Let's get back on track

Training program

Thursday 13th march

Started with a warm up in the DT room
Moved onto the main overhanging wall on the left up the stairs, did the Schmoolz route
Then me and Dean lead most of the routes on that wall
Moved down stairs and tackled a new 7a route, got halfway.

Monday 10th March

Slight lull in the training due to work and winter climbing ref Two dudes on two grooves.

So back to training.

Took the usual £15 weeks ticket at Rope Race.

Me and Dean did a session in the boulder lounge then onto the main wall for some routes. I mainly stayed with the Schmoolz in the boulder room as I want to keep the power side intact.

Ran a couple of routes with the schmoolz in the main climbing area. Finishing off with a 6c route on top rope, normal climbing.

Great session

Saturday 22nd

Slightly different approach to training today. Arrived at http://www.roperace.co.uk/ for around 13:30.

15 mins warm up in the boulder room, then onto the auto belayer for about 4 routes.

Ran about 10 routes in the main climbing area just using the Schmoolz.(http://schmoolz.com/)

Finished off on a 6a route but only got halfway as the holds were none complementary towards the schmoolz tool. (http://schmoolz.com/)

John working out the route in his mind before starting.

Down into the DT room for a session on the axes. Really focused at this point, got really warmed up using the schmoolz (http://schmoolz.com/) so it was a great transition and finish.

Thursday 20th Feb

Arrived at RR for 10:00 o'clock

Quick ten min warm up on the boulder wall in 5:10 approach shoes.

Training in 5:10 approach shoes with feet on high holds, crunching up on the overhanging wall makes it harder as you have to really tension in to stay on.

Two x 1 min sets on the DT wall

Rest

Two x 2 min

Rest

Two x3

Rest

One x 4

All done away home, feeling pumped

Tuesday 18th

 Arrived at RR for 10:00 o'clock

6 easy routes on the auto belay with 5:10s on

Into the boulder room 4-5 easy routes

Onto the pull up bar, 10 pull ups

Downt to the DT room for 30 mins 

http://vimeo.com/86982284

Finished for 10:50

Sunday16th

15 mins of easy climbing on the auto belayer.

Up the anti with a couple of harder routes.

Now onto the schmoolz with 4 routes done on the auto belayer.

Down to the DT room for the same as Saturday, stein pulls with a side torque moving left to right.

2-3 min hangs on the axes to increase grip strength.

Using my approach shoes in the DT room gives less foot grip so increase body tension which is good for core strength.

Saturday 15th

15 mins of easy climbing in the boulder lounge, any colour.

Easy session on the schmoolz, (wooden axes) - ( https://www.facebook.com/Schmoolz)  

light climbing leading into a couple of intense routes.

Couple of overhang routes with Fig4s incorporated into the route.

Down to the DT (drytooling) room for about one and a half hours.

Traverse routes using side torques to move left and right. Building into the move high reach moves with a hang for about a min then back onto the side torque.

Climbing time

DRY TOOLING AT ROPE RACE

http://vimeo.com/86982284

Saturday took a step forward in the training program. I visited my local climbing wall (rope race) which I've trained at for many a year. We have a new drytooling wall setup which encorparates stein pulls, torques, fig 4 chains ect ect. This has been in operation for about 4 months and is going well. I took out a weeks pass and hit the wall. I normally just do the go pay system, but the weeks pass gives more value and gives me a reason to go.

The right type of energy. A great source of energy.

Sunday started the same, training sesh at RR (rope race)

Adventure in the air

Decided to give cliff a morning off today, let the chap have a lie in. He made breakfast all week and even supplied music to go with it. So, coffees on, quick shower then it's bacon egg sausage and a thick slice of jarlsberg cheese between two doorstops. 

Gears packed and it's time for a weight check, just over the 20kg so having to use Johns spare space in his bag. Loading the car and everyone is starting to move. We head off to Torp at around 10am. Only John and myself are flying home, Dean and Cliff are returning back to Rjukan for a further four days.

We hit kongsberg at about dinner time so we decided to get some coffee and cake.

Scruffy dog hats at the tea party, with a rogue hat in the middle (Cliff Lowther)

https://www.facebook.com/scruffydogcreations

After dinner we wandered of down the high street to drule over the amazing coloured ice climbing pants in the Intersport shop. Looking forward to getting a pair of Norona ice climbing pants. 

http://www.ellis-brigham.com/products/norrona/mens-lofoten-gtx-pro-pants/339301 but not from Norway due to the price.

