Cascade d'armancette

Felt good to be back on ice again

Last time experience still in the head but this route on the d'Armancette is a brilliant route at an easy grade lll
There is a lot of snow at the moment and one should take care when approaching since there are some big snow fields above. So don't pick a day after snow fall to go here. It's avalanche prone as h_ll
The surrounding are great though and there is a lot of potential for some adventure climbs. Either by continue up the rock and mixed terrain when the ice stops or climbing some of the rock ridges on the sides of the valley
The options for some great ski descents a numberous!
I have picked some out for the next days...

the cascade
A good link, as so many times is the one to camp to camp,
http://m.camptocamp.org/routes/208049/fr/cascades-d-armancette-2eme-ligne-de-gauche

And as it wasn't enough the decent back to the car is just something...

Sjuka mängder snö!

Efter en ovanlig, på senare tid i vart fall för mig, skid premiär, i Gustavs bergs backen.
Med fin lössnö i lift spåret så var 1600 höjd meter rätt kul. Då det gick att slänga in lite nya svängar för varje varv.
Och det ger bra mängd träning i att ta av och på hudarna, bra test på att det är bra kvalité på limmet!

Idag gjorde vi, jag å Vanja, årets "riktiga" premiär upp på klassiska Mont Joly, Contamine.
Med lite bil styva ben (efter 17h i Mercan igår) och framförallt en ond påminnelse om tidigare diskbråck i länd kotan, så fick det bli en lätt tur med 1.18.30h t-o-r till bilen.
Kan bara konstatera att 7en Summit skidorna har funnits ett antal år av en viss anledning.
Har fallit för att testa riktigt korta skidor, 163cm under mina 1.71m, och dom är segervissa! :-)

Vanja kollar vyn från Mont Joly...

Sharp thouch on the seasons first ice, one more to the list!

After two days of heavy snowing the winter has arrived for sure, finally
But I must say that after shoveling the white powder around, trying to keep the parkway open, that summer isn't to bad either. Even though it's quite a good work out, with the shovel in hand. It takes it time out of an a lady short day

So, back in the sofa again after a much indeed interesting day, I feel that the pain from today's bruising and a bit of headache isn't anything to complain about. Could have gone worse 4 sure!

Vanja on the approach, forcing the snow

After a warm up cleaning last night snow off, it was time to hit the road for a drive up to Offerdal for a bit of vertical ice. With the 4 hour daylight spell the ice up there is about perfect, with it's 20-30 meter high routes
Only to be seen if there was any to place the picks in!

Felt good to see this classic area again, a lot of snow as usual here but there hasn't been time enough for the ice to form in any thicker layers. A thin path of ice has almost formed in the central part. Looks ok enough so after scanning the start I decide to give it a sharp try
After the boulder start I sneak up over the vertical icicles avoiding to place the tools to close. Now and then I can get a good placement on the rock but on the third icicles I can't find any else then just an improvised hook behind the ice curtain. Nothing to complain about because one or two jabs with the axe could destroy the whole thing. So nice and easy, shifting hands and a gentle swing with the other axe as high as possible
No cussing way! The axe comes off! In slow motion I see what's happening. Try to make the placement with the upper free axe, now both are free, but no good. Going to take a jump, should be aiming on something soft...like the ground, uhh

-This will hurt! A seven to eight meter air tour will hurt!!

It's my last thought before getting airborne
Surrounded by snow, what happened to my hat? Every leg and arm is moving, the snow is still white, well that's a good sign?

-That was a close call. Can't do any then just laugh at the whole

touchdown area below!

After rescanning what happened, should I just hit it again?!
A second, or third thought...
Coiling the rope up, I found the hat in a bunch of snow, I limp over to the far left where I find a rope to tie in to. Getting belayed this time I lead up over this less steep part. Still with no pro cause of the thin ice, but a bit easier climbing
And then it feels a bit better to re-climb it with this time with a fix rope to clog on It's a long season
Feels like I had the "Good luck Cowboy"

And, it's all about country, so...

Back on the Plastic

It ain't nothing like getting beaten up by a bunch of plastic on a pice of vertical wood!
Finally back in the real life after weeks of outdoor, with out the oudoor...
The only real climbing, is the indoor climbing. Or what!?
A hard work out at the famous C Halle makes which ever climber a hard time. Real Jemtland wok out!

