Part one was spent with Anna and Fredrik, together we dream about two
ways to the Kebnekaise summit, Nygren's route and the East ridge route.
But also the Silhouette route of Tolpagorni. This was to be the more
climbing oriented part of the trip. Anna and Fredrik are great at a lot
of things, but their climbing and outdoor cooking was what I benefited the
most of from this trip.
Part two was spent with TDB Alpint, the same organisation, albeit new people,
as the 1999 trip found elsewhere
on my pages(those pages clearly show the difference in amount of snow). This
is a more alpinism oriented bunch of people, especially
introductory level since a majority of the participants have no or little
experience of alpinism and/or climbing. Apart from having a great time in the
mountains there were two major goals: Get everyone to the summit via the Great
and Björling glaciers and the East route. But also to make an "intermediate"
expedition to the summit of Kaskasapakte, the hardest 2000m peak in Sweden to
summit.
Participants: Sverker Holmgren(helmsman), Krister
Åhlander(harmonica player), Christer Peterson(Mtrl-R-Us(tm)),
Cecilia Johansson(owl), Malin Ljungberg(owl handler), Markus
Nordén(Reunionist),
Jonas Persson(Bohnanza wizard), Mattias Karlsson (boiler mentat),
and Erik Bängtsson(professional/poser).
Last winter was low on snowfall. Almost no snow was left on the glaciers and
we could witness large patches disappear infront of our eyes during our stay.
The glacier cracks are impressive, and glacier walking was more tideous but
also more safe than walking on snow. The weather was generally cloudy with
sunshine and the occasional shower.
Death toll for this trip: 0
No doubt we scared the guides if they saw us set of towards Nygren's in the afternoon, with full gear looking like we would try it as an afternoon trip. But by checking out the beginning and first pitch of climbing we saved heaps of time and got answers to quite some questions for the big day, which was planned to be tomorrow, or if the weather was too bad, the day after.
We probably left camp around eight, or got to the ridge at eight. Gray skies
and a soft drizzle of rain. Not too bad. Fredrik led the first traverse pitch
on the slippery feet holds. After that quite some scrambling tied in
together with some running protection. We reached a convenient point of
return, going further was more or less pointless unless going all the way
since the cliff climbing started here. The drizzle seemed endless but after an
hours worth of waiting the skies cleared a bit and we went for it. Fredrik and
I took turnes in leading a couple of pitches. Anna seemed content with sorting
out the mess I managed to create with the ropes all the time.
Sunshine helped us with the route finding on the second half. We tried to stay
away from snow and ice in favour for our cliff climbing skills. But at one
point we had to do some ice climbing. It was not that steep but as I took the
lead I could not put my foot down with all of the crampon so I ended up using
the point teeth of the crampons and the ice axe in a nervous climb over a
short patch of ice, four meters perhaps. Safely on the other side I led on.
More climbing and scrambling as well as more clouds. Fredrik finally reached the snow wall at the end. Seven(?) meters of sheer snow wall. He led it and belayed Anna and myself up. What a relief. Fredrik got up in sunshine but when I got up clouds and mist had engulfed the summits. To tired to bother doing the north summit (lower than the south but without glacier so actually the highest piece of rock in Sweden) we went over the tiny ridge towards the south summit to take the easy East route down. I think time was about four pm when we got to the ridge.
It starts to rain. But thankfully the East route features fixed ropes so descent back to camp is relatively rapid even with wet cliff. Dinner was eaten around ten/eleven pm and we slept in heavily the day after. But we did it, we did Nygren's.
Two danish guys with techical axes set up tent next to us. They also had their eyes on Nygren's but also pure ice climbing which made them a bit dissapointed when I told them that we only followed a very short patch of ice. But there was more up there and I am sure they managed to do a different path than ours.
We went back down and
regrouped back to a spot at 800 m between the Kebnekaise station and
Tolpagorni. Noone believed that we would ever do the 27 or so pitches
Silhouette route but still we wanted to go and have a look. There were nice
fields of blueberries here.
