Norway

These photographs were taken at Rjukan in southern Norway. It has become a bit of a Mecca in recent years, particularly with Brits, as there is almost guaranteed ice and the walk-in can be as short as 5 seconds! There is a 'local crag' feel to the place, and it is possible to complete quite a few routes in a day. There are also much longer and more serious routes in the area, which require a lot of hard work and technical skill to climb.

An M8 route, well iced up. There is a great variation in ice build-up each year, so many grades are subjective.

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Thin daggers of ice abound, requiring light footwork.

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Good positioning and balance, with the axe being swung correctly.

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Typical ground, short icefalls offering steep, delicate climbing.

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Confident leading on steep water ice.

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Many drainage lines readily freeze up early in the season, and can often be completely different in character a couple of months later.

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Ice screw placements are the main method of protection, although some rock anchors do exist.

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Careful footwork is the key to slowing down the onset of fatigue, particularly in the calves. Making the most of any irregularity in the surface of the ice will help a great deal, as will axe placements that are not over-driven.

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Climbing on a well formed ice fall, just a single pitch in height. Many parties will opt to bottom-rope once the leader has lowered off, letting the rest climb without worrying about gear placements.

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