Ersfjord new route
Centre Court 8b/+ first ascent, Tunga, Ersfjord. Gore-Tex jacket keeping the finishing hold dry until Donald pulled it away at the last moment. More pics on the Gore-Tex Experience Tour page here.
When jumping around the huge boulderfield at Ersfjord, one boulder stood out and had me clambering straight for it and uncoiling my rope. Tunga is a huge leaning fin of granite. Currently home to the route Piercing (8b+ and currently the hardest route in northern Norway).
I spotted a nice looking line leading across the wall into the upper half of Piercing and taking in it’s crux, so I got that bolted up straight away. I was hoping it would be a wee bit harder than Piercing, but in the end it’s about the same difficulty. There was only enough fingertip skin for 2 quick tries and then I was worried about split tips. So last night I returned but it was still so hot and humid I initially decided not to climb at all.
A whiff of breeze changed my mind, and it was just as well I succeeded first try since my fingers would not have stood another attempt. I can’t decide if its 8b or 8b+ (same goes for Piercing) so it has a split grade. Maybe if it wasn’t so humid it would have felt easier. I spent the rest of the session trying another line I bolted, 8b+/c or 8c+ depending on the chosen finish. I doubt I’ll have time to finish it before we leave, but I’ll have a go!
