Åland Video

Here is a video from the trip we took to Åland in May.  I did a pretty crappy job of getting footage so the video has quite a bit of boring climbing where I just set the camera on a tripod.  So it goes.  At least folks can see a few of the classics and use the video to scam beta.  Not my best video but I hope you enjoy anyway.

Åland Photo Dump

Here are a few more pictures from Åland.

Kalle on Moon Arete in Fågelberget, which was my favorite area.  The approach was quite long but you are rewarded with some great problems in a beautiful setting.

Kalle pawing a glassy sloper in Fågelberget.

Kalle on one of Åland's best, Pictor in Fågelberget

 Frida oh-so-close on a sweet problem in Grottan area

 Gu fires the popular and fun Supermartikainen in Grottan.  

  Lina send Martikainen

Dodo

If there was one problem I want to go back to Åland to do it would be Dodo.  The stand start went down in a few tries but felt incomplete as the problem begs to be climbed from a sit.  While I managed to figure out all the moves a send eluded me and gives me something to go back to.

 Daniel running a lap on the standing start to Dodo

 Martin hoping the key heel-toe doesn't slip when he goes for the sloper

Åland

I had heard spray about Åland long before we took our recent trip.  It was one of those areas with a bit of hype that I new I'd make it to eventually but hadn't seen or heard much that made me want to make it a top priority.  I went into this trip without super high expectations but when the week was over I was still excited and I'm already thinking about a return trip.

The climbing on Åland is comprised of several small areas fairly far apart with settings that vary from sea side boulders to cliff-bands in the forest.  The skin friendly red granite lends itself to steep climbing and most of the popular problems seemed to be roofs.  Åland actually had less developed climbing than I anticipated but what is there tends to be good quality.  I didn't get to see all the areas but I checked out the major ones and left a few things that are worthy of a return.  All in all I'd say it is well worth a trip.

Here are a few pictures.

 

Hammie leaving some chalk marks

  One of the beautiful boulder to be found.

 Gu samples one of Åland's many roofs