Sabotorfossen Amazingness 14/02/11

After a relaxed start and much deliberation last night we headed to Upper Gorge to have a look at some of the routes there, I really wanted to do Sabotorfossen but was quite trepidatious about getting on WI5. We walked into the gorge after looking at the steep looking Vemorkbrufoss Vest and deciding WI5 was maybe outside my ability, but we headed up the gorge anyway to have a look at Bakveien and Nye Vemorkfoss and at Sabotorfossen. After seeing the last pitch from the gorge floor I immediately became massively psyched and knew we had to get on the route, it just looked totally awesome.

Nick led off up the first pitch of solid ice to a bolt belay on the left. Lewis then took on the intimidating and rather Scottish second pitch which consisted of some mixed moves and thin ice pillar climbing with some bridging and back and footing thrown in for good measure. As I approached the second belay I got to look at the crux last pitch and it didn’t look too bad, leaner than in the guidebook photo and so more opportunity for bridging between the pillars to get the weight onto the feet. After building some psyche I boldly ventured out to where it turned out that many, many, many had ventured before!

The route was fantastic but hugely stepped, I barely had to swing my axes or kick my feet, and there were pre-drilled screw holes in all the best places so it was very soft for WI5 and I felt slightly cheated I guess, but it was definitely good to have an “easy” one to begin with. Saying that it was one of the best routes I have ever done I think, three contrasting but equally brilliant pitches in a great surrounding and with good atmosphere. It was a good route for us to climb in a three as each pitch was challenging for one of us to lead and overall the route was awesome! We walked off and looked at the other lines in the gorge with new found enthusiasm and psyche and made some potential plans to squeeze some more ascents in before we have to fly home on Wednesday.

We then headed up the road a little bit to do Svingfoss which was the most roadside climbing I’ve ever done and was a good little route to finish the day. Massively psyched to have climbed my first WI5 and it was such a good route, awesome day out!