Iceland's glacial rivers are nature's abstract paintings. It seems obvious that rivers this wild and stunning are protected, yet the harsh reality is that many have been dammed, mainly to provide power for aluminum plants. A massive conservation movement is underway to preserve these rivers, but will it succeed? At Glacier's End gives a voice to Iceland's glacial rivers - providing both a cultural and environmental perspective - on the journey from glacier to sea.

From an elevation of 2,000 - 4,000 ft, shallow rivers that drive you drive over take on a whole new shape and pigment. An umbrella of different hues came to life as we followed a river from the glacial headwater, where colorful rock is pulverized by ice and deposited into a river rushing to the open floodplains. Often these rivers expanded over shallow sandbars to create the same braided patterns I first saw several years back. We followed these patterns all the way to the river’s mouth. There, saltwater and freshwater mixed with floral blooms to create a truly explosive pageantry of color. Finally all this vibrancy retreated into the simple shade of a brown sea.

At Glacier’s End - $50

At Glacier’s End Limited Edition Copy - $150

Nowadays, many emphasize with considerable arguments that the waterfalls of our country, based on valuables measured in kilowatt-hours, hold a part of the future of our nation. However, it is important that we do not forget that in those same waterfalls, the nation also finds a part of its future happiness, which will not be valued in kilowatt-hours and financial terms, but hours of pleasure.

Sigurður Þórarinsson, 1978

Icelandic geologist and conservationist