Something totally different

A question to Chris Rowlands, the DMM Brand Manager.
About different use of dynema slings in anchors. No matter the base of what are used to tie the slings to.

What is your opinion on using Dyneema slings for climbing anchors like?
A. The classic V anchor with 2 points and one overhand knot in the bottom to equalize.
Like this

but with a dyneema sling.

Is this OK to hold a factor 2 fall? (belayer hanging in stand giving belay with normal rope brake like ATC) What will happen if one point fails and and we have one point in a dyneema sling with the overhand knot on?

B. The triangle 120cm sling with clove hitch in each protection and the overhand knot on one sling in the bottom.
Same questions as above.
Risk of clove hitch slipping and burning/ breaking the dyneema?

C. Any of the above with 2nd climber using 120cm dyneema as cow tail to clip in to anchor.
2nd giving belay to lead climber in his harness and getting shock load on the cow tail as lead climber takes fac 2 fall.
Risk of breaking the dyneema cow tail?

In answer to the questions;
The A scenario is a generally accepted practice and would appear to be ok
B and C scenarios we are unable to give you ar firm and fast amswer as there are too many variables involved.However as per the video, generally it is best to avoid knotting and shockloading dyneema. Where there are other dynamic factors in the system , such as Rope, and the belay plate, this will help decrease the force on the dyneema.
Many Thanks
Chris Rowlands
DMM Brand Manager

Some reflections?!

a short video from our free ascent of Moonlight Buttress last week

/it's all about the Country!

Leaving Zion with Moonlight butt and a Touch stone

the Happy campers back on top, this time of Moonlight Buttress 5.12d A Zion Classic and Must Do

Rainbow Wall free

Rainbow Wall Red Rock Las Vegas Bigwall!
As the areas preeminent challenge the central line on the Rainbow Wall, leading up to the Red Dihedral and summit overhangs. The original route Up Rainbow Wall is a classic!

Approaching the Rainbow Wall, takes 1 1/2-3h depending on the trail finder in you

The climb, 25/11 2011
-This wont go, I just can't see how to do the move...I cry out after scanning the crux.
After getting over the first 5.12 pitch quite easy I thought that the other P up to the big 5.7 ledges would go flying. But how wrong was I!
I climb down again to find a perfect place for a midsize nut, yes! Feels better.
Up again but this time with an other feet move, better balance and...I must do it, no other way. The story can't stop here, after tht approach.
Finding my balance, perfect again, a small crimpy handhold and up up Up.
Yes! Did it.
The next moves is again much easier, and it might just be as written in the climbers guide; "the crux'es is more of a boulder problem"
But quite hard ones I must say.
A bit of challenge to get the hold right, the right sequence is essential.
More like sport climbing. But big fun!

After an easy stroll of the first pitch 5.7, the routes hits as a hammer rolling up 5.12a, 5.11d, .11a
and a .11b before it lays back with two .10 pitches up to the big ledge. Then it's halfway...
It even involves a small 5.7 chimney and two short over graded 5.8 pitches.
The topo Eritrea something about a runout on one of them but nothing to worry about.

on the 5.8 traverse, involves some great views as well!

And then it comes all over again reminding again of how it should be on a big wall route.
The crux pitch. An everything than laid-back 5.12 which might be easier for a tall climber but with my 172 long cm it's a stemming and twisting thing which I this time can see how to do but not just possible to figure out how.
But, as before, there is no other option, just go for it.
This time with the bolt just below, so no worries incase of a fall.
And after a couple of tries it goes!

Cloud Tower of Red Rocks

One of the most beautiful natural lines to find in Red Rocks, Nevada.

Togheter with its neighbor "Crimson Crystalis" Which is also a well deserved 3star route, but on a lower grade, this pillar is well worth walking up to and you will get the most perfect climb!
Leaving the classic and glassy hotel "Imperial Palace", after a good night sleep in the KZ bed and clean sheets, at 0700 for a car influent breakfast.
2 slices of bread and some water ( real water, not the American coffee)
A nice morning drive up to the red rock scenic route, yes that is involved as well on this. A great 12 miles drive trough... an area that is said to be Very Scenic. More of an unnecessary transport if you ask me.
Arriving in for us a ok time so no reason to force the approach to much.
A bit of route finding trough the bushes, trying to get the best path and two hours later, 09 sharp we stand at the base of this great climb. Cloud Tower!
But not alone, two other parties has chosen this magnificent route as well.
Not so good, but this time I will wait. Because I just want to climb this.
A bit lucky, but the second ones forget their backpack so after climbing up with that to them we can pass.
Looks like we are a bit faster.
One more pitch, 5.8 as well as the first one, which I more or less solo, with out putting any pro to save time, I arrive at the second stand. With a very easy looking 5.10 above.
More people above so I talk Anna in to leading that one.
Before the real stuff begins.
Still a bit confused of the other people on the route since they don't look that confident even on the 5.8. this will take some time, hmm.

