Hlidarfjall Webcam – See Snow Conditions Above Akureyri

The Hlidarfjall Webcam watches the ski area on Hlidarfjall, the mountain that rises above Akureyri in North Iceland. Its on-screen label is Strytuskali, the name of the mid-mountain hut, and the feed rotates through four views, switching about once a minute. Two look up the south and north slopes, where chairlift towers climb toward layered rock cliffs. One shows a lift station on a gravel flat. The fourth looks down the lower runs to Eyjafjordur, with Akureyri spread along the shore and long hills on the far side of the fjord. That makes it a quick check on whether snow has reached the runs, how low the cloud sits and how the light falls across the water. Autumn snow can dust the slopes weeks before the lifts start turning.

About Hlidarfjall

Hlidarfjall reaches about 1,200 meters (3,937 feet) and stands around 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) west of central Akureyri, roughly a 10 minute drive up the mountain road. It holds North Iceland’s largest ski area and the highest ski lift in the country. Pistes run from 500 meters (1,640 feet) at the base to 1,014 meters (3,327 feet) at the top of the Fjallkonan quad chairlift, which opened in 2022. Twenty-four runs add up to 14.9 kilometers (9.3 miles) of skiing.

The base lodge has a long history. Skidastadir opened as a ski hotel in 1962 and stopped taking overnight guests in 1983, and the building is still the main lodge, with ski rental. The first chairlift went up in 1967, the Strompur lift followed in 1974, and Fjarkinn was rebuilt as a fixed-grip quad chairlift in 2001. Strytan, the mid-mountain hut also known as Strytuskali, was built in 1999 and has a cafe and toilets. The camera takes its on-screen name from it.

Each view carries its Icelandic name under the clock in the top corner. Sudurbakki, the south bank, looks up a broad slope to the cliffs below the ridge, with lift towers climbing across it. Nordurbakki, the north bank, looks over a red roof in the foreground toward the northern slope and its lift line. Pallur frames a lift station and a gravel flat, with the hillside rising behind. Nedra Svaedi, the lower area, is the widest shot: lift towers and vehicle tracks in the foreground, then the open ground below the mountain, the town along the shore of Eyjafjordur and the hills across the water.

Weather and Climate at Hlidarfjall

Akureyri is mild for its latitude. Its 1991 to 2020 averages run from highs of 2.7 C (37 F) and lows of -3.5 C (26 F) in January to highs of 15.1 C (59 F) and lows of 8.5 C (47 F) in July. April and October both average highs of 6.6 C (44 F), with April nights a little colder at -0.3 C (31 F) against 1.1 C (34 F) in October. Those are town figures. The ski area sits 500 to 1,000 meters (1,640 to 3,281 feet) higher, so it runs colder, and the upper slopes can stay white when the streets below are bare.

The ski season normally runs from around the beginning of December to the end of April. Daylight swings hard at this latitude. Around the winter solstice the sun is above the horizon for only about three hours, so a midwinter day on camera is mostly twilight, while around the June solstice the sun dips below the horizon for less than an hour. Summer turns the slopes brown and green, with idle lift towers standing over bare ground, and autumn can bring snow dustings well before opening day. Low cloud can settle on the cliffs at the top of the Sudurbakki view and hide the upper lifts entirely.

Things to Do Near Hlidarfjall

On the mountain, the lifts include the Fjarkinn and Fjallkonan quad chairlifts, the Strompur lift to 980 meters (3,215 feet), the Hjallabraut, Skalabraut and Holabraut platter lifts, a rope tow and a magic carpet for beginners. Ski rental is at the main lodge, and the area has snowmaking. Five cross-country trails, from 1.2 to 10 kilometers (0.75 to 6.2 miles) long, are lit and stay open until 10 pm. In summer the lifts run for limited hours to serve mountain bike trails.

Back in Akureyri, a town of 20,284 people, the Lystigardur botanical garden thrives in the relatively warm local climate, and Akureyrarkirkja is the town’s main church. Out in the fjord, the island of Hrisey has 210 residents and is the second-largest island off the coast of Iceland. Godafoss, 12 meters (39 feet) high and 30 meters (98 feet) wide on the Skjalfandafljot river, sits beside the Ring Road about 45 minutes from Akureyri. The tale that the lawspeaker Thorgeir threw his pagan idols into it after Iceland adopted Christianity appears to be a 19th century invention.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

For more of North Iceland, or another ski area to compare snow with, try these cams.

• Akureyri Webcam
• Holar Webcam
• Hafjell Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Hlidarfjall located?

Hlidarfjall is in North Iceland, about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) west of central Akureyri. The ski area is roughly a 10 minute drive from town, and its lower slopes look down over Eyjafjordur.

What can you see on the Hlidarfjall Webcam?

The camera rotates through four views about once a minute: the south slope (Sudurbakki) and the north slope (Nordurbakki) with their lift lines, a lift station (Pallur), and a wide view down the lower runs to Akureyri and the fjord (Nedra Svaedi). Each view shows its name and the time on screen.

What is the weather like at Hlidarfjall?

Winters are cold and snowy and summers are cool. In Akureyri below, January averages a high of 2.7 C (37 F) and a low of -3.5 C (26 F), while July highs reach about 15.1 C (59 F). The slopes sit 500 to 1,000 meters (1,640 to 3,281 feet) higher and are colder than town.

When is the ski season at Hlidarfjall?

The area normally opens around the beginning of December and runs until the end of April, depending on snow. Snowmaking adds to the natural cover.

How high is the Hlidarfjall ski area?

The runs start at 500 meters (1,640 feet) and reach 1,014 meters (3,327 feet) at the top of the Fjallkonan chairlift. The mountain itself rises to about 1,200 meters (3,937 feet).

Can you go cross-country skiing at Hlidarfjall?

Yes. Five cross-country trails from 1.2 to 10 kilometers (0.75 to 6.2 miles) long are lit in the evening and stay open until 10 pm.

Is Hlidarfjall open in summer?

The lifts run for limited hours in summer to serve the mountain bike trails. On camera, summer shows bare grass slopes and idle lift towers.

Can you see Akureyri from the Hlidarfjall Webcam?

Yes, in the Nedra Svaedi view, which looks down over the lower slopes to the town along the shore of Eyjafjordur. Haze, low cloud or falling snow can hide it.

Source: Live From Iceland