Not So Bad After All

After a very rainy start Sweden did show it's softer side to Antonio and blessed him with some sunny days and crisp conditions.  Antonio has a new lease on life and can once again be in the presence of sharp objects without an urge to stab himself.  Crazy what happens to desert folk when they are deprived of sunshine.

Here are a few picture of Antonio not sulking in the rain.

"I love Sweden......when it's not raining"

 Crimping 

 A new line we brushed up.  Unfortunately the tree interferes with the top-out.  Can't win them all

 Antonio climbing at the Golf Wall

 About to send Par for the Course

 Gunning for a jug at Hultasten

 Mölndal Lightning

Climbing at Kjugekull in the south of Sweden

Dain on Öckerö

My good friend Dain came to visit us in Sweden a week ago.  Unfortunately the weather wasn't too good when he was here but we still managed a few days of climbing.  Here are a few pictures from a day on Öckerö.

 Dain tops-out Bättre än Bouldercupen

 Dain on Lamborghini

Kim on Lamborghini

Island Classics

Here are a few more problems on Öckerö.

 The very tricky Friskvård

 Anders sends Lilla Öckeröhoppet

Klas sends Lamborghini

Bättre än Bouldercupen

Bättre än Bouldercupen is one of the island's more popular problems. Being steep with big moves on slopey jugs it is easy to see why. The beautiful setting of course adds to the appeal.

Klas on Bättre än Bouldercupen

Taking the small intermediate crimp before the lip

The view with your back to the problem

Making the Most of It

Swedish winter seem to be in full force as temps remain below freezing and it is currently snowing. Swedes of course are descended from vikings and siege projects with their frozen digests and make outrageous claims like "the winter is the best season to boulder in Sweden". Ludicrous I say. But there is something to just getting out as a lack of wind and sun can make even a bitterly cold day manageable, for a few hours at least.

Here are a couple pics from my first day of climbing in Sweden for 2011. I will be honest and say that not much climbing got done but I now know it's possible, and knowing is half the battle.

Thinking about ice-skating to the bouldering

Lars getting his climb on

Yes, it's cold

Hammie would like to point out that it is too damn cold to climb

Heeding Hammie's advice and heading back to the mainland on the ferry named Marie

Jänkarproblemet

Here is a video of Lars doing Jänkarproblemet on Öckerö. There are surprisingly many ways to do this problem but Lars is the only one I've seen use this beta.

Jänkarproblemet from Walker Kearney on Vimeo.

Jänkarproblemet

Here's a few pics of Jänkarproblemet on Öckerö. Last Saturday was the first decent day in a long time and a posse was out on the islands.

Josephine gunning for the top

Kalle uses tall man beta

Lars trys to remember how he did it