21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Queen Mountain

The mountain Herðubreið, also know as the Queen of Icelandic mountains, was formed in a volcanic eruption beneath a highland glacier. The lava was contained in the ice and the mountain got her iconic shape; rising above the surrounding ash-black desert, she can be seen from far away. The mountain is always beautiful, but never more so than when covered in a shroud of snow and clouds.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 07.2018
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Iceland
Copyright: © Anders Thøstesen