Hi all I was planning on going to climbing in and around Tromso in Norway this weekend but was just told last night the season has been abnormaly warm and wet and that conditions are just not there. I am leaving tomorrow night and my girlfriend and her friend are already there so not much chance to change where I fly to.
Do you know anywhere far north (say 5 hours from Tromso) where we could drive to to get some climbing done? Ideally we wanted to hire a guide as there are three of us but my gf and ger friend have never climbed on ice (and the friend never climbed at all) oh the blessings...
Anyone pointing me in the right direction will get copious beers should we ever cross paths
In reply to berna: Not sure if it is warm enough for rock, but..
There's a load of rock climbing on kvaloya, which isn't that far away. Can't make specific suggestions as I haven't done any of it - just got the guidebook a couple of months back for a trip next year.
The forecast for the weekend in Tromsø is good, would definitely second the suggestion for cragging/bouldering/big-walling whatever your game is on Kvaløya, it is that good!
The sun is not showing at this time of year btw, despite the forecast. Good Luck With whatever you end up on.
I hope you've got good head torches no matter what your doing, you do realize guys, at this time of year Tromso has only 1hr of daylight every 24hrs!!!!
In reply to berna: I'll ask a mate who lives in Tromsø if she has any ideas - she was both skiing and ice climbing over the last few weeks, her pics on facebook were making me jealous! It may be just a bit inland from there (like Tamokdalen as HeMa suggested) might have something. Tromsø is kinda out to sea so will be warmer than the valleys running inland.
There are guides up that way, Northern Light Guiding? Some name like that anyway - so if you were going to hire a guide anyway, I'd just get in contact with them - if anyone is going to find you some ice it will be them. I've briefly met Bent who runs Senja Lodge and guides - http://www.senjalodge.com/index.php?1=guiding he seems a good guy and maybe worth asking about possibilities. You can get to Senja in a couple of hours from Tromso, but he might know somewhere inland which is about halfway between.
Otherwise - it's a bit of a drive, but down towards Narvik then up over the border into Sweden? The climbing round Abisko isn't so spectacular http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=168325 but it an ok place if you are beginners, and its high and much more inland.
If you could set me up with a local it would be grand! I have been trying all over the place, including Abisko and Senja over the last few days and whenever I could get through to someone on the phone I was told it was unseasonably warm.
I really hope something comes of this as the option will be spending 4 long days in the dark walking in snow shows and being pulled by dogs on sleds, all perfectly lovely and enjoyable (by the girlfriend mostly) but not what I was going to Norway for...
Furthermore, thanks everyone who took the time to reply and good shout on shying away from the bars in Norway. Is Finland like that as well? if it is Toby please let me know when you are in the uk, germany or any other country with suitably cheap beer
Looking at the yr.no forecast and temperature gradient map I would say your best bet close by is, as HeMa suggests, to head up towards Kilpisjärvi from Skibotn and see what you can find in the gorge there on the right side of the road as you head up. Tamok could also be worth a look.
Ps I wouldn't say conditions are 'terrible' in Norway btw. Hemsedal has been constantly freezing for a couple of weeks for example. You roll the dice if you book a trip to the coast during late November. It's had one of the wettest autumns on record so could be really good once the season gets going.
I've facebooked her the link to this thread, so as long as she's not on holiday or something, hopefully she might be able to leave a reply here for you with some on the ground beta.
Finnish beer is cheaper than Norwegian beer, but still not cheap!
"Hey, I'm not registered at UKC, but: it's been exceptionally warm indeed. Havella at Pollfjellet (above Lyngseidet tunnel) was surprisingly fat & ok yesterday; there may also be something at Furuflaten (though looked a bit thin from the village). Ask them to check Tromso klatreklubb fb-page: someone posted pics of Lyngen & Tamok from last weekend – doesn't look great, but there is enough ice to get some climbing done. For really good conditions, I'd suggest much more inlands (Tamok, Kåfjord, Bardufoss have all been warm - I'm sure there's ice, though might be somewhat thin / scary at times..)"
Abisko, dont recall exact driving time from Tromso but it`ll be in the region of 5 hours.
Pictures from two weekends ago, text in swedish. http://crimpmaster.blogspot.se/?m=1
