Alpine at the Incredible Hulk

We made Hulk happen! My foot held me back a little so the approach and descents took slightly longer than usual. These climbs could be done car to car but we wanted to climb for two days so it made sense to camp. We packed three days worth of food and gear and hiked in Monday evening.

Two hours of this

Another two hours of this

The Hulk has a bunch of 400-500 meter routes, easy access, and the exellent granite. Bivy sites and water are conveniently located. More info about the climbs, permits, and access here. Check Supertopo for detailed topos.

Hulk seen from the approach.

Siskolle: mä synkronoin visiirin mun lähetyspipaan. Toimii!

Our camp is 20 minute walk from the base.

Tuesday we climbed Positive Vibrations (11a). The conditions weren't exactly stellar but the climbing was amazing and made up for the cold and windy weather. Max sent. I'm new to this alpine climbing so everything was exciting for me.

And stressful.

I've never been as stressed out rapping as I was that day. 10 raps. We had to wait for the wind to settle and pull our rope at just the right moment between gusts of wind. It's a miracle our rope did not get stuck on our way down. The night before we witnessed a party of two epic trying to get their rope unstuck half way up the wall.

First crux pitch (P3) of Positive vibrations. Tho, if you ask me, the crux is the thin finger crack/stemming sections on P2.

A couple more raps to go. Rope hasn't gotten stuck. Yet.

Wednesday we hung out at camp most of the day and watched a party of two make their way up Red Dihedral (10b). They ended up bailing after the crux pitch which made me nervous about leading the route.

My favorite rest day activity: stare at the spectacular incredible hulk.

Dinner: cous cous, TJ's Indian Curry sauce, cheese, and smoked trout.

I found a tree in the alpine!

Alpine vegetation is pretty.

Rest day hike to the lake near by

We wanted to go down there but couldn't find a way down. Next time.

Thursday we climbed Red dihedral. I told Max I'd like to lead the crux pitch but that he can have the rest because he is more efficient. Max said "I bet you could lead all the pitches". Right. I asked him many times mid route if he wants to take the sharp end because I'm slow. He declined. At the top I was happy he let me lead everything and that I actually sent. I would have not been able to do it without Max's support. The route finding was tricky for me and I was intimidated by the length of the route.

P2 of Red dihedral

P3 aka THE PITCH, sustained and long dihedral

View from the every belay

P5: splitter fingers to hands

Zoom in and see which shoes Max is wearing. :)

We did the hike off in an hour. There was only one rap but it was stressful all the same.

The descent via the scree gully

Maybe the abundance of slings make up for the tiny bolts..?

Next morning I woke up with sand in my mouth, hair, and eyes. Gusting winds. I got up, made coffee and went outside to enjoy the last view of the Hulk.

This is the best coffee when bialetti/french press is not an option. Also using a burner inside the tent is a great way to burn a hole in your rainfly.

Hulk towers above it's surroundings.

Red dihedral P12 chimney.

Finland? No. The Hoover Wilderness!

 Off to the Needles!

Tuolumne Meadows

I'm hanging out in Lee Vining, taking a rest day. Max is working. Our original plan was to head to the Hulk first because the valley is too hot. After climbing yesterday we started having doubts about my ability to make the four mile approach to the Hulk. I injured my left foot a couple weeks back. I can climb normally but the approaches and descents are aggravating my foot. We might end up changing our plans and climb stuff close to the road. I will know in the next few days.

Lot of this, how exciting!

Please, let me (one day) be strong enough to french free that!

Yesterday we climbed two routes in Tuolumne. The Lamb dome via On the Lamb (5.9 150m/4P) and Fairview dome via Regular route (5.9 300m/12P). We climbed the Lamb backwards. The traverse pitches are crazy! I fell at the end of the crux section and found myself dangling two meters from my last piece on a blank slab. I had to ascend the rope to get back up. The traverse is as exciting for both the leader and the second. I recommend this route.

The 100 meter horizontal crack of The Lamb Dome is easy to spot.

Juggy crack and a slippery granite slab with no feet. I'm almost finished with the crux section.

We simul-climbed most of Fairview dome so 12 pitches became three and the climb took us two and half hours. This route is one of the 50 Classic climbs of North America. The climbing and position were incredible. As we went higher the climbing got easier. I enjoy simul-climbing when I'm climbing terrain I'd feel comfortable soloing but don't feel comfortable taking the risk of falling. For me it's more exciting and rewarding than seconding in TR. It's almost like I too get to lead the route. The flow is also incredible because the climbing is interrupted only if the leader runs out of gear or if the leader wants a belay mid route.

