UKC

Hei,

Just came back from Lofoten and had a great time. The Rockfax Miniguide was great and was nearly the only guide that got used. I have two questions though, is the guide going to be extended to the other areas in lofoten? (these are covered in the webster guide, but this guide is old and is fairly inaccurate with walk ins and grades etc) and Is the area going to be included on the route database that is part of this site?, it would be nice to comment on some of the grades.

In reply to Hiirvi:

Thanks for your comments. We have the photos and descriptions ready to extend the MiniGuide to the Kalle area i.e. Some routes on Troll Fortress and Paradise areas. We also have more routes on Presten and the Festavags, plus another bouldering area. It's just a question of getting the time to incorporate these in to the guide. No database yet, but if you have comments on the grades please email me through this site.

Thanks, Jonathan

In reply to Jonathan Lagoe - UKC:

Or put them here so all the other Lofoten-addicts can go "No!!! Don't be ridiculous! It is/isn't that hard!" etc etc.

Jonathan - what grade do you have for the Doseth Crack at Kalle? I was rolling on the floor laughing at the grade Twid gave it in the Climber article, cos' either he was wrong or I have made the jump from E1 to being able to second E4 cleanly, which seems rather unlikely.

In reply to TobyA:

Doseth crack not in I'm afraid. We've stuck to routes we actually did and didn't get round to that one. E2 according to nj. Have I missed a Lofoten article in Climber? - I rarely buy magazines.

One significant omission is still Rum & Cola - didn't do it. You don't have a good descrip or photos by any chance?

Also just remembered we did Engelvinger on the Goat Pinnacle and that will go in too.

In reply to Jonathan Lagoe - UKC:
What? A climbing guide by people who've actually done all the routes? It'll never catch on

In reply to Jonathan Lagoe - UKC:

You should make the exception. The Doseth Crack block is one of the most aesthetic pieces of granite anywhere.

In reply to Jonathan Lagoe - UKC:

When do you expect to update the Miniguide? We're off to Lofoten at the beginning of July and although we have the Webster guide it's handy to have different opinions.

In reply to Jonathan Lagoe - UKC:

Lovely, Kalle was a nice spot that has a lot still to offer next time I/we go.

In general our little climbing group thought the grades were spot on, the only comment was that maybe the grade for the second pitch of Apple Cake Arete was a bit low. The first pitch seemed to be technically easier than the second, yet they both have the same grade (i.e. 4c). We were thinking one or two grades harder (i.e. 5a/b). Anyone else have an opinion?

In reply to TobyA:
Hi Tobya,
perhaps E4 is a bit over the top but it is not E1, I only transfered the grade from the Guide. On the whole most of the grades in Norway are a bit easy. If you fancy some real climbing why not try a few repeats of my routes at Gogarth. Vitalastatics still needs a repeat. Leo couldn't make the top pitch. As you are such a shit hot climber maybe you could try it with your hands bound.
Twid
ps sad people get hunge up on grades

In reply to twid:

Hi Twid,

Don't take it too seriously. I've got nothing but respect for the shed-loads of amazing looking routes you have done worldwide, which - as ever with the often gritcentric naval-gazing british magazines - get pretty much ignored. My point wasn't that I'm shit-hot, rather the reverse I'm afraid. I'm a very average punter who leads E1 on a good day, but I seconded Doseth Crack cleanly so E4 for a well protected route seemed rather generous. I don't know if you did Swedish Corner also at Kalle, but I had done that a few days previously with one fall whilst trying to lead it. Others better than me suggested E2 for that, so I would have thought something similar for Doseth Crack.

As to sad people being hung up on grades... you are probably right. I'm sad because I'm not going to Norway this year; I've got the flu; its peeing down with rain outside anyway; and since my lovely-but-so-far-uninterested-in-climbing son came a long 9 weeks ago I've managed three roped routes and a few sessions of bouldering and that's it. So the warm granite and perfect handjams of Lofoten are just memories...

Sorry for any offence given.

Toby.

p.s. Has anyone else done "The Ape" at Kalle? I think the Webster guide gives it Norwegian 6 or 5.10. I would love to say it's an E1, but I suspect that if it was in Yorkshire it would get VS.

In reply to Jonathan Lagoe - UKC:

I haven't done Rum and Cola, but have heard very good (if adventurous - lots of getting lost etc.) reports from teams that have done it.

TobyFK:

You just want your name in the guide!

Hiirvi:

I've done Apple Cake, but it was quite some time ago on my first trip. I think though I agree if I remember right. My idea was that it would be better to swap the top pitches of Applecake and Lys og Skygge (don't try and impress lovely Norwegian girls by saying this unless you know how. They will laugh at you. Trust me...) I remember the top of LOG feeling eaiser than the bottom pitch, but the opposite on Applecake. Then you would have Applecake as VS 4c 4c and LOG as HVS 5a 5a...

In reply to TobyA:

Now you mention it I remember you saying that before.I think its a good suggestion.