July 8th, 2019: Chris gained the exposed ledge marking the top of Pitch 1 of the North Ridge of Vågakallen. It was his first time climbing outdoors. I (Erik) grinned at him, but as he strode towards me I noticed something wasn't right. “You better fucking smarten up,” he said, pointing an accusatory finger at me. “I don’t know what I’m doing. That Norwegian couple down there told me I was belaying wrong,” he said, pointing down to where the climb began on an airy ridge. “And they told me my harness was on upside-down.” I laughed, but Chris was not amused. I swallowed. “You’re right. I need to smarten up. But don't worry! It gets better. Just remember to breathe.” Chris, hands on knees, had relaxed a bit but didn’t say anything. This would turn out to be a proper adventure after all! I thought. And I wasn’t wrong. Classmates from engineering school, Chris and I had both moved to Norway around the same time. In July, 2019, we set out together on a bike tour in North-Norway. Along the way, I convinced Chris to rope up with me and try a few classic moderate climbs. Amazingly, he agreed. Every summer, thousands of tourists gain the summit of Vågakallen via a bold hiking trail that ascends the South Face. Climbers typically opt for the more adventurous North Ridge and use the hiking trail to descend. Although it’s relatively low in altitude, the route is a proper alpine adventure with varied ridge scrambling and occasional exposed stances. The peak is a stone’s throw from the town of Henningsvær, a picturesque town in Norway’s Lofoten archipelago, and draws climbers of all levels. The difficulty is not harder than 5.7, or N4+ in the Norwegian grading system, but it shouldn't be underestimated. This post might be the only existing English trip report for this route, so hopefully climbers visiting from abroad find it useful. As usual, feel free to comment below or leave questions and I’ll try to answer them. By bike to HenningsværFollowing the National Tourist Road along the E10 highway, Chris and I biked 100 km to Henningsvær from Selfjord. There we had left behind a cozy DNT cabin, our refuge from the previous night's rainstorm. There we had made a roaring fire in the wood stove, drank cold Ringnes beer, and scarfed down a huge meal of salmon and canned cod roe on Polar Bread. We played cards with a red-faced German exchange student with soaked jeans who seemed irritated by our enthusiasm for stoking the fire. It must have been close to 30 degrees Celsius inside the cabin when we went to bed in the early hours of the morning, with the sun brightly illuminating the fog outside. After dinner Chris and I had gone for a swim in the nearby fjord, stripping off our clothes and hobbling naked down a rocky beach and into the freezing water. The ride to Henningsvær was largely uneventful. The sun shone brilliantly yet the temperature was not higher that 10 C. The landscape was scenic enough to captivate as if in a vivid dream. Rental cars and tour buses passed too close for comfort, sobering the mind and discouraging plans of a return trip by bike. Near a junction in the E10 close to Lakselva Chris banged on the door of a tour bus and yelled profanities at the uncaring driver who had almost driven him off the road’s shoulder into a ditch. I rode faster than Chris, my mind wandering as I sped off ahead. Chris had a heavier load which included the climbing rope. Near Bøstad I stopped to chat with an elderly couple. Their faces cheered up when I tried out my broken Norwegian with them. I learned they had lived there since they were children, when the only sound was boats in the fjords. Nowadays a road cut through town and the area was busy with tourists in the summer. Vågakallen base campTurning right off the main highway, we passed Rørvik and its gorgeous beach, avoiding temptation to stay the night. We skirted along the shore road and turned left shortly before a bridge crossing Djupfjord. This is where we camped before heading to Vågakallen the next day. Just 5 km further down the road is the fishing hamlet of Henningsvær. Water beta: there is fresh water available in a stream running from Djupfjordvatnet into to the brackish water of the Djupfjord 1.3 km West from the parking area (20 min walk). It's located along the approach trail, so it might be best to fill water here before continuing to the climb. Otherwise, there is water available at the public washroom and tourist information center in Henningsvær (7 min drive or 15 min bike ride). Food beta: the Joker at Henningsvær had everything we needed. Some complain that the prices are high, but we found them reasonable. Rack beta: A 40 m rope sufficed. The pitches are short and windy enough to discourage linking pitches, although experienced climbers may well opt to simul-climb. There are no rappels because the route descends a good hiking trail down the South Face and around to the North-Western col. I brought two cams (BD #1 and #2) and a set of stoppers. (I was space-limited on the bike. More cams could have been useful, maybe BD sizes .75-3. Time beta: we were in no rush and took 12 hours, camp to camp. ApproachThe approach trail leaves from the parking lot area and follows Djupfjord’s North Shore. Views of Vågakallen are obscured at first by the Pillar. Upon reaching the end of Djupfjord, follow the trail right across boulders to the sandy barachois separating the two lakes. Close-by is the previously-mentioned stream where you can fill up water bottles. Vågakallen becomes visible here and the view is incredible. The trails are not marked, so don’t be tempted to follow hikers heading Southeast up the col to the South Face hiking trail. This is the descent trail for those climbing the North Ridge. Veering left here, the approach trail ascends a steep and at times wet and muddy slope towards the East. Follow this trail to the very base of the route. Easier said than done... admittedly, we lost the trail but regained it near the grassy ramp that leads up the start. The end of the approach is steep and exposed. Be mindful of loose rock as there might be parties below. Gain the ridge and take in your incredible position. Imagine: this is just the start! It was here that Chris took out his mint condition climbing gear: a Black Diamond harness still in its original bag with tags dangling off it. He also donned thick rubber gloves of unknown make. He insisted to keep them on despite my suggestion that skin provides better purchase. A party roping up next to us looked on skeptically. Both of us were wearing running shoes, having decided that climbing shoes were too heavy to carry by bike. The climbPitch 1 (N4 / 5.7): Rope up on the ridge and choose one of a handful of starting pitches. I chose an obvious and short crack up a slab, passing a slower party to the right that had opted for a more scrambly route with more vegetation. On this pitch Chris had apparently put his harness on upside down. Exactly how he did this, I’m not sure. But he explained at the top of the first pitch that the kind Norwegian couple at the base had had to teach him how to put on the harness properly and how to belay. Embarrassed and shaken, he cursed me for not having taught him how to belay properly and called me out for being reckless. He was right. I calmed him by explaining that for the rest of day we would talk through everything. But I had resolve that he would learn fast under my supervision, despite a rough start. Pitch 2 and 3 (N2, N3 / 5.4, 5.5): Go left around the prominent ledge, scrambling up the ridge. Here Chris started to smile, realizing the awesomeness of the views awarded during the respite allowed on the roomy ledges.
