Giebnebakti an plus

Summit of Norra Klippberget, Kebnekaise

After some weeks of skitouring I got some days of to do a couple of days climbing, yes!

On my own with my best tools, iceaxes, light skis and a speed wing

With good ice conditions my first goal focused on the valley classic iceroute from Ladtjovagge, "Isfallsleden" An ED+ route with approx 300mts climbing with up to WI5 ice. So with my Aska wing packed i skinned of with light is right in mind, planning to bring both skis and wing to the summit. A vertical total of 1000mts.

Said and done...

The movie...

This is a most interesting climb, not often climbed by some non obvious reasons. Often in good shape and nice resting points on the snowfields in between the ice sections.

After scrambling up the last bit of some rock it was time to enter the skis again and sprint up the last bit to the summit, long and boring non ending...But well worth the effort, great views and a superb descent. A 2.45h round trip

Next day gave some bad visibility weather, but no wind. So after an easy breakfast morning I took off for a solo trip up the next classic, the East ridge up to the North summit of Kebnekaise. Probably the highest point in Sweden in a couple of years, ( when the glacier on the South peak has melted down an other couple of meters).

This is a most interesting mixed route which get steeper and steeper with the crux just under the summit. A long determent climb. The hardest bit involves a bit of very exposed drytooling and forcing a bit of cornice and summiting on the very summit.

To get a little easier day I replanned and back climbed to start and hooked of my sac a dos. First planning to ski down from the summit, but the non existing visibility and the difficult of the route made me come up a second plan. No back pack chance! So after leaving the sac at the base I instead hoped to down climb its neighbor route, "Nygrens led" to pick it up on the descent.

At the base of Kebnekasie East Ridge, still happy... Then the climbing suddenly became much easier, even mostly enjoyable. And a couple of narrow full body workout bits the chance of climbing up with a skiequiped sac would have been a bit 2 much for at least me.

 

Realizing, this wont go with a big pack...

 

Happy on the summit I had to deal with the descent problem, how to overcome the cornice down Nygrens...

After a bit of scanning I finally found a most interesting way around this more then big, huge, thing. Crawling under this mega cornice made me feel more the unhappy, mega un... But the alternative of returning down and over The glacier of Björling's felt even more unspeakable...

Once down on the ridge the way was straight 4ward again. And back at the skis the descent down to next nights hostel in Tarfala made every muscle happy again. Back in the match! A sauna and dinner and a single malted whiskey, thanks to Rafael!, and the body was ready for a 3rd and last effort before some working days of rest...:-)

Kebnepakte, a 10mts short 2000mts Peak. Has some unclimbed mixed routes on its East face.

And its 400mts plus wall was the goal of the day

 

The 400m East face of Kebnepakte, 1990mts "Giebne Direct" is in the central of the wall, over the smal snowfield

An hour approach from the Tarfala hut, at the base of the peak and finally a true view of the route. A bit of sun on the blackish rock had made the plastered ice a bit hollow. But at least the start was super solid so with the confidens on its top I took of, for the first 10m at least. Then like a smash in the face it just stops, looked ok from below but now it just cracks up and splash down the face... Cussing the situation I manage to find some good hooks for the axes and pulls over the couple of meters that is trying to stop the day.

Up to the first snow field the brain only feels victory of the day, so the next longer steeper section is attacked full on. But again after a couple of meters I step into an other hard patrol wanting to stop progress... Makes me wonder how close it is to skateboard down the thing on some uncontroled bits of ice. It will hurt 4 sure!

More cussing and ?? Im doing here alone? But no time to think of hot chocolate a biscuits in the sun...

To revers isnt an option so some easy working sneaking up the plastered ice trying to get a light feeling brings me up to the better iced up vertical stuff.

The upper ice section of "Giebne Direct" WI 4/5 ED

Yes, the picks sinks in deep and solid, joyeux et heureux à nouveau!

Middle snow field of "Giebne Direct" 350mts of mixed climbing at M5/WI4

 

A most agrèable feeling to place both crampons in some good snow, over looking the summit fields. The last bit should just involve some easy scrambling and step snow. Before rolling over the summit cornice on top the ridge.

No visibility but who cares? still kicking at least! time for descent

Starting out the retour the vanished sun decides to reappear so I can jump on my skis and ski down a neighbor colouir to the glacier. Probably a first descent as well...Finishing of a great day and three days of vacation with a flight back down to Kebne from Kebnetjåkka...c'est la vie

A relaxing evening inTarfala. A most peaceful place on earth

 

/Fly what you climb!