Seeing an Arctic Fox in Iceland is rare. In Þórsmörk (Thorsmork Mountain Reserve) guests are currently being spoiled by sights of “Frosti”, the Arctic Fox in Stakkholtsgjá and his mates that hang around Húsadalur.
So how does it feel to be a guide in Thórsmörk and get to see them almost every day? We talked to Pálmi, one of our Super Jeep tour guides and wanted to hear more about his experiences with the Arctic foxes.
Pálmi, do you remember seeing Frosti for the first time?
Yes, I remember this very well. It happened on October 16, 2023 in the parking lot of Stakkholtsgjá. I just came back from exploring the canyon with my guests from the Midgard Thorsmörk Super Jeep tour and there he was waiting for us on the parking lot. He was extremely small, looked dirty and very weak. I don’t know how old he was exactly, but definitely still a pup, not much older than a few weeks/months. He wasn’t scared of us, but approached us, almost feeling like he was looking for help. We had an apple leftover from the lunchbox. So we cut it up and fed it to him. He came that close that he even stood on my hiking boots with his little paws. Some of the apple he ate immediately, others he brought with him to the bushes – it almost seemed like he was building up some kind of a storage for later, harder times.
Who gave him the name Frosti?
I am actually not sure. But he is white, so it fits obviously quite well. And we, the guides, always talk about him as Frosti. Here in Iceland, it’s a male name.
How has Frosti changed over time since the first interaction?
Today he looks much healthier and still as curious as the first day. He seems to have started to travel more as well. We still see him most of the time around Stakkholtsgjá, but there are other days where he seemed to be on the go to other places. His home base however is definitely Stakkholtsgjá, especially during heavy snow. With the short legs, the foxes don’t seem to like deep, fluffy snow so much; so in deep winter they seem to stick around their homegrounds.
Check out this cute video of Frosti on Midgard Adventure’s Instagram page.
Do you feel Frosti recognizes you or the Midgard Super Jeeps?
I am not so sure about that. Even though I am visiting him almost daily, I of course always bring with me different people, different smells, etc. Many of us bring some food with us – I always pack an egg from the Midgard breakfast buffet – and Frosti probably recognizes the smell of his beloved egg more than myself.
After seeing Frosti so, so many times on your tours, do you still get excited?
Well, seeing a fox is a rare sight – even for us Icelanders. Of course, over the last months I have gotten a bit used to it. But seeing my super jeep guests and how excited they get, also always reminds me of how special this moment is. And when you check out the photos in my phone, you will see that it is filled with pictures of Frosti – so yes, I am obviously still very excited…!
What do you tell the guests about how to behave around the arctic foxes?
I tell them not to run around, scream or any fast movements. Just enjoy the moment in silence. Frosti is still a wild animal, always aware of his environment and in alert mode. So guests are of course allowed to get excited, but should try to keep it a bit inside.
So there is Frosti in Stakkholtsgjá, do you see any other foxes in Thorsmörk?
Yes, they are now also numerous in Húsadalur. I think I have seen up to 5 foxes at the same time in there.
Are they any different from Frosti?
Well, some of them are brown, so definitely look very different from Frosti. But also their behavior is a bit different. It seems like Frosti was growing up without “parents” and was kept alive through us the guides and therefore got used to humans. The ones in the Volcano Huts in Húsadalur, probably had more interactions with other foxes. However, Jalen, the warden of the Volcano Huts has been treating them nicely over all the winter – but they seem to have kept more the regular fox behavior.
Is there more wildlife that you get to see while doing a Super Jeep tour in Thórsmörk?
Well depending on the season, there is a big variety of birdlife – ravens, seagulls and so many more. But arctic fox is Iceland’s biggest native mamal – so it does not get much better than that. 🙂
Interesting links
✔ Þórsmörk – Why this secluded oasis is a must do for your Iceland itinerary
✔ Þórsmörk Super Jeep Day Tour
✔ Midgard’s Signature Day Tours
✔ Midgard’s story – get to know us better!
✔ Midgard’s Environmental and Sustainability Policy
✔ Midgard Adventure on Instagram
✔ Midgard Base Camp on Instagram
