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One hundred and fifty years ago, in 1864, the French novelist Jules Verne published one of his most ambitious works— Journey to the Center of the Earth .
Though Verne was widely regarded in his day for the meticulous scientific research that informed his writing, what he posited in Journey has been roundly rejected: namely, that volcanic tubes lead to the Earth’s core. Nevertheless, this dose of reality hasn’t stopped curious travelers from exploring the book’s geological protagonist: Iceland’s Snæfellsjökull.
Taking a cue from Verne, I traveled to Snæfellsnes peninsula in West Iceland with my sights set on the iconic stratovolcano. This wasn’t difficult, given that Snæfellsjökull’s peak rises nearly 5,000 feet above sea level and, on a clear day, can be seen from Reykjavík—some 75 miles to the southeast. But seeing is one thing, and journeying quite another.
At more than 700,000 years old, the volcano last erupted in the third century. Today, it is hooded by a glacier that covers its summit crater to the depth of more than 650 feet. In addition, Iceland’s volcanic surfaces can be...
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