Back in the car and it's off to Torp to catch the 18:15 flight back to Liverpool. We arrive at the airport with lots of spare time on our hands. Not looking forward to the wait as it's usually pretty dull. Quick handshake and a hug in the car park and we leave Cliff and Dean to head back to paradise (Rjukan) while we head for Liverpool, not paradise. Sat at the table whipping through IPad pics and a blonde walks over and asks if she could sit down for a chat. No, not 21 and you now what but more like 70 and pissed. So like gentlemen we say no F--c- off. Only joking. Please sit down I said, big mistake. She talked more than I do. We nearly missed the plane as time flew so fast listening to her telling us about her amazing daughter and that she was an amazing doctor the best in Norway, plus how good she, the blonde was at tennis. Oh my god shoot me.

Johns nodded off with bordam.

Quick get away and we are through and safe behind passport control. The blondes off to Bergen so no stalking for her.

Two hot dogs and a Lipton ice tea and we are off to gate 16. Big laughs as priority boarders go through first. Yep, in front of about 20 passengers as the flight was nearly empty. Big mistake, what a waste of money. I got on first whilst the priority boarders were stood on the Tarmac waiting at the front of the plane, ha ha.

Now for the interesting bit. 

Moving down the plane to row 18 seat C and John in row 18 seat B. OOw cosy. Sat in seat A was a lady looking very outdoor. So the usual hello was in order, with a similar reply. After a couple of mins she asked if we had been climbing in Rjukan as the boots gave it away abit,Yes I replied. 1 hr 40 mins later we landed. It was the quickest flight going as we didn't stop talking all the way home. She was a most interesting person. It turned out that she was an explorer and had just come back from a trip which involved crossing  the Hardangervidda  on skis. She was most interesting and talked at great length about Svalbard and her recent trips. She also talked about camp Borneo and reaching the North Pole and all the logistics involved. The company she works for is called Newland Expeditions World Tour. (http://newland.no/index.php/en/svalbard) she had lots of interesting information regarding clothing,diet and warmth techniques which I can't wait to try out. And amazingly she lives in the Peak District and new a lot of the same people that me and Dean climb with or just no through the outdoor world, small world. 

So, it's pretty impossible to get it all down in a BLOG other than it certainly inspired me to think about this type of adventure as it looks and sounds amazing. So if you fancy a change in your life contact Helen on helen@newland.no. And mention this BLOG as I am sure she will be pleased to talk to you about your next adventure.

Quick good by and a stay in touch and we are off to collect the bags. Straight out no messing within about 20 mins. Great back home and in Liverpool.!!

Top rope street AKA Krokan

Bit of a late start today, our breakfast chef was a little late getting up this morning. Will have to do better Cliff, only joking. However next week should be a very different thing, dean and cliff alone in brokeback cabin.

Bacon sandwiches and porridge consumed and it's off to Krokan. Or should I not say (Top rope street) 

All the way down the crag was enthused with Top ropes. Lots of people out today, typical Sunday.

All in all a very satisfying day, didn't expect to complete as many superb routes as we did. John and myself headed of down to a nice little WI2 to get john back into the swing, to regain his mojo after loosing it over the last couple of days.

Dean and Cliff moved off towards the top end of the crag towards the bridge and started on an unknown route at around WI5 at the right side of Gaustaspøkelse. 

John came up on second with a regained mojo in his pocket, but preferred to stay at the one route. The route was nice but no technicality in it. When I got to the anchor point and set in waiting for john we were joined by a second team which made it quite snug up there. All in all a nice warm up route.

Ok, now to the business, set off down the crag to find a free spot. Every were at the inn was full, top ropes every were. However we met a team which we had chatted to the previous day. Chatting away and me looking towards a vacant, very steep section of ice between the tope ropes. The chap said, ah yes someone tried that earlier, got half way due to the thin ice and the fact it was a curtain of ice backed off at around ten feet up. Oh dear, that was a red rag to a bull. I cut a stance in front of the route which instantly caused attention. Then started to coil the ropes ready for action. John was a bit concerned at this point, r u doin it, yep u bet. Chunner chunner chunner comes back from john. Tied on and the first axe goes in straight through. Quite thin as the guy said, oh well. Second axe in,alls good. Up at around 15ft and the first screw goes in, big lean back and hang on the axe, fairly steep pitch. Second screw and it's up over the shoulder and heading for the belay stance. The stance is set back inside a little cave, amazing.

