Ice Climbing in a Norwegian Winter Wonderland
Compared to previous years it was a very snowy week this year on exercise CADETICE. There had been a significant dump of snow the week before and this was further topped up during the week we were there, great for the skiers but it was toilsome work accessing and exiting the ice climbs. Unlike last year, when it had been extremely cold and the ice akin to marble, this year the temperatures were much kinder and therefore the ice was easier to climb, more akin to toffee. The thick snowy mantle added to the atmosphere of the deep gorge architecture thus creating this winter wonderland much admired by everyone.
A total of 3 x Senior Cadets, 5 x Adult Instructors and 4 x qualified instructors from across the three services of the cadet forces took part in exercise CADETICE 2014. The aim was simple – to further develop the experience and skills of the selected students, who had all attended previous CCAT courses, to the level of becoming competent seconds on multi pitch ice climbs and to achieve the standard for the Joint Service Winter Climbing Foundation (WCF) award.
Based in our usual hostel in Rjukan, the team also relived the ‘Heroes of Telemark’ story by climbing ice routes out of the gorge used by the Norwegian Commandos to attack the former heavy water plant at Vermork. Two of the teams climbed the route called Sabateurfossen. The climbing was even more entertaining as all the teams climbed routes that took them from the base of the gorge, the commandos had used in the war, via an ice climb which finished at the fence of Vermork.
Another highlight for the teams was to climb Tjonnstadbergfossen which is visible from the town centre and cascades down from the upper plateau. After a bit of snow plodding this route climbs the frozen waterfall in 4 pitches including an ice pillar whilst looking down on Rjukan and across to the stunning Gaustatoppen mountain. It was particularly special to finish the route in the sun; which the town does not see for at least 6 months of the year.
The week was very successful with all the candidates passing the WCF course and three even surpassing their own expectations by leading moderately graded climbs under close supervision. Everyone met the challenges of ice climbing, both physical and mental, with great fortitude and true grit through the application of technical skills they had been taught throughout the week. The students also achieved a creditable number of top grade ice climbs for which they should be justifiably proud, notably Sabateurfossen grade 5, Bakveien grade 4 and Rykan fossen grade 4 to name but a few.
