Snow drifts, blurry trees, and fallen tripods

The annual Iceland on Highway 3 night

After almost 90 kilometres from town, we arrived to a secluded driveway, that, by all indications earlier in the night, was our best chance.

And it was dead cloudy. All 90 kilometres - not one star. Just snow drifts creeping out from the highway edges toward the centre line and constant blowing snow. It very much was my beloved annual Icelandic weather night.

Without much hesitation, we hunkered down in the car, occasionally throwing our heads out the window up at the sky to check for stars. Then after about an hour had passed, stars began to appear. Just a few at first, and sparking very cautious optimism, but it wasn’t long before more and more of the sky opened up.

The aurora was gentle, although it became clear quite quickly we were seeing things move in the right direction, and then it was just magic.

Tripods continued to be toppled and the aurora continued to dance. The wind, gusting 64km/h, blurred trees in the foregrounds of our photos and actively hurt my forehead with it’s cold - even through my thickest wool toque. It was brutal, but inside I did just love it so much, and I enjoyed the beauty of every last vein of blowing snow across highway for all 90 kilometres back home.