New regroup back to the Station. Sauna-time. Whiskey. And a thunder storm! That was a big set-back for me since I had 8 km/300m height to walk to get to part two of the trip. So I stayed and had another excellent dinner with Fredrik and Anna.
But I left at half eight pm or so. After a while the rain stopped and the walk was more enjoyable. It was scary to walk in the wet stone block terrain on my own. Taking it super-careful everything went fine.
I found the camp at the same place as it was in 99. Some people were up greeting me and others were already in bed from the trip to the southern cliff mountain that they summited earlier this day (they arrived the 1st). Tomorrow was decided to be the day for the glacier walk to the East route and south summit.
Excellent weather and everyone up and ready at eight. Ten people two
ropes. Quick climb over snow and rock up to the Great glacier. Sverker leads
rope one and I take command of rope two. Almost all of the cracks are open so
navigating is not hard but it results in a lot of zig-zaging and increased
courage for crack width that can be walked over.
The ridge between the Great glacier and Björling's glacier is pretty steep. But we manage to get up on good steep ice, all spikes of the crampons makes your walking steady even at high angles. Short rest at the start of Nygren's route. We try to push Björling's glacier to get to the climbing before the guided group of some 30 poeple we see looming up. The guide asks us to hurry up. I am pushing our groups to just do it.
Down-climbing the East route is easy but when we get down to Björling rain hits us and a funny panicing Jacob is yelling orders! I felt quite stupid but still happy in my rain gear. Complaining about the weather does no good. When we are heading down towards the Great glacier at least I get happy since I am allowed to use the ice screws again. Rain has stopped or gone down to soft drizzle. Even though I missed our way up and went on the wrong side of a massive crack I got down safely to the ice and got the protection placed.
Long tiring walk across the glacier, some confusion among the cracks. We finally reach solid ground, head up the hill to our tents and gets dinner going.
Plans for tomorrow: Rest.
Tomorrow is Kaskasapakte day. Erik and myself is under the impression that we
are going to take the south west ridge to the summit and down the east ridge.
A scouting trip is arranged among a few brave to go to black lake. The
distance was intimidating and when suggesting moving tent to get closer to
the SW-ridge Sverker told us that going up and down the east ridge was
a more doable project and noone objected.
It started raining on the way back. I remember playing Bohnanza a lot in the afternoon with rain hammering the tents. We ate in the tent this night. Everyone is kind and gives me candy and biscuits. I was a bit light on that side.
Wakeup at 3.07 am. Todays first
"glasses incident" occurs when one of Erik's "nose wings" is missing. It works
alright anyway. We leave at 4.15 but everything is in order.
The weather is clear and forgiving as we approach the snow and
ice towards the saddle between Liljetoppen and Kaskasatjokka. It is steep and
a big crack is visible high. Rain starts pouring down as we reach the crack.
This is no fun, but we manage to scamble towards some rock and gets rain gear
on instead of the crampons. The saddle is conveniently snowy and we get to
Liljetoppen allright. Here we leave all axes but one and crampons. We do not
expect any snow/ice but one axe per rope team was suggested.
It is a bit past eight as we head out towards Kaskasapakte. A discouraging weather report, "Showers in the afternoon", is recieved. We quickly decide to go for it and take the rain on the way back if it comes. Sight is not excellent, but we stay together close so that you see someone else. The ropes are brought forward for the jump at the eastern notch, a 1.5 m crack in the saddle. 4m down to gravel and several hundred meters on the sides of that. Sverker jumps it first, lands on the slippery stone but is safely down. He takes rope and I jump after him. I realise that I am not as scared of hights as when I went to the Dolomites a couple of years back.
"Speed is safety" was ironically repeated as a mantra. We will have lots of
problems if we get overly cautious. The sidewalk comparison is brought
forward. A car driving 50 km/h is lethal but still we happily walk on the
sidewalk without being afraid to fall into the traffic. In this manner we walk
the ridge. The danger of someone panicing is greater than the danger of the
hight, but none of us went up at 3 am to panic. Noone dares letting the others
down.
