Climbing in Norway(english post)

[levak]

Hello!

I know this is a Norwegian forum but I'm searching for every bit of informations I can get and there are no better info than those of a local.

Me and a friend are going to Norway this July and our plan is to climb as much as possible:) Since I never climbed in Norway I'm looking for hints for where to go, which climbing spots are good, how good spots are equipped with protection,...

We will take the next route: Oslo-Olda-Bergen-Geiranger-Molde-Trondheim-Mosjoen-Mo I Rana-Bodo-Lofoten islands.

As far as I know, there is not a lot of bolted climbing spots. I'm quite new to trad climbing but I will have some experiences by the time I come to Norway.

- Places you recommend? Sport, bolder or trad... I climb up to 6b/6c sport, don't know for trad, probably no more than 5a:) I would love to check out some multi-pitch routes in the beautiful mountains. Are there any? I had a quick look at some of the trad routes in Lofoten(Vestpillaren I think), but they are all so heavy:)

- Where could I get some guide books? Are they available on-line? Are there any free guidebooks?

- Is there snow/ice climbing possible in summer?

- Are multi-pitch routes equipped with bolts for belaying?

- What kind of nuts, hexes and camming devices do I need? I will probably have a set or two of nuts, but cammings are quite expensive, so I would like some hints on that sizes will come most handy and will be used the most. Currently I own .5, .75, 1 and 2.

Any other advice or idea that comes to you mind, let me know...

If anyone has some time and would like to show us around or go climbing with us, you are more than welcome.

Thank you and again, sorry for writing in English., Matej

[hakonmar]

Lofoten area:

http://blog.rockfax.com/mark-glaister/

http://www.rockfax.com/databases/r.php?i=27567

http://www.rockfax.com/databases/r.php?i=27567

http://www.rockfax.com/databases/r.php?i=27567

Just north of Trondheim you have a great area called Hell with bolted routes:

Summary in spanglish:

- All the routes are well equipped with bolts

- The grades spans from norwegian 5 to 9/9+ with many hard routes, but a lot of good ones from 6+ to 7+

- Its easy accessed with at car, but its also possible without

- you can download a free topo here:

http://www.coronn.com/TOPOS/readers_pdf/hell.pdf

- Note: Dont use the approach described, theres a new path established that goes around the farmers garden.

In general:

http://home.online.no/~mariusbe/nor/areas.html ->This is a good link for all of Norway when it comes to name dropping.

http://www.gonorway.no/norway/articles/1163

Hope it helps!

[levak]

Hey there!

Nice blog on rockfax... I will definitely take a look at it and read it. I think I will find many useful informations there.

Hell is already on my list of crags, so Hell, here I come:)

And I have already found a page of Mariusbe. Many good informations... I wish there wouldn't be the need to buy 10 and 1 guidebook for Norway:) But hey, I guess that's the price to pay for some unforgiving climbing:)

Thanks for the informations, every bit of it helps...

Matej

[Raymond S]

There is a lot of Sportclimbing around Bergen.

Information you can find here: http://translate.google.no/translate?u=http://www.bergen-klatreklubb.no&sl=no&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8

[levak]

Wooohooo... I think this climbing PDF of 2010 is enough for a week of climbing around Bergen. Thank you Raymond!

Matej

[inaktiv]

I haven't been all places in Norway, but I think some of the best climbing ought to be in Romsdalen and area. There's anything there - alpine climbs, sport, beginners trad with bolted rappells and so on. Eresfjord and Innerdalen are famous spots. If it's rainy the best crag's between Stryn and Loen in Nordfjord, known as "beachen og bølgen". It's so overhung it's always possible to find dry routes, and it's also good for camping. Good luck on your tour!

[levak]

I haven't been all places in Norway, but I think some of the best climbing ought to be in Romsdalen and area. There's anything there - alpine climbs, sport, beginners trad with bolted rappells and so on. Eresfjord and Innerdalen are famous spots. If it's rainy the best crag's between Stryn and Loen in Nordfjord, known as "beachen og bølgen". It's so overhung it's always possible to find dry routes, and it's also good for camping. Good luck on your tour!

Yea, I heard Romsdalen is the place to go so that is definetly on my list. What is the guide book for Romsdalen called and where can I get it? I found Klatring i Romsdal on http://www.romsdala.com/ but I'm not sure they still have it. Is there any updated book or something?

