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

Sandsjöbacka Video

I'm gearing up for my flight to the USA and I hear the beckoning of Hueco Tanks.  Hopefully I'm in decent enough shape to slay a few projects but worst case scenario I'll hang with good friends in the sun and circuit classics.

In the meantime, here's another little video of climbing around Gothenburg.  This one features a few of the classic problems Sandsjöbacka, an area just south of town.  Hope you enjoy.

Mongomatic

Mongomatic is a striking line so it's a bit surprising that it took me so long to try it.  It's tall and requires a few pads but the landing is perfect and the top-out is easy.  It's a bit of a one-move-wonder but I would still recommend it to anyone.   

Fredrik almost doing the crux

Geir oh-so-close.  He would fire it next try

Anyone Up for some Coconut Oil?

The cold temps have been optimal for climbing heinous sloper problems.  Here are a couple pictures of Peter dispatching a problem that has given him trouble in the past.

Peter on "Anyone Up for some Coconut Oil?"

Feeling the awesome friction

Kim in Sandsjöbacka

Having Kim as a neighbor is awesome.  It takes almost no effort to meet up for a fika and on climbing days pick ups and drop offs are none issues.  It is a little puzzling that we haven't actually been out climbing together as much as we should but we are hoping to change that.  

On that note, we headed down to Sandsjöbacka this Sunday for a little grappling.  Here are a few pictures of Kim crushing.

 

 Kim finding balance on a cool arete

 Grabbing the top

 Gunning for a sloper

 One of Kim's projects, Oskarsgalan

It's a long way to that jug

A Turn for the Worse

Every year around this time I try to convince myself I should start training. This shift from my general anti-training stance is of course due to the onset of oppressive Swedish weather. Unable to climb outside on a consistent basis I begin to wonder how many trip to the gym it will take to actually learn to like plastic. My attempts in previous years turned into simply hanging out with friends and whining about the weather, occasionally making it past warming up before throwing in the towel. We'll see how things go this year. I should just put together a campus workout and dangle from a hangboard so I don't become super weak. However, I'll probably resort back to obsessively checking the weather and waiting for my annual escape to the States (Dec 9th -Jan 26th).

Swedish winters suck but there are small windows here and there. Between the driving rain and lengthening darkness I have managed to make it out here and there the last couple weeks. Hopefully we'll have a few more good days, just enough to stave off depression.

Here are some pics.

It gets dark pretty early so night sessions allow the working stiffs to climb during the weekdays, if it's dry.

Pontus on a new problem I put up in Årekärr

Johan in Branta Trappan

The Ringer

Still getting out a couple times a week. The weather has been perfect and Hammie enjoys bundling up and playing in leaves. A couple noteworthy problems have gone up in the last few days. In Årekärr the cool rail problem yielded to cooler temps and proved to be quite good. Martin and I sent in quick succession but he got the FA so he'll have to come up with the name. (Ideas Martin?)
In Tjörn I stumbled upon an undeniably great problem and after wiping the drool from my mouth we went to work. It proved to be a bit harder than it looked but it still relinquished to my efforts. I'm calling it The Ringer.

Martin on the rail problem in Årekärr

The rail problem

The Ringer

Årekärr

Went back to the new place near Årekärr. A few more problems when up as the area is becoming just that, an area. The roof project seems to prefer taller folks as Bummel unlocked a sequence that will be impossible for shorter folk. He'll send next time for sure and I'll be stuck trying short person beta.

Here's a few pics.

Bummel stretching on the roof project

Kim on a new sloper problem

Henrik tops out Rainbow Crack

Bummel protests the sharp crimper on O-face

Bummel enters the slopey crux of Family Marbles

Back on the Job

It's good to be back in Sweden as the weather has cooled down and "the season" is upon us. All those uncleaned boulders I found this summer are prime for grappling and the number of projects is daunting. Hammie and I are back on the job as the last two days we swung buy one of our new areas with Lina one day and Kim the next. The area now has has about 10 established problems and 5 brushed projects. With a little help the area with yield much more and some of the projects are top class. If there are any takers Hammie and I would love to show some folks around.

Family Huddle starts on a juggy rail and tops outs with a heinous slopers

Kim sends Lina's arete

Kim on Rainbow Crack

A cool bulge. I didn't have time to send this one but I think the top will be spicy

Newness

Been explore lots lately and things keep popping up. While my drive to explore comes from hopes of finding those elusive 4 star lines it's quite nice to find areas that will yield more that just one or two hard climbs. One of the newer places I've found has the potential to actually become an area as it contains everything from hard project to good warm-ups. With a little work the area will yield well over 30 problems and that's only counting the obvious lines. Some of the work is done but I'd be nice to recruit some more folks to come out with brushes.

So far I've been shut down on the lines I was most excited about doing but I'm confident they'll go down with better temps and a little more effort. In the mean time I've got plenty to brush up.

Here's a couple pics

The slopey rail project. This one might have to wait for a cold day

Ola tries a cool slab project

The project follows the cool rail feature before busting to heinous crimpers

Per-Ola on the area's roof project. It goes but I think it'll be hard

The Green Light and Quarry Boy

Johan got a green light from the doctor. Plagued by an injured finger for over a year he has begun to climb again. For Johan's inaugural climbing day we headed down to Sandsjö as I wanted to try Quarry Boy and Johan wanted to get his paws on real rock. Johan was frustrated and his skin fell apart but he remained in good spirits. It's nice to have him back.

As for Quarry Boy, the beautiful dihedral put up quite a fight. After considerable time I managed to piece together some cryptic beta and was almost content with knowing I'd go back for the send. Miraculously I summoned some last second motivation and scraped my way to the top, breaking off the right hand starting hold with my foot on the send. Quarry Boy might be one of the better problems I've done around Gothenburg and I thought that I'd killed it. Fortunately after coming down I was able to repeat the starting moves. If anything the problem is better as the only questionable hold was removed and the change in difficultly is minimal.

Johan feeling not so strong

Johan back in the saddle

The incredible Quarry Boy

Cornered

Busy Week

Spring has brought good weather and I've been trying to utilize it, climbing 5 out of 6 days. The skin is raw but the spirits are up.
Highlights from the week are...
1 The Mad Salad (aka Henrik) decided to not fall off the mantel and just did Vodoo. Congrats
2 Kalle Boström sent High Voltage, finding new beta for the top.
3 Little Lars put up a new blind dyno in Sandsjöbacka. (have you named it yet Lars?)
4 I scraped up Supermongo.
5 Fredrik is "really close" on Rongorongo.
6 I still can't distinguish between the names Peter and Petter

Her's a couple pics from Sandsjöbacka

Peter (or maybe Petter) on Lar's new dyno

Supermongo all dressed up

Peter on Supermongo

Lars gets his dyno on