Finally Kirkefjorden!

I've wanted to go here for a long time. Ever since I saw that program "Der ingen skulle tru at nokon kunne bu" which was long before I moved to Norway. I am so excited! Afternoon at work was soooooooo sloooooow but finally I got on my bike and went home to pack! We were meeting up with Martin at the ferry leaving from Reine at 9.30 pm. He was late so we had already loaded everything on the boat. It's only possible to go every second week if you wanna be able to get back home on sunday so when conditions are good you just need to go! There is only one man living in Kirkefjorden all year around, other than that it's just some holiday houses. Once upon a time 300 people lived here but now it's just Oddvar still hanging in there. And it is a magical place with the mighty mountains towering around the fjord. The funny thing is that I had the privilege to meet Oddvar and his friend Arnet who was visiting because they were also on the boat today! We arrived at 10 pm and went to look for a good tentspot. Then we pitched the tent and started cooking dinner. While we had dinner we saw the most spectacular northern light, with really strong colors and it was dancing in the sky.

Kjell and Arnet.

Arriving Kirkefjorden.

Photo: Martin J

Photo: Martin J

Fiskehodene gav meg bakoversveis

Yesterday I saw them....the cod heads and I don't know what to say, it looks macabre. All these raw fish heads hanging there in bunches. And yet this is only the beginning, they just filled a fraction of all the wooden racks here. I have also learned a new norwegian word "bakoversveis" but not really sure how to translate that (something like "falling backwards with fright / dismay"). Each day they are hanging more and more. Now I know these dried fish heads will be exported to Nigeria where they use it mainly for soup. They will hang from february - may, then it will be packed and shipped.

 

Smultronställe

Title means; swedish word for favorite spot.
Yesterday it got really late so naturally a really late start today as well. We headed for an icefall but it was way to thin and steep. Meanwhile we found another one a bit further away but we just strolled away and then went to look for a mix route we read about. Sadly there were no ice and no snow at all so instead Andreas showed me one of his favorite spots. A place to boulder, make a fire, have some beer and stockfish or whatever...

Back at Vestvågøya it was time for dinner and watching the entire movie "Alt Flyter", the documentary about Planet Lofoten.

Vågakallen.

Vågakallen.

Beautiful day at Kalle.

The other ice route we found.

Arctic plant.

At Kalle. Photo; Andreas

Boulder spot.

Teatime? Photo: Andreas

Happy boulder.

Crash pads are very useful for...sofa?

Andreas updating fb?

Mighty "Presten".

Arctic boulder, only for the hardest.

Urban art in Henningsvær.

Gode venner er livets beste krydde

Moomin loves presents!

I am so grateful for my friends!

Best chocolate ever! There were 4 but
you know how it is...Thanks Andreas!

Homemade pizza!

Title means; Good friends are life's best spices

I didn't tell anyone but somehow my sweet colleagues managed to find out it's my birthday...I was trying really hard this week to get someone to climb ice with me at Sørvågen but it seemed impossible. Or actually Martin and Gunnar were climbing but I thought rather not to be 3 on a multipitch...anyway we were invited to Eline for dinner so I had to take the bus at 12 anyway. I got off the bus in Kabelvåg where Andreas picked me up and we went climbing at Kong Øysteins Hall. Then a quick shower and off to Eline. She was making pizza! Also Elise and Stein Helge came.

Styggbratt

I have learned a new norwegian word which I really love. Styggbratt. I think it's my new favourite word! Today we went to Leknes to pick up Gunnar and then we met up with Martin at Akkarvika, just before Reine to climb some ice. You could see two lines in the valley and we decided for the right one. The approach was 30 minutes. It was a beautiful day and the ice was really good. Today I climbed with Andreas and I was leading all the four pitches. We started pretty late today so after descent we had our packed lunch and then it was getting darker.

Sorting the gear.

Vassdalsvatnet.

The right side ice. Photo: Martin

Last minute finish. Photo: Martin

Martin leading.

Gunnar leading.

"Project Styggbratt" above the ice left

Andreas coiling the rope.

