tröllaskagi. USGS PP1746, printed p. 176 (source checked 2026-11-06) USGS PP1746, printed p. 24 (Table 8 and figure 8A) (source checked 2026-11-06)
Is there a route onto Skíðadalsjökull, and what does Safetravel say about glaciers?
No source used for this guide describes a route, tour or operator for Skíðadalsjökull, so a trip listed only as Tröllaskagi skiing does not show that it visits this glacier. Safetravel says you should never go on a glacier without experience or the proper equipment, and that hiring a certified glacier guide is highly recommended. Safetravel, glacier safety (source checked 2026-11-06)
“You should never go on a glacier without experience or the proper equipment. Hiring a certified glacier guide with proper knowledge of the area is highly recommended!”
Safetravel’s advice is general glacier advice, not a statement about Skíðadalsjökull in particular. Historical photographs and name coordinates are not present-day trailheads, and this guide does not verify an independent route onto the ice.
How far is Dalvík from Reykjavík, and does that locate Skíðadalsjökull?
Vegagerðin’s distance tool has no page for Skíðadalsjökull, so Dalvík appears here only as a named place in the tool, and no source used says Dalvík is near any Skíðadalsjökull. The tool’s first listed Reykjavík to Dalvík row is 405 km, with 386 in the paved column and 19 in the gravel column, and the second row is 411 km, all paved. Vegagerðin distances, Reykjavík to Dalvík (source checked 2026-11-06)
| Listed row | Total length | Bundið slitlag (paved) column | Möl (gravel) column | Tool’s note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | 405 km | 386 | 19 | None in this row |
| Second | 411 km | 411 | 0 | None in this row |
| Third | 413 km | 210 | 203 | Ekki fært fólksbílum (in English: not passable for passenger cars) |
Vegagerðin says its watch stations update driving and road conditions on umferdin.is. Vegagerðin, umferdin.is (source checked 2026-11-06)
Sources and further planning
The identification of Skíðadalsjökull on this site rests on USGS: Geographic Names of Iceland’s Glaciers: Historic and Modern, Oddur Sigurðsson and Richard S. Williams Jr., 2008, printed page 176 (PDF page 188) for the main entry and the correction, and printed page 177 (PDF page 189) for the nyrðri, syðri, eystri and vestri entries. Historical identification checked November 6, 2026. USGS PP1746, printed p. 176 (source checked 2026-11-06)
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?
The USGS glacier-names reference describes Skíðadalsjökull as mountain glaciers, usually connected by firn, at the head of Skíðadalur valley in northern Iceland.
Is there a current route onto Skíðadalsjökull?
No source used for this guide gives a route, tour or operator for Skíðadalsjökull, and the USGS coordinates are name coordinates, not trailheads. Safetravel says you should never go on a glacier without experience or the proper equipment, and that hiring a certified glacier guide is highly recommended.
Are Skíðadalsjökull eystri and vestri the same glacier as the main group?
No. The USGS reference lists Skíðadalsjökull eystri and Skíðadalsjökull vestri as separate entries for mountain glaciers in Skíðadalur, Kolbeinsdalur, with their own printed coordinates, apart from the main group and its nyrðri and syðri parts.
Is Skíðadalsjökull near Dalvík?
The sources used do not say. Vegagerðin's distance tool has no page for Skíðadalsjökull, and no source used states how far any Skíðadalsjökull is from Dalvík.
Does the USGS reference correct an older description of Skíðadalsjökull?
Yes. The USGS reference says that an earlier description placing Skíðadalsjökull on the divide between Skagafjörður and Eyjafjörður is not accurate.
How many glaciers are on Tröllaskagi?
Jökull 70 reports approximately 170 glaciers on the Tröllaskagi peninsula, covering approximately 130 km² in total in 2019. The figures cover the whole peninsula, not Skíðadalsjökull alone. (checked November 6, 2026)
Country reference: Iceland statistics.