The Fairview Dome from Western Front.

Descending the granite slab in the backside of the Fairview Dome.

Pretty Tuolumne granite, smooth and slippery.

The altitude (Tuolumne is in about 3000 meters) is also affecting my performance. It hit me when we were hiking up to the base of the Lamb Dome and I struggled getting up the hill. It makes perfect sense since I'm coming from the sea level. I had to stop several times during the day to catch my breath on 5.6 terrain. It was obviously frustrating for me. I learned to pace myself towards the end of the day .

Time to pick Max up from work. Cheers!

Siskolle kiitos lähetyspipasta!

Breakfast stop

Lofoten rocks

I had seven days of climbing in Lofoten. Katja hasn't ever climbed a multipitch and that's what we were set out to do: climb long, easy routes. I took Katja climbing for the first time in Las Vegas in 2012.  Not a bad place to start and we've been climbing together since. This was our first visit to Lofoten so we wanted to concentrate on getting to know the area, cover as much ground as possible, and tick off as many of the Top 50 routes as we could.

We were a group of five: me, Katja, Hanna, Tero, and Sami. Thursday we set up camp at Kalle (free, water and toilets at site) and took our gear for a hike in the rain. Gusting winds broke one pole in my tent. Awesome!

Hiking in Paradiset and checking out all the lines we drove 18 hours for but can't climb!

Friday morning we climbed single pitch climbs at Paradiset. I decided to start with an easy route: Dashboard of Light (4). Are those pinscars? The pro is tricky at the bottom. I like! Katja cleaned and laughed at my placements: "Emma, what is this?!" Looks like I've taught her well. Next we climbed Svenske diedret (6+) which is super fun, has a tricky crux in the middle, and is easy to protect - 'Take, Katja, take, please!' I don't know what to do! Our last climb was a no name route (?) next to Svenske or maybe it was an approach to a route. More rain.

Looks rad, doesn't it? Best of Paradiset! I know you want to climb it. The Approach Route (2+)

Tero and Hanna at the base of Svenske diedret (6+). I flailed it, Tero styled it.

Saturday we went to Eggum. Eggum is known for hard sport routes and for staying dry in the rain. There were a couple new routes (5-ish) which are not mentioned in the guide book. Tero redpointed something in the steep section and me, Katja, and Hanna climbed all the easier routes (5- to 7-) on the right side. I definitely recommend going to Eggum!

Eggum is weather proof. Pic: Sami

That same night, after dinner, me and Sami gave Puffrisset (5+, 110m, 2P/4P) a go. While we were having dinner we watched two teams bail halfway up. Maybe intentionally? It was midnight and the weather was getting better. P3 looked very wet from camp and there was only one way to find out for sure. This one I climbed in my pj's. P2 of Puffrisset is amazing! If only it were 30 meters long like the guide book says. And not wet. Fine, we bail. You can rap from the fixed gear+sling anchor with a single 70 and rope stretch will take you all the way down.

Hyvää Juhannusta! Ei sada! Lettuja on! Viihteenä livepakitus!
Ihan kohta seinälle! Kyllä kelepaa! Pic: Katja

I took a pic of the amazing finger crack! Right. Didn't send the pic. P2 Puffrisset (5+)

Bail beta for Puffrisset: Single 70 with rope stretch. Is that rock wet?

Then Katja, Sami, and I went to Paradiset.  We climbed Demonstranten (4+) and went to bed around 7am.

The next day, Sunday, we finally went to climb a long route: Bara blåbär (5-, 236m, 5/7P,  depending on how many you link, I'd do 1+2, 3, 4+5, 6, 7). It's very enjoyable, especially P5.  Easy, fun, long, well protected slabby crack climbing. The last two pitches were wet, grassy, and trickier to protect. Tero took the bottom, I took the upper section. But I bailed the last pitch. It's a 4. Not my proudest moment. Sami and Hanna shared leads and both of them sent. We all rapped together with two single 70s. There's a new rap route-you can now avoid the rope eating flake!

Katja is showing us the way! Bushwhacking!

P5: 40 meters of perfect hands to fingers.

Tero and I taught Katja multipitch. "varmistas ny vähä ittees". Pic: Tero

Kyllä muakin hymyilyttäs, jos mun olkapäästä kasvais kaks noin kaunista naista. Pic: Tero

It's Katja's time to rap with a Mega Jul. Tök tök tök tök tök tök. Just saying.

