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norwegian granite domes - anyone been here?

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 seankenny 03 Nov 2013
Just saw this little article over on Climbing mag's website:
http://www.climbing.com/route/higher-calling-untouched-pristine-granite-dom...

It's about an area called Uskedalen in Norway. Anyone ever been there? Is it any good?
 Nick_Scots 03 Nov 2013
In reply to seankenny: no, but looks an epic place to climb. Maybe a few mozzies though.
 auld al 03 Nov 2013
In reply to seankenny: Was there a few years ago at the end of June in a heat wave, was 28C. We only had an old line diagram off the web. We didn't get round to climbing as my mate was busting to get up north, but it looked awesome. We did walk up the peaks above the area and seen down endless sheets of granite. There was a visitor book on the summit with an ice-cold can of beer in it - which we didn't drink! Too dehydrating.
Also, on the way down it got hotter and hotter and we got dryer and dryer (really were a bit un-pepared for the heat)and not having seen anyone all day I got stripped down to the underpants when lo and behold the locals started coming up - must have been after their work - not my best moment!
 Kemics 03 Nov 2013
In reply to seankenny:

In theory you could spend a life time climbing in Norway putting up nothing but big wall first ascents....I say 'in theory' for it would need to stop raining at some point
In reply to Kemics:

You would also need to be very, very wealthy ))
OP seankenny 04 Nov 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

> You would also need to be very, very wealthy ))

That's the one thing that puts me off.

Still, I'm surprised that in a country of (reasonably adventurous trad climbers seems to have visited this area.
 adnix 04 Nov 2013
In reply to seankenny:

The friends of mine who have been to Uskedalen speak very highly of it.

There are other places in Norway, too. The best long multipitch can be found in Nissedal, Setesdal, Rogaland and Romsdal. Higher up there are the Lofoten, Stetind and Kvaloya. There's some alpine climbing in Hurrungane, too, and winter ice climbing is practically everywhere if it's cold enough.

Don't miss out Bohuslan in Sweden if you drive to Norway.
 AndyC 05 Nov 2013
In reply to adnix:
> The best long multipitch can be found in Nissedal, Setesdal, Rogaland and Romsdal.

The guidebook alone weighs 5 kg

 GarethSL 05 Nov 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
> (In reply to Kemics)
>
> You would also need to be very, very wealthy ))

Actually not so much. Contrary to popular belief Norway isn't *that* expensive.

Anyway, go to any Norwegian nightclub at 2am on a Saturday and for a meere £40 laced with some strategically placed good old fashioned English charm, a world of doors can open.
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 05 Nov 2013
In reply to GrendeI:
>
> Actually not so much. Contrary to popular belief Norway isn't *that* expensive.
>
> Anyway, go to any Norwegian nightclub at 2am on a Saturday and for a meere £40 laced with some strategically placed good old fashioned English charm, a world of doors can open.

..and despite the rumours, it doesn't rain all the time either!


Chis
OP seankenny 05 Nov 2013
In reply to Chris Craggs:
>
> ..and despite the rumours, it doesn't rain all the time either!

Didn't Littlejohn once write: "If Norway had the climate of California, no one would bother taking a rock climbing holiday anywhere else."

I have heard of some areas in the east which is in the rain shadow of the coast...

 adnix 05 Nov 2013
In reply to Chris Craggs:

Norway is expensive if you take a rent-a-car and eat outdoors. If you take your car and cook your meals the prices don't matter that much.

The weather is variable but it dries quicly and the days are long. The weather varies a lot, too. If it rains in Romsdal it may be dry in Nissedal.
 Kemics 06 Nov 2013
Lies and damned lies!

I had a 3 week holiday to lofoten, not exactly an extremely long time. However, it rained every single day. I can't imagine any location with even that as a possibility. Even Asia during monsoon wouldn't be so bad.

Which wouldn't be so unbearable if you couldn't even drown your sorrows with a beer costing the best part of £10

Nope. Worst holiday ever. I couldn't possibly recommend it with a straight face. It's just waaay too big a gamble. Shame as the routes did look amazing
OP seankenny 06 Nov 2013
In reply to Kemics:
> Lies and damned lies!
>
> I had a 3 week holiday to lofoten...
> Nope. Worst holiday ever. I couldn't possibly recommend it with a straight face. It's just waaay too big a gamble. Shame as the routes did look amazing

This is my fear behind going to Norway. That, and the sneaking suspicion that going to California would cost around the same and be more reliable. Which is why I was asking about the more clement areas.
 TobyA 06 Nov 2013
In reply to Kemics:

> Nope. Worst holiday ever. I couldn't possibly recommend it with a straight face. It's just waaay too big a gamble. Shame as the routes did look amazing

I think you were particularly unlucky (or I've always been particularly lucky?). I've done three weeks in Lofoten in three separate years and never lost a day to rain. This summer I was just across from there on the mainland, again no rain in a week. I've also done a week and a half on Kvaløya and had to dodge rain in the mountains some days but still climbed each day, and that's just the summer trips up there.

Did you have internet connection when up there to search around for areas within driving distance where there might have been better weather? That was a huge advantage we had this summer that we haven't had before - we could pick days for specific targets, because yr.no gives such localised and generally rather good forecasts.

