Mountaineers of Iceland operate mostly in the pristine nature of Iceland.
We care for and hold a deep respect for nature and the environment.
We are determined to preserve Iceland‘s precious nature and contribute to its protection and preservation.
Our main emphasis is placed on absorbing CO2 in the form of reclamation and reforestation. Most of our operation takes place on Langjokull, where we operate Iceland‘s largest snowmobile fleet. It is a sad fact that global warming is melting away our glaciers and that in about 100 years or so, Langjokull glacier might disappear completely.
Therefore, we strive to support environmental projects and we have worked in close cooperation in the past with the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland (SCSI). We are currently supporting a reforestation project in Bláskógabyggð, close to Mountaineers main area of operation.
Mountaineers of Iceland is committed to taking meaningful, long-term steps to address the carbon impact of its snowmobile operations. As part of that work, we are supporting a land restoration and carbon sequestration project in Bláskógabyggð, Iceland.
Through an agreement dated 6 May 2025, our operating company, Skálpi ehf, supports the restoration of nearly 43 hectares of land at Hólar in Bláskógabyggð. The project is designed to restore degraded land through revegetation and forestry, helping to increase carbon storage in vegetation and soil over time.
Skálpi ehf funds the restoration work required for the project, including seeding, fertilization, and other necessary land improvement measures. The agreement also allows for professional assessment of the carbon captured on the site, and the measured sequestration may be used in connection with the company’s operations and communications.
With a 25-year term, this project reflects a long-term commitment to responsible stewardship, environmental awareness, and a more sustainable future for our operations in Iceland.
Mountaineers of Iceland has already taken important steps in this direction by measuring emissions from its machinery, supporting reforestation efforts in Bláskógabyggð, and working with SCSI to identify land suitable for long-term carbon sequestration. Together, these actions reflect our ambition to reduce the environmental impact of our operations and to help lead the way for responsible tourism in Iceland.
Mountaineers have put in place a booking system where customers have the option of paying an extra 5 USD per person when booking tours with us. This extra fund will go undivided to supporting our environmental project: The reforestation project in Bláskógabyggð. We are aware of similar arrangements with other tour operators in Iceland that have had successful results.
Environmentally Friendly Electric Snowmobiles.
In recent years, there has been much advancement in the field of electric vehicles, with the development of electric snowmobiles being no exception.
It is our future goal to test drive these new snowmobiles and if they prove well in the Icelandic environment, to replace a part of our traditional fossil fuel snowmobile fleet with the new more environmentally friendly electric ones. It is clear that it is more rational to utilize our local clean and renewable energy instead of using polluting fossil fuels, transported across the world with associated expenses.
We also focus on other areas of environmental protection. We have adopted a system where litter is sorted into metal, plastics, and glass for recycling. We also separate organic waste, as well as bottles and aluminum cans for recycling.
Vakinn Environmental Quality Standard
Our goal is to make dedicated efforts to protect and conserve the environment and contribute to sustainable tourism in Iceland. In order to achieve that goal, we will take into serious consideration the environmental guidelines raised by Vakinn, and the quality and environmental system for Icelandic tourism.
The first step in saving the glacier is to go green and shut down the diesel generator that has been powering our glacial huts.
This marks a great step in the green revolution. We are connected to the grid and have gone green.