Anna B leasing pitch 3 on Crimson

After following on the easiest .10 I have ever explored I arrive on the 3rd belay. And where are the great cracks, over bolted as well...
Anna has the look of just solving the problem of AIDS as well as the energy problem at the same time. She has figured out something, that's for sure.
After some more clever looking, she has it; We Are on The Wrong Route Dude! Next nobel prize to her!
Big laugh, but isn't this perfect?
What to do, just keep on swinging the #5 Camalot and keep on going.
After catching up with the next party on the route they just look at me when I improvise an improvised belay, brings Anna up and they gently offer us to pass them as well.
-has a show to get in time to in Vegas tonight, just a quick one to get some appetite
I try to explain before taking off again.
Crimson Crystalis, don't miss it!

Nadine Bluett leading p4 on Crimsom

But, if you want to climb Cloud Tower. Keep on following the cliff for an other 50-60 mts and there it is.
One more hotel night and off again, this time knowing for sure that we are starting right.
No bolts, except on the belays, and perfect cracks.
With a pure pleasure I find my self jamming up the sand stone. Pitch after pitch.
The route finding is obvious, just follow the crack system.
And the 5.11 corner! What a great pitch!!

Anna on the fingery 5.11 pitch Could Tower

After the 5,10 hand splitter there is a growing chimney. Yes, it is said to be getting bigger.
Press trough and I arrive in an other world with an other perfect .11 crack going up, up and Up

Getting Sand Stoned

Some classic Cracks up the walls in the US desert
Great weather, as always in this part of the States.
The last weeks we has been able to climb quite frequent up the sand stones.
Here is a short movie from some of the routes

Hope you enjoy!

a Must Do Zion Classic

"avoid confusing an aesthetic summit with an aesthetic climb"

The easiest and first climbed route up Angels landing is The North east buttress
This one gives both
First climbed all free 1991 by Conrad Anker et Al
It goes at 5.10+ over nine pitches and isn't just a climb. It's an adventure that brings you up great cracks, broken ground and a bit of veggie stuff. The route finding isn't to hard but you need to have a bit of feeling for where to go, but just feel natural and it's there
Even the travers on pitch 5 or 6, depends on how you count
But this route is def. worth doing!

Bryce Canyon

Weather forecast looked Not So Good, so way not after nine days of vertical work, put in a rest day.
And let the dried out forearms and back get some vacation as well...
After almost getting fooled and go and climb an easier route of just a bit of 5.10, three pitches, we, read I, for once made a good decision, so instead we a headed up to Bryce Canyon and did some American tourist stuff, got yelled at from a museum owner for window looking and got some nice trail walking (not so american touristic, but still).
It's a great national park, as so many "over here".

With it's so called Hoddoos and nice view points it's a perfect goal for a day or more.
Bryce Canyon National Park is named for just one of many canyons which form a series of horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters on the edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau in southern Utah. Erosion has carved colorful Claron limestones into thousands of spires, fins, arches and mazes. Collectively called "hoodoos," these unique formations are whimsically arranged and tinted with colors too numerous and subtle to name. You'll want to make sure you visit when the weather is good. They get snow early here since the altitude is quite high, a bit over 8000feet. An idea is to visit Utah Weather.net weather for city and park weather in Utah.
Nice area as well to do a bit of

back country hiking as well, so bring the tent!

Back in ZION

in my opinion one of the best and nicest climbing areas to find
A whole bunch of classic climbs, free, clean and aid routes, it's there!

Red Rocks HIGH TIME

Yes, back on the vertical sandstone
Even though they didn't really try to convince people to start climbing at the rest and fly hotel at Arlanda where we started the trip, we kept up the phase anyhow.