 Hiking back to our car, 11pmish.

Monday was a rest day so we went cragging at Gandalf. Me and Katja climbed Gandalf (5, about 100m, 3P). It was super fun to climb with Katja. I picked Gandalf only because Gollum was taken. It was on ok route, but there was a lot of rope drag.

Hello! P2 of Gandalf.

Kymmenen vuotta sitten ajeltiin Parkanossa kylärinkiä. Nymme kiivetään. <3

Tuesday we climbed the Goat via Forsida (5, about 130m, 5P). A couple Swedish climbers told us (after climbing Blåbär) that Forsida is the best rock climb ever! It's also a top 50 route. Expectations were built. We had fun, but it sure had nothing to do with the climbing. Tero practiced climbing backwards with barefoot shoes and I practiced protecting a fist size crack with nothing bigger than a #1. We try to keep things interesting even if the climbing is not. If you want to climb the goat I recommend Forsida. If you are looking for a good rock climb, the goat is not the place. None of us jumped.

Näillä mä elän, jälkiuunipalaa ja Kallen raidallista. Illallinen on sit vimpanpäälle!

Taken from the top of Forsida/the goat. The view gets better the higher you go.

Wednesday morning me and Tero decided to climb Himmelen kan vente (6+ A0 or 7-, 310m, 7-9P). My friends call me Tekno-Hemuli (also Tekno-Rape). I can get up surprisingly difficult lines on lead compared to what I can free climb. Do not fear, you can always grab gear! There was no need to pull on gear on Himmelen except on the A0. Which Tero free climbed. I didn't lead anything and I had a blast! The approach was a little scary because we went too far up the gully.

On our way to climb Presten vie Himmelen.

The hardest pitch was the 6- dihedral, which according to the topo, goes straight up a blank dihedral. Tero placed a purple C3, a tiny wire, and went for it. The 6- did not go on lead nor TR. Tero went left instead. Way to get a boost of confidence for the next four 6+ pitches! :) Daniel and Mats were climbing one pitch ahead of us. You can read about there trip here. The descent was beautiful. It probably took us an hour and a half. Crocs work perfect.

Goofing around because we are in no hurry

Daniel and Mats starting the last pitch

Hiking back, not that way tho. So pretty!

Dinner was waiting for us at Kalle. We made crepes for dessert. Thank you guys! Sami and Katja started driving home that night.

Standard dinner menu: mushroom risotto, fried eggs, sausage, and veggies. And crepes! Pic: Katja

Thursday was our last day and it was just me, Tero, and Hanna. We climbed Lundeklubben (6, 100 meters, 3P climb, which could have been done in 2P but I did in 5P, hahaa!). Me and Tero led in blocks. Today was my block. Here is how I did: I tried taking right off the deck.... twice. I offered Tero a lead. I placed too much pro. I got off route, but I managed to send. This route is definitely worth doing!

Seeeeent! Girl, you need to take a shower...

Chips, salsa, hummus, and ölkorv (Thank you Katja, you made my day) were waiting for us at the car. We had dinner at the parking lot and drove to Henningsvær to take a shower at the Klatrekafeen. Shower for two euros and a towel for one euro.

That same night we climbed Colibrien (6-, 180m, 5P). I recommend this route! It's an adventure and every pitch has it's own character. Especially P1 was enjoyable because it was actually a great pitch (first pitches tend to be scrambles) and different from anything I've ever climbed. I decided to rap P5 with a single 70 to save time and reduce the risk of getting our ropes stuck. Right. Trust the abseil beta, not the route beta. P5 is 37 meters not 30.

The climb felt hard for the grade but lack of sleep and rest probably affected my performance. I came close to bailing because I was seriously debating whether me being tired would create an unnecessary risk to my team. I had some chocolate and managed to pull myself up the wall. Hanna was at the top of her game and gave me energy. We were done around 7am or so.

P4 of Colibrien, stellar weather 5am. Hanna is having fun!

After three short hours of sleep, we drove home in one push. My fingers went completely numb that morning and stayed that way for the next 48 hours. Sweet. The end.

FYI, I just  booked flights to the States. Norwegian air flies to Oakland for 660 euros! The Valley might be too hot but not the High Sierras! And Max! And High Sierras!!! I must head to work. Take care y'all!