Anyway, I did some selection and I'm thinking of buying the next guides:

Klatring in Innerdalen

Klatring i Eresfjord (place looks aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamazing:))

Klatring in Romsdal

Klatring i Sunndal(looks like another awesome area)

and I already have Lofoten rock

What do you think of selection? Is any of the area too hard for my experiences?

What is the bolting politics in mentioned areas(specially on multi pitch routes). In case routes are not bolted, are rappel/belay stations bolted? Are there any infos about that in guide books?

In case I want to go trad, what kind of equipment is the most frequently needed. What sizes of cams? Nuts? Hexes?

Thanks, Matej

[kai]

when you get to Bodø there are many crags with climbing from grade 3 to grade 9-, all well bolted, and everything from slabs to well overhung routes. 95 % of the sportclimbing crags are roadside and pretty close to each other. here is some info about the guidebook and the area the guidebook covers http://www.bodoklatreklubb.no/Klatrefelteng.htm

here is a link with some photos of climbing oround bodø and other nicde places:

http://www.bodoklatreklubb.no/new/?s=galleri

the guidebook also covers areas in Mo i Rana, and Fugeløya, an island outside Bodø with tradclimbing

[hakonmar]

Levak: Do you have a brother named Nikita? .....

[anderfo]

What is the bolting politics in mentioned areas(specially on multi pitch routes). In case routes are not bolted, are rappel/belay stations bolted? Are there any infos about that in guide books?

In case I want to go trad, what kind of equipment is the most frequently needed. What sizes of cams? Nuts? Hexes?

Thanks, Matej

I'm not an expert, but I think usually there are no bolts on multi-pitch trad routes. However in some areas it is needed for the rappel. Thus, if you're on a popular route that is also a rappel route then you might find bolted anchors. If you're in a not frequently visited area, there might be nothing so you're expected to leave some gear, while in popular areas there's usually a better solution it should be written in the guidebook, though.

This might be different for the areas you have mentioned - I haven't visited all of them.

Usually the "general rules" for the specific area is described in the guidebook. Also what kind of gear to bring is often described there, for example I think I saw this in the Romsdal guidebook and it's definitely written in the Lofoten rockfax guidebook. On some routes there are also special notes for what gear to bring.

In the Lofoten guidebook it is always written (although sometimes wrong...) how to descend and what kind of anchors needed (if they are bolted or trad). I remember when climbing a very popular route "Bare Blåbær", that the rappel anchors in the book were placed totally wrong and we saw other climbers getting "lost" on their way down and had to climb back or set trad anchors to find their way down. Anyway, usually this guidebook is very good

When it comes to sport climbing, I would certainly advice you to visit Hell. A friend of mine has made some photos there:

http://www.pvv.ntnu.no/~kragset/Fotoalbum/2008/HellSommer/

.

[levak]

Kai: Hey... Thanks for the link, it's been useful. Found some nice boulder guide books there... I will have to think about buying a guidebook, since I already have to buy quite some for the lower part of Norway. Anyway, we will see along the way.

hakonmar: Nop...

anderfo: Aha aha I see... great and very useful info. I guess I will know what I need along the way. I hope I bring enough equipment with me. I will probably stick to more popular routes as there are chances some equipment is already left in.

And by the way, Bare Blåbær looks like a route I could manage to climb. If I understand right the description in ROCKFAX, there are already abseil/standing anchors in?

Matej

[levak]

Ooo one more thing... I'm always confused with climbing grades. Are grades in Norwegian guide books always in Norwegian grading system or are trad routes in UIAA? Not that there is big difference, but still...

Matej

[anderfo]

Ooo one more thing... I'm always confused with climbing grades. Are grades in Norwegian guide books always in Norwegian grading system or are trad routes in UIAA? Not that there is big difference, but still...

Matej

It's never UIAA, always Norwegian grades, sometimes supplemented with the French grade. In the Lofoten guidebook there are only Norwegian grades, while in the Trondheim/Hell guidebook there are also French grades. For the bouldering guidebooks I think there are usually French bouldering grades.

Yes, there are abseiling anchors on Bare Blåbær, they are just in a different place than in the guidebook picture. However, I think the mini Djupfjord guidebook that rockfax lets you download for free, has it all correct...

Note that you will need 2x60m ropes for the abseil.

[levak]

andefro: great! I'll have 2x60m with me anyway, so abseil it is!

Matej

[Anestesilegen]

Hi. When you come to Lofoten, go to Henningsvær, the best place for climbing. For further information about climbing, or for renting equipment/guide, contact Nord-Norsk klatreskole (www.nordnorskklatreskole.no/). Also, if you need a place to stay, send a mail and I´ll set you up.