Bydalsfjällen Jemtland

Suddenly the wind stoped!
After a long night with heavy duty strong winds, which were shaking not just the tent.
But after a slow breakfast we, me and Vanja, still decided to at least do a reduced tour around the massiv to get some mountain air, maybe even under the wing!
So, said and done we marched off towards the big open to see what was waiting. And it wasn't just the views this time, it was a bit of entertainment for us both

Tech tips from the Van

Le Tech

Today I had a really nice experience and then not just from climbing some fine cracks above the sea at Ringkallen
I made a controlled rappel of the rope, using an other rope as a backup.
Why? Just to get a feeling of how it would be. And believe me, it didn't feel to nice. Even though I had an other rope to break the airtrip after just a short distance.
But, now I know the feeling!

Yes! Great feeling after topping out "Jemtland jemtland Regnar Stendut, 7, & Stressgubben, 7, Rope solo

BLUEBERRY HILL

Last Monday I had a quite good day on "Blåberget" with a easy strol up the classic "Vikingasvärdet" graded 6+, UIAA VII something.
So today, I thought lets free solo the thing. After giving the direct version a bit of scrubbing on some mossy sections, a variation I put up some years ago. It felt better than ever.
And after warming up on "Belsebub" a 60mts 5+/6- I felt ready to go for the object of the day.
But, to be honest, first I had an espresso to free the mind...

The sun was hitting the east face of the wall really nice when I got to the cliff. It was warm even, so the down sweater went off in a hurry.

Blueberry hill in the autum light. Vikingasvärdet follows the shade line on the right side

Vanja on the watch
Forcing my self to look down one more time before I pull my self over and up on the big ledge just below the top! I am sure I have done a couple of stupid things, but this wasn't to clever maybe:-)
One look and then off to do no. 2. I don't know if it's because of the espresso or the climb, but it is rapidly in a big hurry.
It's the last of the routes in this grade I had left to do before I had all of the 6+ in the "free solo bag" But this one was sick!
Rapped down to the base, put on my new 5-10's anasazi and starting up the first bouldery section. Which is the hardest on the whole climb actually. The start goes easy, to easy? The rubbet sticks like glue, (have i heard that in a song?)

11 September genom historien

lite om 11 september händelser genom historien.
Den judiska kalendern är 6000 år gammal den 11 september hyllas som årsdagen av Adams skapelse. 11 september räknas bland flera trosriktningar som slutet på en lång cykel.

Några exempel:
I en bok skriven 1981 kallad "The birth of Christ recalculated" hävade en forskare att man räknar fel på Jesu födelse och att han i själva verket föddes....just det, den 11 september. 

11 september 1609. Henry Hudson seglar in i New Yorks hamn och upptäcker sen Manhattan där man över 300 år senare byggde....just det, World Trade Center

11 september 1777. Britterna besegrar amerikanerna och George Washington i slaget vid "Brandywine Creek" i amerikanska självständighetskriget. Detta var första gången man använde den amerikanska flaggan i strid.

11 september 1941. Pentagon börjar byggas.

11 september 1944. President Roosevelt, brittiske Premiärministern Winston Churchill, och kanadensiske diton Mackenzie King möts i Kanda på Quebec konferensen.

11 september 1972. Olympiska spelen i Munchen avslutas eftersom 11 israler kidnappats av terrorister.

11 september 1973. Chiles president Salvador Allende dör i militärkuppen som leds av Pinochet och finasierats av USA.

11 september 1990. George Bush den äldre håller tal inför kongressen och skryter om hur Saddam Hussein misslyckats.

11 September 1991. George Bush den äldre pratar om Den Nya Världsordningen i sitt tal till kongressen

11 september 2001. World Trade Center attackeras.

Läs mera:

http://www.september11news.com/Sept11History.htm

Voie Gouter

från chamonix.net

Shortly after 4:30 p.m. yesterday, Thursday, a large stonefall swept through the Couloir du Goûter. The dryness of the mountain is one of the reasons for the present unstable conditions.

The Mayor of St Gervais issued a statement recommending climbers wishing to climb Mont Blanc via the "Voie Royal" to postpone their ascent.

The Compagnie des Guides of Saint-Gervais have therefore decided to postpone any reservations today to climb Mont Blanc, and will wait for conditions to improve.