Hraundrangi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hraundrangi (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈr̥œynˌtrauɲcɪ] , Lava Column[1] or Rockfall Spire[2]) is a conical peak in the Drangafjall ridge dividing Öxnadalur from Hörgárdalur in north Iceland. It rises to 1,075 metres (3,527 ft) above sea level, 80 metres (260 ft) above the ridge.[3] It was probably originally named simply "Drangi" and acquired the prefix from the farm of Hraun, which lies below it on the Öxnadalur side.[4] The ridge is often erroneously referred to as Hraundrangar, the plural of Hraundrangi.[4]
| Hraundrangi | |
|---|---|
 Hraundrangi (centre), photographed from Öxnadalur in June 2007 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,075 m (3,527 ft) |
| Coordinates | 65°35′24″N 18°35′43″W |
| Geography | |
  Hraundrangi | |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1956 by Finnur Eyjólfsson, Sigurður Waage, Nicholas Clinch |
The mountain rises to an unusually sharp point, less than half a square metre at the peak. It is a lava spire that remains with the rest of the ridge after much of the original mountain, Háafjall, fell in a large rockslide many centuries ago.[2][5]
The first successful ascent of Hraundrangi was on 5 August 1956, by Finnur Eyjólfsson and Sigurður Waage of the Icelandic Air Ground Rescue Team and United States Air Force Lieutenant Nicholas Clinch.[3][5] A legend that a treasure chest would be found on the peak proved untrue.[5]
The mountain features in "Ferðalok" ("Journey's End"), a poem written at the end of his life by Jónas Hallgrímsson, who was born at Hraun.[6] The last stanza of the poem alludes to a legend that the saga hero Grettir the Strong climbed it and left his knife and belt on the peak as proof;[3] Hraundrangi was supposedly also called Grettisnúpa" ([ˈkrɛhtɪsˌnuːpa], "Grettir's Crag") by the people of Öxnadalur.[6]
The 10,000 Icelandic krónur banknote issued in October 2013 honours Jónas Hallgrímsson and has on the obverse a background image of Hraundrangi and the rest of the ridge formed out of neologisms coined by the poet.[7]
Wikiwand in your browser!
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