Pitch 9 (N2 / 5.4): Scramble to the base of a fun-looking crack. Pitch 10 (N4 + / 5.7): Enjoy a quality pitch of crack to a large ledge By this point Chris was in the zone and no longer fumbling as he had been at the start. Pitch 11 (N4+ / 5.7): Take a sharp right off the true ridge, traversing along a short face and around a large flake leading into a chimney. I belayed here because the rope drag was bad and I wanted to explain to Chris how to navigate the chimney. Shimmy your way right across the chimney, exiting and then gaining a vertical chimney with lots of vegetation. Again, I belayed Chris here on a short rope, guiding him through the moves. Pitch 12 (N4+ / 5.7): Climb straight up the chimney and regain the true ridge. Pitch 13 (N2 / 5.4): Follow the ridge, scrambling at times. Now, the final challenge: leap across a notch in the ridge to gain the easy scramble to the summit. (The notch jump is protected by the route’s only bolts on either side, if you wish to use them.) DescentThe descent on the South Face hiking trail is steep and scrambly, with one short section of exposed 4th class. Overall, the hike takes about 5 hrs when stopping to enjoy the views. I returned the next day to run (or, rather, power-hike) the trail. I ran up in 1 hr 35 min, having covered only 5.2 km from camp. The return trip took almost as long: 1 hour 25 minutes, a testament to the trail's poor footing and steep grade. A "rest day" and on then on to the next climbUpon returning to camp (exactly 12 hours after departure), we refueled with some buttered Polar Bread and started heating up dinner. It was one of the dehydrated meals Chris had brought, a gift from one of his colleagues in Oslo. The meal turned out to have expired almost a decade ago (something we discovered after eating it). It settled just fine, though, and after dinner we rode our bikes into town for a beer. The following morning we agreed on a rest day. I ran up the Festvågstinden trail (gaining the 541 m high summit in 28 min 30 sec from the trail head) and rounded it off with a run up the South Face trail of Vågakallen (1 hr 35 min). Meanwhile, Chris got lost with his Australian friends he had agreed to meet up with, trying to find a known Instagram photo location overlooking Djupfjord. In the end, he found it, but it took more than 8 hours. When we finally met up at the Climber's Cafe in Henningsvær that night, the kitchen had already closed and he had to content himself with muffins and beer. As we exchanged stories, an older man named Knut, sitting alone, overheard us. Chris invited him to our table. It turned out he was staying a cabin nearby owned by his company, the diary giant Tine. He was from Harstad. He laughed at Chris’s story, although he was clearly charmed. “What’s next for you two, then?” He asked, skeptically. "Have you heard of Stetinden?" I asked. "I've course I've heard of Stetinden," Knut replied, "It's Norway's National Mountain." “We’re going to bike there, then climb it the next day.” He suddenly looked at us seriously. "You’re seriously going to bike there? And then climb it?” I nodded. Chris just shrugged. “You’re really crazy you know.” Stay tuned for the Stetinden trip report.
6 Comments
Chris Pope
12/26/2019 03:10:17 pm
I, Chris Pope, confirm that all article facts are true. However, Erik was not aware of the extremely disturbing thoughts going through my mind during that first pitch and I only spoke the PG version.
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Erik
12/27/2019 03:41:14 am
Thanks, Chris, for verifying.The expression on your face on that first ledge gave me some insight into the disturbing nature of your thoughts. Although words just couldn't fully describe it...
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Hubert Alacoque
12/31/2019 07:49:01 am
Awesome trek, boys.... very impressive to an old guy like me. It seems Norway calls for adventure and courage.... they are turning you into Vikings.
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Erik
1/13/2020 06:29:38 am
Thanks for the encouraging comments, Hubert. If I recall, you are certainly not lacking in adventurous spirit or courage aboard your sailboat. Hope you have great sailing season! Happy New Year to you, too!
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Daniel
1/7/2020 08:39:44 am
Fun and informative Trip Report Erik! Also spectacular pictures! Were they taken on your iPhone?
Reply
Erik
1/13/2020 06:31:27 am
Thanks Dan! Yep, all photos were taken with my iPhone 6 or with Chris's iPhone. I adjusted many of them with the Snapseed app.
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