FORGOTTEN COAST

Iceland's south coast is one of the most visited regions of the island. However, due to its inaccessible location, few people ever see the beaches themselves. With 49 rivers scattered across Iceland's southern beaches, this stretch consists of hundreds of kilometers of barely explored coastline. The goal of Chris Burkard's "Forgotten Coast" journey was to connect them all on a single route. Now, Burkard has released a remarkable film about his adventures – with some stunningly beautiful footage.

Using a combination of fat bikes and packcraft, Burkard embarks on his trips to explore Iceland's glacial river system and its confluence with the ocean. The 400-kilometer journey by bike and dinghy takes him across the island's black sandbanks and across 41 large and small rivers that flow into the rough waters of the North Atlantic.

"The Alpacka Raft packraft was a key component of this trip," says Burkard. "It enabled the team to safely navigate these rivers without having to carry a huge amount of extra weight. Bikerafting is still a fairly niche adventure sport. But this could change in the future, as packrafts open up unprecedented ranges."

Foto: JORDAN ROSEN

The film's premiere screenings are currently taking place primarily in the US. Screenings are also planned in Europe, for example, in Innsbruck. Event organizers, bike shop owners, or restaurateurs who would like to show the film to a wider audience are cordially invited to contact Chris and his team: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburkard/

Photos: RYAN HILL & CHRIS BURKARD