The 5th annual Climbers’ Club Rjukan Ice Fest Meet – 16th to 25th January 2014 (a little longer for some members)
A mixed team, after 26 spreadsheet issues of the travel and team arrangements, finally got under way on 16th January, when at least two-thirds of the 20 or so Climbers’ Club team met up at Edinburgh airport for the short 2hrs flight to Oslo Gardermoen. The rest of the Meet attendees arrived in smaller doses as the first week went on.
Once in arrivals, cars were sorted, some pre-booked, some even found they were nicely upgraded to 4-wheel drive cars, and other cars that were added to the hiring list due to over-large baggage, comfort and personal choices of having a car of their own at Rjukan.
Snowing like crazy. Peri Stratchino on a Kroken WI 4
The weather was snowy, and the snow-storm continued right through to Rjukan, and stayed with us in daily showers most of the time. But it didn’t hamper us that much, and the deep track in the Rjukan Gorge was handy. However, there was a distinct shortage of ice (in the river bed especially and on several of the usual routes. Camillas Foss (WI 3) was sadly missed this year by several teams. It would have needed a new bridge to cross the water.
The snowed-up and icy road down to and getting out of the Vemork Bridge was trouble for most vehicles except 4-wheel drive cars. Most teams parked a short way past the turn-down road, and walked the few minutes extra, rather than risk getting stuck down at the car park. When we finally pulled out on the 25th they had only by then, lightly gritted it. So the walking was preferable, to be sure of getting back up. Several people (visitors/tourists) didn’t and it cost them a garage tow job.
Regardless of conditions being snowy, with some routes not in full condition, we all got stuck in to some great ice climbing. One big disappointment was the lack of Ice Fest piping by the Vemork Bridge this year. Apparently the cost of installing the pipes for the great Sport Climbs of previous years on the near-side Vemork Bridge walls, was simply unaffordable this year. Locals were asking for a donation, and although I’m sure several of us regulars would have been happy to contribute, there didn’t seem to be too much energy from the locals to get the pipes up and running. So we were left with the steep and thinner than usual lines on the far side to go at.
As the first week went on, conditions did get better and even the steeper/harder climbs produced some thicker ice. However, it did snow virtually every day, so that didn’t help.
Several of the harder boys rattled off the bigger 4s and 5s at various locations, like Ozzimosis, SabotØrfossen, Nye Vemorkfoss, Vemorkfoss Ost and Est.
The popular areas of Ozzimosis and Krokan were somewhat hampered by courses from the military and private sector, and on a couple of occasions, there were one-sided debates about who has the right to climb there if a series of top-ropes had been put up already. We were all suitably diplomatic and moved elsewhere.
In the Upper Gorge, the classic Tracy’s Eyes (WI 3) and Lettvann (WI 2) held onto deep snow for most of the Meet, although the latter did eventually get done (tracked, and solo at that. The former, with its slabby and not well protected nature, resisted all attempts to climb it. A little further up the gorge, By the Way (WI 3) provided a delightful climb for almost every team, and the same applied to a route further on from By the Way, as a route had appeared which (I believe) hadn’t been there before and certainly wasn’t in the guidebook but it proved to be a super single pitch with two choices of exiting, one easy and the more difficult. We named it Sans Nonne, at around WI 3. Rapid ascents and abseils from trees with maillons gave great climbing on both these routes.
At Kroken, Jomfrau (WI 4) gave some good sport, as well as Fyrstikka (WI 5), and on our one day with the Oslo Club, we all had a great time climbing together around the Tip and Top area. But the Bullen wall still provides some of the best steep and fun ice climbing with relatively little seriousness.
In the Upper Gorge, Bakveien (this year with a tricky, narrow but good WI 4 pitch) gave good sport, with the steep first pitch not quite as hard as usual and the final long and steady pitch to the tees giving an easy finish to both Bakveien and Nye Vemorkfoss. This popular route was climbed by several teams, everyone being able to watch the antics of leaders across the way on the big pillar of Nye Vemorkfoss (WI 5), if one could stand the tension.
Also proving worthwhile was the 4 pitch Bolgen (WI 3) Some teams deciding after the initial steady first pitch, then the steeper and harder second pitch (WI 4?), and then the superb and straightforward third pitch, that the snowy final pitch wasn’t really worthwhile, as they were already on the abseils point through the trees at that point. Further left of Bolgen, the steep pillar of Tu Og Et Foster attracted several teams’ attention, all deciding the final steep pillar was a solid WI 5 in the present conditions, as opposed the guidebook WI 4.
This seemed a theory for several of the routes at Rjukan this year, maybe slightly tougher than usual due to the lack of fat ice all around.
Breakfast day 8 – photo Ron Kenyon
Rjukan ice climbing is different every year, but the Gjestegård hostel is always wonderful, with over thirty members from the CC and Oslo clubs attending there, the Oslo team only from the 24th to 26th. Generally, we all had a superb time, enhanced by the quality of service provided by Frank, Torbjørn and the ladies at the Hostel. We had the perfect use of the large and well-equipped hostel kitchen, and the provision of a brand new de-humidifier and the new heater for the large drying room were real assets after a couple of days there.
A great social and climbing scene, with many new friends from the Oslo club, Geir being an excellent joint Meet leader. The Oslo KK joined the Meet for the weekend 24th – 26th January 2014.
More fun and climbing at Rjukan next year, I hope.
Smiler Cuthbertson End January 2014
Meet Members:
Smiler Cuthbertson, Rich Jolley, Matt Barnes (Australia), Dave Amos, John Venier, Mark Baron, Michael Jenkins, Steve Jenkins, Trevor Langhorne, Mike Threlfall, Pablo Lozano, Peri Stratchino, Phil Baker, Rick Graham, Ron Kenyon, Shaw Brown, Steve Gould, Steve Long, Terry Kenny, Tim Pollard – all joined on 24th January by Geir Sanders (Oslo KK Meet secretary and 10 members of that Club).
Look out for them at the Froggatt Hut in May.