Nordic Projects

Today marks 18 days since I arrived in Flatanger. I'm settling into a routine. I climb 2 days on, one day off. Most days I do some cleaning/work in the morning, and arrive at the cave around noon. There is no sense of urgency because 1) there is 24 hour daylight and 2) I'm here for 3 months.

After a couple of weeks of introduction, I felt ready to sample some possible long-term projects. First I tried Odin's Eye, an 8c+ first done by Ethan Pringle. Another french climber, Pierre, was here for 10 days trying it, which meant draws were hung and beta was available.

Pierre just exiting the first crux of Odin's Eye

As a side note, it is interesting that even the super steep or hard lines here usually don't have permadraws. This makes choosing a project a bigger investment, because unless you are bringing 40 or 50 quickdraws, you're only going to have enough draws to hang on one route at a time. And if you try it and don't like it, then you have  to spend a lot of time and effort retrieving your gear.

So conveniently, I didn't need to bring any draws with me to try Odin's Eye. After an exciting jump start, you climb 3 or 4 bolts of 7a-ish terrain, until arriving at the first crux. This revolves around a terribly thin left hand crimp, stabbing to progressively better crimps, and using an awkwardly high right heel.

After this, you climb pretty easy terrain through some juggy underclings, working towards the "eye". When the underclings stop being juggy, they start to be very wet. This is just part of the route, as it never dries.

Pierre hanging under the wet undercling section.
Josh on the left trying Muy Verdes 8c.

The second crux comes at the end of the undercling traverse. From some smeary feet and a wet undercling, you have to make a semi-dynamic, semi-controlled lunge up and right to a decent crimp. The key here is keeping your hips SUPER open (and apparently also shoving tampons in the undercling). From here you work up a slopey rail to the top of the eye, where you get an uncomfortable kneebar to shake on.

And crux #3! This is the sequence everyone fears. I imagine it would be quite the crux on point, but in isolation this is actually the sequence which took me the least amount of time to do. Kneebars and crimps (reeeeeeeally bad crimps) are the name of the game!

Crux #3, exiting the eye. Photo pulled frome google.

After this you arrive at an awkward but good left kneebar. This next section I've never heard of giving anyone trouble, but on my first run up the route, it's actually the only sequence I had to pull through. On my second run, I sorted out some subtle foot beta and managed to link the sequence together.

Lastly, you have a very cool sequence requiring body tension and an ability to cut feet while double gastoning two nasty slopers. From here, you climb a juggy crack with some kneebars to the anchor!

After 2 runs on the route, I was pretty surprised to have done all of the moves. The cruxes are super hard, but the route is well separated by some rests.

Before investing into Odin's Eye immediately, I wanted to try Nordic Plumber. If you had asked me for one goal in Norway before going on this adventure, Nordic Plumber was the first thing that came to my mind (whether or not I shared that...). So the day after trying Odin, I jugged up to the intermediate anchor where Nordic Flower and Plumber split. After a pretty long belay and approximately 2 million bolts, I arrived at the anchor.

The beginning of the second half of Nordic Plumber.

 Nordic Plumber is an 8c route which links Nordic Flower into Thor's Hammer. Essentially, you climb the entirety of the 8b/+ section on Nordic Flower to the no hands kneebar (pulling your rope all the way through here to reduce drag) and then continue another 30 meters which is 8b by itself. This link up was also established by Ethan Pringle, and arguably takes the most obvious line out of the cave.

This second half of Nordic Plumber is extremely physical. Biceps between boulder problems is how I'd describe it. The most intimidating feature of this 50 meter monster is that the crux is the last 6 or 7 meters, pumping up an extremely slopey rail, and skipping the last 5 or 6 bolts for sure.

Iva being way too strong and clipping along the final sloper rail of Nordic Plumber  

I was able to do all of the moves on my first go up the route, and on my second go (from the intermediate anchor), I linked to the final sloper rail. After an evening training sesh and a rest day, I tried the route from the ground. I fell off of the wet section on Nordic Flower, but it was worth it to practice the rope switch and rehearse the final sloper rail. No big links that day, but I decided I need to "send" the second half before I start trying from the ground.

So the next day I tried exactly that. Warm up 7a, warm up bolt to bolt on Nordic Plumber, and then I tried the link. I focused on climbing fast, and it seemed to work pretty well. Though it was desperate, I was able to send* this second half. The asterisk is because I was too pumped to clip the anchor! I grabbed the draw and still barely held on long enought to clip!

Ethan Pringle on the last boulder problem before getting to the sloper rail.

Regardless, this is a huge confidence boost and I am STOKED to put some amuerte efforts in from the ground.

Lastly, to compliment the enduro-fest that is my new project, I hung my draws on another bouldery 8a+ called Open Shoulders. This is maybe 15 meters long and SICK. Kick off with a vertical V7 boulder problem, kneebar rest, and then you climb an INCREDIBLE sequence of comp style holds. You palm these corners like a volume, scum knees, thrutch into flat corners. Unlike anything I've ever done! Stoked to have this project alongside Nordic Plumber!

Stay tuned.