But anyway this place in this thread must be 1000+ kms away from Lofoten.


 adnix 06 Nov 2013
In reply to TobyA:

Southern Norway is much more varied in weather. It isn't as good as California but it's good enough.

If you're willing to move around you'll always have good weather somewhere. I've done three long weekends (ie. four days of climbing) during the past three years and I haven't missed a single day of climbing. But I've always decided the final destination just before the trip and pwith the latest forecast. If you have only one objective and no plan B it can be really bad, though.
OP seankenny 06 Nov 2013
In reply to adnix:

I would never have thought of Norway as a long weekend destination. What areas did you visit and which would you recommend?
 HeMa 07 Nov 2013
In reply to seankenny:

Some option would be naturally Kvaloya (you can see the mountains from the airport, so most likely one layoff in Oslo for connection to Tromsö).

Others Setesdal, Nissedal and Romsdal (most probable option would be to fly to Oslo and rent a car).
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 07 Nov 2013
In reply to Kemics:
> Lies and damned lies!
>
> I had a 3 week holiday to lofoten, not exactly an extremely long time. However, it rained every single day. I can't imagine any location with even that as a possibility. Even Asia during monsoon wouldn't be so bad.
>
> Which wouldn't be so unbearable if you couldn't even drown your sorrows with a beer costing the best part of £10
>
> Nope. Worst holiday ever. I couldn't possibly recommend it with a straight face. It's just waaay too big a gamble. Shame as the routes did look amazing

That is bizarre, I have spent around 15 summers in Norway, six or seven in the North the rest in the South, and have never lost more than a few days to the rain. We camp and climb when it is nice, use the cabins and go fishing/walking when it is unsettled.

Let me know next time you go and we will head to the Alps


Chris
OP seankenny 07 Nov 2013
In reply to Chris Craggs:

Guessing you rate the climbing there then Chris Any top tips for good cragging areas there?
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 07 Nov 2013
In reply to seankenny:

There is good climbing over much of Norway, though the Trondheim area is a bit limited. You need a van full of fodder, get over there and start exploring.

Here are a few tasters:

http://www.pbase.com/chris_craggs/norway


Chris
 GarethSL 07 Nov 2013
In reply to Chris Craggs:
> (In reply to seankenny)
>
> There is good climbing over much of Norway, though the Trondheim area is a bit limited.


Only cause we have shitty rock! But the ice is excellent
 Stone Idle 07 Nov 2013
In reply to seankenny: I spent 3 weeks new routing with a team at Osa (down south a few hours from Bergen. We did not even scratch the surface. Awesome walls. Take ytour own food and booze. The weather was roughly 1 day rain for 3 fine - no problem. Very friendly locals.
 richgac 08 Nov 2013
In reply to seankenny:

Bergen Klatreklubb have released a guidebook to Uskedalen earlier this year, hence the magazine articles starting to appear. It's in Norwegian but with excellent topos. Not sure where it's available over in the UK.

The weather is more or less Scottish. Depends on your perspective if that is a good or bad thing, but at least this year the southern half of the country was under the same high pressure system that gave the long dry summer in the UK and there was next to no rain in June or July.
 adnix 09 Nov 2013
In reply to seankenny:

I've been using Oslo as my hub and I've been focusing on longer climbs. There's climbing in every direction from there. The flights have been around 100€/per person and a economy class car 240€/4 days.

Check these google tickers:
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=z0RWBE4UYf1s.ktGJEVjQHee4
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 09 Nov 2013
In reply to seankenny:

It is perhaps worth pointing out that the Norwegians are great outdoor folks, summer and winter. Routes not appearing in a book doesn't mean that they have never been climbed.


Chris
 adnix 09 Nov 2013
In reply to Chris Craggs:

Genrally speaking Norwegians don't ducument their climbs that much. There's climbing in every corner of the country so nobody bothers.

Guidebooks can be bought in these two shops. They both ship outside Norway:
http://www.klatresiden.no/store/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=57
http://www.oslosportslager.no/produktkategori/klatreforere-klatreboker-4-25...


Jneander 09 Nov 2013
In reply to seankenny:
Hi, im a swedish climber who has been a lot i Norway climbing.

I would say Nissedal for rockclimbing and Rjukan for ice.
Nissedal is a lot more weather stabile than further north.

Nissedal offers clean granite walls with crags or friction parts that are boltet with
anchors on each pitch.

I've got a small pdf-guide that i can e-mail you, and if you go there you shall by the most
actual book up there at the climbing center. Tho whole are has over a 1000
different routes - bring food and drinks since it is expensive in Norway.

Observe that it is possible to put your tent up where ever uou like in scandinavia by law as as you dont litter. Water is drinkable up there so you wont need to bring any.

Best regards and don hesitate to ask for more information.

/Joakim
 adnix 09 Nov 2013
In reply to seankenny:

There's a teaser pdf for Nissedal on Rockfax. The more detailed one is Gå Telemark by Götz Weichmann.

Summertime bonus are definitely the lakes and streams. Good swimming and fishing for rest days if you like that sorts of stuff.

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