Blog
2010-03-01 23:48:12
Busy weekend
The weekend was busy for Rjukan Adventure, with seven clients on Ice Intro course and four clients that booked private guiding. But hey, that's the way we like it!
This weekend our clients came from Sweden, Denmark and UK, to enjoy a few days of fantastic ice climbing conditions in the valley. March is the best month for ice climbing here in Rjukan and we are looking forward to more amazing weekends like this one!
A beautiful day in Krokan
Clients practicing belays
Ruben from Sweden on his first day ice climbing
A future ice climber! Mateo playing in the snow at the crag.
The weekend was busy for Rjukan Adventure, with seven clients on Ice Intro course and four clients that booked private guiding. But hey, that's the way we like it!
This weekend our clients came from Sweden, Denmark and UK, to enjoy a few days of fantastic ice climbing conditions in the valley. March is the best month for ice climbing here in Rjukan and we are looking forward to more amazing weekends like this one!
A beautiful day in Krokan
Clients practicing belays
Ruben from Sweden on his first day ice climbing
A future ice climber! Mateo playing in the snow at the crag.
2010-02-22 11:32:11
Belays - screws in series
An anchor equalized with a sling requires that there is equal force on each points in the anchor, and only a few centimeters difference is enough to weaken an ice screw in the anchor. Equalization with a sling and a focal point, using an overhand knot, will almost never result in an anchor being perfectly equalized. The "sliding-x" technique is a better option for equalizing the anchor points, but also this has disadvantages.
An alternative to equalizing the anchor with a sling, is to use screws in series, where the climbing rope is used between two or more screws that are aligned vertically. The rope between the screws must be as tight as possible. This method is fast and easy and requires a minimal amount of gear.
The picture below show an anchor with screws in series set up for belaying a climber from top, where the Reverso is used directly in the lower ice screw. When belaying a leader, where the belay device will be in the belayer's harness, the person belaying must be clipped into the lower ice screw.
Screws in series - a good alternative to equalization with a sling
An anchor equalized with a sling requires that there is equal force on each points in the anchor, and only a few centimeters difference is enough to weaken an ice screw in the anchor. Equalization with a sling and a focal point, using an overhand knot, will almost never result in an anchor being perfectly equalized. The "sliding-x" technique is a better option for equalizing the anchor points, but also this has disadvantages.
Equalized anchor, where the rightmost ice screw is not equalized, a common scenario.
An alternative to equalizing the anchor with a sling, is to use screws in series, where the climbing rope is used between two or more screws that are aligned vertically. The rope between the screws must be as tight as possible. This method is fast and easy and requires a minimal amount of gear.
The picture below show an anchor with screws in series set up for belaying a climber from top, where the Reverso is used directly in the lower ice screw. When belaying a leader, where the belay device will be in the belayer's harness, the person belaying must be clipped into the lower ice screw.
Screws in series - a good alternative to equalization with a sling
2010-02-20 21:46:23
Back from Eidfjord
Andreas Spak, Christian Pondella and Will Gadd are back from their ice tour on the west coast. During one week the team did the first ascent of three world class routes, in the area around Eidfjord. They climbed Skykkjefossen (400 meters), Skrikjofossen (500 meters) and a route south of Skor (300 meters, name still unknown).
Visit Andreas Spak's blog for a trip report from Eidfjord.
Lower parts of Skrikjofossen
Andreas Spak, Christian Pondella and Will Gadd are back from their ice tour on the west coast. During one week the team did the first ascent of three world class routes, in the area around Eidfjord. They climbed Skykkjefossen (400 meters), Skrikjofossen (500 meters) and a route south of Skor (300 meters, name still unknown).
Visit Andreas Spak's blog for a trip report from Eidfjord.
Lower parts of Skrikjofossen
2010-02-10 22:54:13
Ice adventures
Andreas is on a week's ice adventure, climbing of the best ice routes on earth together with Will Gadd and Christian Pondella. Check out daily updates from this trip on Andreas's blog.
Steep ice
Andreas is on a week's ice adventure, climbing of the best ice routes on earth together with Will Gadd and Christian Pondella. Check out daily updates from this trip on Andreas's blog.
Steep ice
2010-02-09 00:40:52
Another day in the sun!
Today we went back to Tjønstadbergfossen together with our clients from Denmark, Esben and Simon. Topic of the day was leading and practicing techniques for multi-pitch climbing, which is an essential part of our advanced ice climbing courses.
The top pitches of Tjønstadbergfossen get a lot of sun in February and in just a few weeks, depending on temperature and local conditions, this route will not be possible to climb. We could see clear signs of just how much the sun affects ice on the top pitch today. Another week or so with sunshine and the top layer of the ice will be a hard snow crust, easy to climb but impossible to protect with ice screws.
Simon on belay after his first lead
Today we went back to Tjønstadbergfossen together with our clients from Denmark, Esben and Simon. Topic of the day was leading and practicing techniques for multi-pitch climbing, which is an essential part of our advanced ice climbing courses.
The top pitches of Tjønstadbergfossen get a lot of sun in February and in just a few weeks, depending on temperature and local conditions, this route will not be possible to climb. We could see clear signs of just how much the sun affects ice on the top pitch today. Another week or so with sunshine and the top layer of the ice will be a hard snow crust, easy to climb but impossible to protect with ice screws.
Simon on belay after his first lead
