Tampilkan postingan dengan label Norway. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label Norway. Tampilkan semua postingan
Centre Court 8b/+ video
The final video clip from the Gore-Tex Experience Tour trip in Norway is now up. My new route at the Tunga boulder, Ersfjord - Centre Court 8b/+. Mega route. I also bolted an extended start to Piercing (8b/+) which shares the same finish as this route, but since we put our time into Bongo Bar on Blamann, I didn’t get a chance to finish it. So it’s there as a project for some keen locals or visitors. Would be around 8c. Go to it! And if you don’t get it, I might just come back sometime soon and do it myself.
Helena's jump
My body is still sore from a long day out on Blamman. We are back off up there today to collect ropes and things as our trip is almost over. The past couple of days have been fantastic though. Here is a wee video of Helena doing a victory jump off the Tunga boulder. More vids are on the way. For now, I have to go and pack and head out for another long day climbing. Excellent.
Norway videos
Two nice videos below by Paul Diffley of Helena and Julia climbing in Ersfjord and Gulknausen. Yesterday, Donald and Helena went for a big ridge traverse run over Blamman and the chain of mountains beyond. Meanwhile I spent more time cleaning and trying moves on new routes. Right now we are waiting for the cool of the evening (plus dilligently cultivating fingertip skin) so we have half a chance of holding small holds in the roofs of Ersfjord.
Paul is sitting beside me editing another video, which will be on the Gore-Tex facebook page at some point soon.
Ersfjord time
Julia scoping out new route potential
A little rain sweeps across Ersfjord. It didn’t last.
Helena getting ready and climbing Turistklasse - a lovely traverse out above the space below.
Everyone’s fingertips are really suffering now at the hands of the unforgiving Ersfjord granite. Even after a rest our tips were still pink and small holds feel unpleasant to pull on. However, we went for it anyway. I bolted a superb line on a massive roof after two tries I was ready for a redpoint try, all except my fingers. Down to the last layer before a trip ruining split tip, I had to stop until tomorrow morning.
Afterwards I bolted two more new routes and belayed Julia while she bolted another. So between us we have made some progress on quite a few different projects, and the forecast is still nice.
Diff has made a lovely video of Julia climbing one of the island’s best 7b+s over on the Gore-Tex experience tour facebook page here.
Norway Day 3
Julia exploring granite boulders, Blammanen. All pics by Paul Diffley/Hot Aches. Paul's uploaded a nice gallery of pics to the Gore-Tex facebook page.
Helena enjoying warm sunshine and cool shade in Ersfjord
Julia working Ramadan, 8a, Ersfjord
Today we are resting sore fingers from the Ersfjord granite in Norway, for a morning at least. Later, I’m off for a proper explore of the faces and boulders above Ersfjord itself. Things have been going up and down here over the past 2 days, as is normal for the business of looking for hard new routes. We were doing well on a route on Blammanen and I was getting most excited. But some logistical problems made us realise it would be difficult to do it safely in the time we have here. So yesterday we went to another venue.
Straight away I saw a great line to start working on, and after a couple of hours on it, had done the moves. It’s a 70 metre pitch and a difficult crux after 30 metres. I think it’ll take a little time, and some better conditions.
I’ve never been great at climbing granite, since there isn’t much steep granite in Scotland. But I’ve definitely learnt a lot in the past 4 days, and I’m eager to put it to good use. Last night was quite hard work as it was unexpectedly hot and humid. Not what I was expecting from this trip I must say. A lot of skin was lost from the team’s fingertips. Tomorrow, maybe we look at somewhere different again.
I think all of us are getting into the flow of the climbing here.
Day 1 in Norway
I write quickly before we go back into the mountains for more climbing in Norway. Yesterday, we did our start of trip faff, buying food etc and drove round for an evening session on Blammanen. We managed to choose a line to try and did 2 50 metre pitches of E6 6b. The next pitch looks extremely hard and blank, going through roofs. But if that goes, the rest of the route should too. Time to send Donald out in front with the aid gear! That is the project for the next two days at least.
I was feeling a little daunted at the prospect of doing it all again today after finally making dinner at 2am after climbing yesterday. but Helena’s pancakes this morning have squashed this feeling a little.
Running home for tea
The Grey Corries
It was hard to bail when after Easain it’s a steady cruise without much more ascent, but it’s been a while since I’ve ran so I took the chilled option and stumbled down into the massive and wild Coire nan Eoin. Despite feeling pretty lousy, the solitude of this glen was something else and I tramped quite happily in my own little zone through it’s meanders out into Leanachan Forest.
However, once in Leanachan Forest, I was really ready for some dinner let me tell you so it was a fine training exercise to tramp through it’s seemingly endless tracks leading here, there and everywhere and finally back to my car in Spean Bridge.
I had a pound coin in my car. It’s been a couple of decades since I’ve done this but I dived straight into the Spar shop and stood carefully in the sweetie isle calculating how I could buy the maximum amount of chocolate for 1 pound. I couldn’t believe chocolate bars are 70 odd pence these days! My prizes lasted well under a minute (1 picnic bar, one fudge, 11p change).
Good day out. Might do this again next week. Tomorrow feeding midges as Steall again.
Team assembled for the Gore-Tex Experience tour trip!
I was nervous about the weekend. From everyone who applied to our competition to win the climbing trip in Norway with us, we had already chosen 4 great climbers, all of whom sounded ideal for the project. How to choose 2 from them? It’s obviously not something I’m used to doing, and I found it hard.
But we had a nice weekend. With mega downpours soaking bits of Scotland at random, we stuck to Ratho Quarry so we could keep climbing indoors if we were unlucky. As it happened, we got to climb trad pretty much all day.
James on Sedge Warbler E2 5b
We started off with a team ascent of Shear Fear (E2) and then split into 2 teams to attack the harder routes. I ran back and forth, watching, thinking. I wasn’t so much looking for the strongest or most single minded leader. The ideal place to be to take on new routes on mountain or remote cliffs is just being an all round ‘solid’ climber. In trad climbing that means going for it, but only at the right moment, with safety either in protection or preferably ability to remember and downclimb out of trouble. It also means anticipation of problems, faffs, the sequence ahead and a million other things…
I looked for evidence of all of these skills and found plenty in all 4. There was a range of experience among them. More experience doesn’t necessarily correlate to more skills. Experience sometimes reinforces timidness, overconfidence or bad habits. James made a solid and safe lead of Shear Fear, Jake smoothly dispatched Wally 3 (E4) and both Helena and Julia made gutsy and determined leads on a very damp Gruel Brittania (E3).
Jake smoothly leading Wally 3, E4 6a
Julia eyes up the depths of the Shear Fear flakes
Julia going for it on Gruel Brittania (E3)
I was impressed all round. But in the end, a choice had to be made. Well done Helena and Julia - I’m looking forward to climbing granite with you in Norway!
Now that the project has taken on a new life beyond a few words and ideas typed on my screen or discussed between Gore-Tex colleagues, it seems a lot more real. I’m really looking forward to visiting a new place with such a strong team assembled. Joining us climbers will be Paul Diffley and cameras and Donald to help us rig and film. Time to train once again…
Some more great pictures on the Gore-Tex facebook page.
Helena, James, myself, Jake and Julia - it was a pleasure.
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