Stories

Iceland Traverse

2 friends, 2 different disabilities, 1 dream in common

Every crossing, like every walk or encounter, always begins with a step. If we then add a great friendship and a dream to want to share together, everything appears in a new light and what before seemed like an extravagant and crazy adventure suddenly seems to be possible.

The crossing of Iceland from north to south, in complete autonomy: 400 km from Akureyri to Skogar, 20 days, 17 walking, 3 break due to bad weather, 25 km per day average.
Always exposed to the elements, a tent, a water filter, complete food autonomy, and all the necessities inside a backpack of about 30 kg.
Simone Salvagnin a Paralympic athlete of the Italian national paraclimbing team, a traveler, an explorer of himself, as he likes to call himself,was the first blind person in the world to make this type of crossing independently, that is, without logistical support.
The crossing made from Aug. 16 to Sept. 4, 2023, saw, as Simone's traveling companions, Lucia Vissani President of Emozionabile ETS and his friend traveler-explorer Davide Ferro.

The three, who started from the north coast, ascended the plateau in the center of the island, crossing more than 200 km of the Spengisandur desert also called the "plateau of death" given the difficult weather conditions dictated by the climate, and then connected to the famous Lauravegur trek that crosses the volcanic landscapes of Landmannalaugar, amid the colors of yellow, green and brown rocks, raging glacial streams, glaciers and snowfields, ash deserts, lava fields, to the twisted trees of Þórsmörk, and then reaching Skogar via a technical pass where the Eyjafjallajökull glacier meets the Mýrdalsjökull glacier.

Twenty days of adventure, exposed for 24 hours a day to strong winds, sudden torrential rains, snow, hail and torrid days accompanied by clouds of Arctic flies, having to day by day find water sources to filter, meticulously assessing where to place the camp to be protected from the strong winds, rationing precious food, daily choosing routes and tracks to follow with a heavy backpack on their shoulders, all immersed in an environment that makes human beings feel small and insignificant.

The project was the promoter of a fundraiser in favor of the association Emozionabile ETS, with the goal of organizing personal growth workshops, in a natural environment, for people with disabilities, all aligned with the association's pay off "emotion has no boundaries."