We move on and get to the western notch. A nice crack leads up. The route is read for me three times before everyone is down in the notch and I have all gear. The crack goes fine, but I rapidly get of route. I select to go up a chimney-like passage that looks more easily protected than the correct slabby part. Moving slowly, but trying to get up puts me in an awkward position that wont be easily down-climbable. Feet slipping on the rock, I pull hard with both arms, manage to get a solid foot and press my back to the rock. Mantling out works and I am rewarded with an easy scramble for some 20 m. Sverker comes up disbelieving his ability to climb it. Erik and Krister chooses to do it on top rope and I am happy to comply sitting nicely at my belay position, breathing.
I get some gear back and do the last pitch to the ridge before the "follow
the ridge along the obvious line to the summit" is what is left of the
guide text. Along this way we have the second glasses incident. I bumb into
Sverker who knocks my glasses of, they fall, panic, and lands on a safe spot.
Mist is thick and at the last bulge we ask if team 2 can see if it is the summit. I recall that it is one after it, Sverker does not agree. First I decide to wait for more gear, I have only one sling left. But then I decide to go up and have a look. The piece of gear goes in after 5m, but after the ledge a scramble a couple of meters before seeing the summit. "It is the summit, Sverker!", I exclaimed in a purely joyous yell (but in Swedish of course). I belay Sverker up and we take foggy summit pictures. Erik has an issue with my green rope but both him and Krister are safely belayed up to sunshine that has desired to join us.
Lunch is taken at 14.30. The top book is signed. (I noted that my climbing
mate Torbjörn Lindgren was there in a company of four at the 23/7-98). We
head home. Scrambling down and rappeling four times, the slings look allright
(no bolted anchors here) but we back up a single one at one point.
Back at Liljetoppen we agree to go back over Kaskasatjokka which means going
up, but the gain means not down as steeply if we went back the same way we
came. We probably got to the summit with its characteristic antennas and
crates at about 8 pm. Walking down takes time but is not dangerous, even at
our current energy level.
Back in camp we are greeted by the rest of the crew that has been spying as good as they can for us. Dinner, with complimentary beer from Sverker, and bedtime. Hurray - We did it.
All reach the camp in safety and cook dinner, I push hard to encourage people to come and climb at Kaipak. Sverker acknowleges that we can climb a bit first and then withdraw back to the Station for the tasting of "lemonades".
Two top-ropes are quickly in place and Erik goes into instructor mode, mumbling about 350 krs, and climbers are enjoying themselves. I am a bit miffed about not doing a longer climb, but it is good to save stuff.
On the matter of saving stuff. The Kebne Pentiple was (re-?)invented. It is basically a cottage tour. Stay at the Tarfala cottages, summit, in order, Kebnepakte, Kebnekaise north summit, Kebnekaise south summit, down east route, summit El Toro del Kebnekaise (Kebnetjokka), and finally go down to the Kebnestation and drink five beers. The new alternative name of Kebnetjokka, El Toro del Kebnekaise, was concieved as part of my stories how we in part one of this trip failed several attempts to summit this seemingly harmless summit. It sort of became a running gag.
I suppose that the "Reverse Kebne Pentiple Circulare" would be a start from Tarfala, Kebnetjokka lilltopp, Kebnetjokka stortopp, East route, South summit, North summit, Kebnepakte and finally lemonade back in the tents. This is an alternative that fits better with our usual form of staying in Tarfala.
We make good speed and
even though departure is at 7 am instead of the 6.45, we reach the boat a
long half hour before its departure. Today even more dramatic clothing choises
appear. In Nikkaloukta we have showers and eat a bit before my bus leaves at 13.30. The train goers prefer to stay in Nikka with its interesting cultural display and take the 16.50 bus.
Rain in Kiruna. Fresh fruit and snacks are enjoyed in my wait for the plane. So suddenly everything has ended.
I felt why I did it when I reached the Kaskasapakte summit, but I still cannot explain it. Most hobbies are kind of suspect anyway and generally one is not required to explain why you do something you like. But it is interesting to think about.
Nature is beautiful. Back to my climbing page