Police Close Roads as Crowds Swell at Hlíðarfjall Ski Resort

2026-02-21 - 16:45

Police were forced to shut roads leading to Hlíðarfjall today after record visitor numbers overwhelmed the popular ski area near Akureyri, north Iceland. As reported by RÚV, large queues formed early in the day, with traffic stretching as far as Hálönd. What's the Story? Police closed roads to Hlíðarfjall due to record crowds. Parking filled up, even though the slopes could cope. More busy days are expected during the school break. People skiing on a sunny day in Hlíðarfjall, Akureyri. Photo: Golli. Iceland Review. The surge has been attributed to the winter break in primary schools across Iceland, which has brought families to the slopes in significant numbers. Brynjar Helgi Ásgeirsson, the Hlíðarfjall director, confirmed that the resort was packed and advised visitors to come in the afternoon. He explained that while the pistes can cope with up to 2,000 skiers an hour, parking facilities have become the main constraint. “The bottleneck may not be the slopes but the parking lot,” he said. Despite the congestion, conditions were described as ideal. “Yes, it’s calm outside, sunny, clear and there couldn’t be better weather for skiing.” Brynjar Helgi Ásgeirsson expects demand to remain high next week and suggested staggering school holidays in future to ease pressure on the resort.