Looking out of the cave at the hanging strap coming down off the anchor point, this is attached to a 4inch branch sticking out of the ice.

Looking out of the cave towards john below.

Route complete and it's off to find Dean and Cliff. The boys are waiting for Gaustapoleske as a couple of chaps from Bergen are running the route. The guys jump straight on a complete the route in good style, I hop on as third man to get the route in. We all abseil off and head off to the route next door. Dean knocked off the route, De killer meg fjard M7. Mixed route leading out onto the ice at around 25ft up. Cliff took second and I came up third but took the direct route up the ice face (Topp WI5).

Dean an me going double on the rope, c u at the top. 

Cliffs waiting at the stance.

All safely down on the ground we make up the gear and head off back to the car. Due to all the heavy snow during the day we all expected the car to be under snow, not to be. The car is clear and we head off into town for coffee and cake. That's the end of the climbing for me and john, it's been a superb week with new skills being passed on by cliff to an ever greatfull team. Dean and Cliff are here to stay for a further week so further BLOGS will be heading your way.

Halt, who goes there.

Quite an appt start for the day. We parked at the car park at the Climb Inn to the side of Vemork Bridge. After Dean did a bit of a recky down the road,The road is very steep, and with the amount of snow we have had it's always good to check. Anyway all was good, as a van flew past down the hill at Norwegian speed. So back in the car and off down the hill, gritting teeth, especially John in the back. Johns still getting to grips with the Norwegian road conditions (bloody scary)

Blood stains in the car park. This is the spot the Gestapo shot the British Commandos after the attack on the heavy water plant hear in Rjukan. Obviously just fake but pretty real looking. A guy in the town who is writing a book on the whole episode told us he had attended the filming that night and it felt beyond real, as if time had shunted backwards.

Looking towards the bridge from the car park. The recent filming in the area has left a couple of props behind. Looks like a scene from 1944 up here. Check out this baby, a ruddy great gun.

Dean checking the range on it, just about to load her up and give her a burst.

After our antics on the very large gun Dean went for a brew in the guard hut, don't think the Germans would have been chuffed, hey, what ever.

Ok, let the climbers through, but shoot the Germans.

Ok, off to the climbs. We headed off down the track to get into the gorge, yep, so we could climb right back out again. 

First route of the day, vemorkbrufoss Vest 3 star WI5.

The route was in great condition with excellent ice. I ran the route clean in one runout. Quite a long route with about 5m of rope left when I got to the top belay. The view down from the first stance was amazing. I took a super shot of some ice shandaliers hanging off the edge.

 On and upwards, just waiting for Cliff to finish the second pitch so I can start my run.

Nice use of an in situ ice anchor (Abalakov) at the first pitch. Plus backup screw just in case. Ok cliff up and over the second pitch. I give a quick call on the radio which we are all carrying and the message good to go is sent back. Moving, setting off up the second pitch,The ropes getting a bit heavy now, full length of ropes and the drag on the ice is quite a weight.

Looking down the first pitch.

Looking up the second pitch as Cliff exits.

Job done, always wanted to do this route but never had the skill or the nerve in past years to do it. Well it's in the bag, plus I had the whole lead to myself. Sat at the top rigging the ropes for the descent the view was stunning. Ropes setup and a quick abseil back down to clear the route of all the gear.

Dean and cliff have moved round the corner to Vemorkbrufoss Ost 3 star WI4. Lots of noise coming from there direction, sounds like someone's in trouble. No, just a load of noisy climbers with very little idea of rope communication ( buy a radio) and keep the noise down. 

Great run on Ost, I just went to the half way point. John decided it wasn't for him so I lowered him back down the route. Cliff and dean appeared after just completing the route. Cliff very kindly belayed me as I had to retrieve my gear. The route I had taken ended in a traverse of about 20ft, this presented a pretty difficult task of gear retreaval due to the nature of gear placement. Anyway cliff prepared the ropes and the correct course of action in which to retrieve the gear. This involved me back climbing the route to the halfway point at which john had been lowered down from. Back climbed, removed the last screw then retraced my steps back up the route removing the screws on the way. Safely back at the stance with cliff, cliff lowered me off the route whilst still setup in the belay. Down on the ground dean makes the suggestion that coffee and cake are the call of the day.

Cliff abseiling off the second stance after the de rigging process.

Heading back up the gorge to claim our coffee and cake.