Traverse Moltinden to Stortinden

We left shortly after 7 from Ballstadøya. Met up with Martin and Jonas in Ramberg. Then we placed one car at the old "Electric Blue Café". We sorted out the last gear details and went up. Andreas and Jonas is one team and I am climbing with Martin. Feeling really safe in the company of a doctor and a nurse! There was a strong wind when we started going upwards but it subsided later on. It took us 8 and a half hour before coming down again at the deserted "Electric Blue Café". After coming down we went to Friisgarden café in Ramberg for a coffee before we went home. I met my new neighbour when I came back to Hattvika standing there with my axes in one hand and she invited me to a 30 year birthday party! That was really nice but I had to decline since I invited Andreas for a sharpening-axes-and-crampons-nite with simple dinner and to watch the movie Cold Haul. We didn't have time for the movie because suddenly it was midnight...so we have to postpone that. I've already seen it several times though but not Andreas. Because tomorrow we are going climbing so we can't be up all nite!

Seen from Napp. The highest peak.

Going up from Ramberg.

View keeps improving.

Our goal - Stortinden.

Short break...

...before climbing starts.

Jonas. Photo: Andreas

The route.

Me and Martin. Photo: Andreas

Jonas looking for placements.

Me following Martin.

My turn to lead!

Summit 866 m.

Time to descend before it's too dark.

Fløya

I woke up after sleeping like a baby at Marianne & Øystein's place. The room was cool and the quilt was thick and warm. I saw the sky turning pink and orange before the other's woke up. Marianne made us the best coffee! We had some breakfast, filled the thermos and made packed lunch. We got dressed and sorted out the equipment (too tired yesterday) then we met the others at the cemetery in Svolvær just below the famous goat (Svolvæergeita). Today I was introduced to some of the most active climbers here. We went up the old path to the right side of the goat, within shortly we had to put on our crampons and have the axe ready. Halfway up three persons decided not to continue but chose another way. I think it was the first time walking with crampons for two of them so I can understand. Me, Andreas and Fredrik continued up the snow chute. This time I used both my axes (feeling a bit more like Ueli Steck!) finally up at the ridge it was time to get tied in. I started leading and came to a crazy steep and airy section where I luckily found some ice ( I only brought my two shortest screws just in case but really happy for that now) I continued the traverse and then finally we went up another snow chute. After this we turned around and Andreas took the short summit lead. Up there was really beautiful and you could look down at Svolvær. Twilight will soon arrive so we took a summit photo and went down. Fredrik was in a hurry because he forgot to bring a headlight.

We passed Djevelporten (Devil's Gate). A really cool place but it was a bit too dark now for a good photo session so I'll have to come back. We went down to where the steep part of the path for descent starts. Finally we took the time to stop for some food, we keep the same style as yesterday just continue for hours with only a few squares of chocolate (but a little chocolate can do wonders for your energy). Now we stopped for tea and sandwiches which we really needed. Enjoying the beautiful view over the sparkling lights down at Svolvæer and the silhouette of the goat. We got a call from the others who were still descending the path that it was so filled with ice that they left a twin rope hanging for us to abseil the worst part of the trail. That was really kind of them because this way it went much faster. For a short while we lost the trail but we could see the cemetery so it was not really a problem and we found it again after a while. Then we went to Geir Rune to leave the ropes. He invited us for coffee but unfortunately we had to say no because Andreas had a meeting to reach in Leknes. We also made a short stop at Stein Helge and his daughter Kathalia before setting off to Vestvågøya. This was such a lovely weekend!

Time for crampons.

Svolværgeita.

Looking down at Svolvær.

Just perfect weather today. 

Heading up the snow chute.

Time to climb!

The lovely sun.

Almost there...

The ridge.

Andreas at summit Fløya. 

The lights shining down there-

Back at the cemetery.

Solitary Man - Neil Diamond
I love this song! (if it were called Solitary Woman it could have been about me). My friend Lucie once told me that we are walking through life like lonely soldiers her an me. Maybe she is right!