Skating on thin ice

Today started the usual way with a guy from Sunderland playing music at the wrong end of the day.

Cliffy.

Off to lower gorge to see what's doin, lots of information regarding access, deep snow and difficult access. We set off up the road and parked opposite Knerten. Took the track down into the river bed and made a way through the snow to the centre of the river. This ended in a nice little river crossing incorporating a lunging jump to safe ground.

The Roxcool boys taking time out.

Now comes the fun, running water under the snow. Crossing time boys.

Just crossed over the snow bridge with the water running fast below. Had to jump in a star position to spread the weight, hit the other side like a plank. Rucksacks are over and cliffs got the go ahead to jump. Further than it looks, wouldn't want to fall in. We all make it over in good style, no wet feet. 

Nice landing cliff.

Ok, now the serious stuff,Let's get climbing. The day started at the right pace, straight in. Dean took the right side (Lillebror WI3) and I took the left side which was absolutely bombed out with snow, must have been at least two foot on the route. The route I took was left of (Lillebror WI3) sketchy route with deep powder snow and really shit placements, long run outs due to scrappy ice. All in all the route was amazing and I wouldn't have swapped it for the world.

Yep, it's deep. No snapseed enhancement here. It was a battle all the way. Having to cut the snow off in blocks and send it crashing down to john, oh well, happy belaying.

John climbed in great style on second, completely new style of climbing due to the snow cover on the route. Axe placements were not easy to find.

John going well on Hjemreisen WI4, got just past the yellow ice stacks and decided enough was enough. Real shame as john had done well to here, but lost confidence. Think this will be a lesson learnt as it was more arduous getting him off the route than just continuing on. Oh well alls good and this is how we all develop our skills, another tool in the tool box for john, just keep going.

Me trying to get the Daniel Du Lac look off the 4th page on Heavy Water. Obviously didn't work.

Dean heading off up a route (unknown WI4)to the right of Verdens Gang  in good style.

Ok, all done. Off to the Kondertori (cafe) for coffee un cake.

Cliff Lowther monster cake eater.

Finished for today, check in tomoz.

Can u hear me, r u there.

The day started with an abrupt opening of the eyes to a guy from Sunderland singing and playing some god awfull music (staves) Coffees on and the porridge is on the table, that's more like it. Last night saw a lot of chat and a lot of totties, ie whiskey goin down. 

Krokans on the cards today. The drive up the valley was a real eye opener to john, the snow was pretty impressive. Arriving at Krokan car park, couldn't see in as the snow on the entrance was about 6ft deep. Alls good as we turn in, loads of room at the inn. A couple of guys pull in, cliff starts a conversation in Spanish which is impressive. The guys reply something as to, we are basque, ok nice. 

Cliff and dean gearing up for the first route of the day.

Cliff surveying the route.

Amazing shot from fission bowl, with a slight tweak from snapseed.

Moving on,some great leads fell to the boys today. Cliff lead bullen WI3 and Kjokkrntrappa WI4 with dean taking Jomfrua WI4, think this is the second time. 2010 first run. Further routes were sent with a superb effort on Fission bowl by dean on a dry tool route to the left side, sketchy.

Dean on sighting a route we don't know the name off, only we know it's to the right of captain crock.

Lovin the pants, major euro.

Ok, teas just about ready so it's time to close.

Hytterby boyz do it cold

What do you reckon guys,an easy day tommorrow, meaning today. Yeh sounds good, what ever. 07:00 we are up, cliffs got the coffee goin, and a big pot of porridge. Bacon egg plus a massive slab of jarlsberg.  Gear stowed in the car and we are off to Ozzimosis just up the road.

Deans quick to get stuck in with a fine route at the end of the crag. Cliffs on belay grabbing some cracking shots.

Bit of a double selfy.

Ok, some great routes done today. Main tick went to dean on a superb, but easy lead for him on Ozzmosis.

Double Dalton duo top out.

The top out. Me and Dean topped out together, cliff and john on the way up in tandem. 

A full day of fun was had with about four routes completed, johns got his ice head on now and ready to take on some lead routes. We are of to Krokan tomorrow, can't wait as the weather looking to fall down into the better minuses than today. Today's been a bit cooler today in the 0 to -1. Not major cold but great as a lead in to the holiday.

Ok deans cooking tea and johns in the bedroom asking his misses if she can hear him, or are you there. WIFI conection is a bit on off.

Alls good, so it off to drink some whiskey and chat climbing.