Norwegian Mountains, Møre og Romsdal
Sukkertoppen, 314m
"Store Trollvegg", Aug 2 2008
To the main Sukkertoppen page.
There is of course a great deal of irony ..
behind the name "Store Trollvegg". But given the fact that the Trollråsa route passes this cliff, I found it appropriate...
I was pleasantly surprised when Bjørn (my mate on Storen) called me the day before and told he was passing through Ålesund, after his climbing and kayaking vacation up north. We discussed going to Molladalen for "Bladet", but as this Saturday would be a rainy one, we settled for a walk up Trollråsa. He brought along Kirsti, whom I hadn't met before. As my friends Anna & Matt also were in town (and always prepared for a climb), they joined in.
We brought some gear in case the rock wasn't all wet yet. And it wasn't, so we hung around the Trollråsa mailbox for a few hours, climbing a crag that now goes under the name "Store Trollvegg". Bjørn reckoned the overall grade to be 4 (Norwegian scale).
Matt climbs Store Trollvegg
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We first did a rather easy diagonal line (3+) before going for head-on routes. It was interesting to see the different climbing styles. Bjørn simply walked up the diagonal line. Having seen him in action before, I call him a brute-force climber, tall and strong. Matt climbs differently; caressing every hand- or foothold there is. Knocking on every knob. Hello? Anna moves around like a cat. Very stylish. Kirsti also showed good handcraft, but I can't really put a tag on her style. And me? Omigod. I've got so much to learn. But hey, it's fun.
Something was seriously wrong the rope above the cliff, as belaying was extremely hard work. Matt wasn't quite sure if he wanted to climb when he noticed that I needed help from Bjørn for the belay. But, although the climbing was easy, it looked as if they enjoyed it. Which, made me quite happy, because as you know by now, I'm very fond of this little spot on our planet.
All pictures from the climbs on this page
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Pictures
"Store Trollvegg"
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Bolted route, July 28 2008
My friends Anna & Matt ..
from the UK had arrived Sunnmøre for their annual vacation in Norway. Now that they were well established in Sykkylven, they wanted to climb. Matt remembered a bolted route (one of several) on Sukkertoppen from scrambling around back in 2007. This route is not down by the regular climbing fields, but just behind the mast, halfway up to Sukkertoppen on the normal route. They brought their kids Joe & Louise for the climb.
Matt leading up
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I had absolutely ...
no ambition of even trying this steep route, most likely in the 5 range (Norwegian scale). Or perhaps a weak 6. Matt lead up, as easy as it gets, but ran out of carabiners just before the top. We let the route end there. The rest would be scrambling anyway.
After the pressure Anna put on me, I had to give it a try. Anything else would have been unacceptable. But waddayaknow? Leaving grace out of the picture, I got up. Knobs and fingertips - a completely new way of climbing to me. Not that I enjoy it that much, but I really enjoy to watch good climbers. It's a piece of art, really. The way they move about.
Anna climbed in cat style. Mjaaau. Any milk here? I was impressed. Joe has the genes in order and went looking for milk too. Louise found this wall an awkward place to send text messages to her teenager friends and lost interest halfway up.
After climbing, we went back to the scrambling area (well, it's still climbing to me) and I was mentally put out of business watching Matt & Joe glide up the crag I've tried numerous times. At least, it's still art. And I've got something to stretch for. Literally.
Pictures
Bolted route:
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"Lille Trollvegg", July 2 2008
Those who looked forward to see pictures from Romsdalen ...
will be hugely disappointed. "Lille Trollvegg" is the last route climbed in the area near the Trollråsa mailbox, down on Sukkertoppen's west ridge.
On this gorgeous afternoon, Torill, Svein and I headed up Trollråsa to practice climbing. Easy climbing, that is. None of us are mountain climbers, defined as people who climb vertical walls. Torill and I can at least cope with a short 5-/5 pitch on the Norwegian scale. Anything else can't be immediately expected when you pick up this vertical hobby after having passed 40. Svein, on the other hand, is more seasoned and has done a lot more weird stuff in the airy Sunnmøre mountain ranges.
Quality afternoon
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In any case ..
we need the practice. Some of the most beautiful Norwegian peaks demand the use of a rope. Even if we'll never become mountain climbers, we still can have a lot of fun in a world scaled down to our skill level. The Trollråsa area is such a world, offering a multitude of short climbing and scrambling routes. On the agenda this evening, was:
"Trollsvaet" (scrambling)
A V-gap just behind the mailbox. The route continues up slab rock and joins a short knife-edge ridge. "Trollsvaet" has now become a part of my hiking route up Trollråsa.
"Postkasseegga"
"The mailbox ridge" is a nice close to the mailbox which joins the "Trollsvaet" route a bit higher up. "Postkasseegga" gets harder the further to the right you climb.
"Poste Restante"
runs left of "Postkasseegga", and is a notch more difficult. The big rock on top gives extra bonus!
"Lille Trollvegg"
is the face between "Trollsvaet" and "Postkasseegga". Clearly the most challenging of the routes we climbed, but the handholds are excellent. "Store Trollvegg" is further south along the cliffs, and has not been climbed by any of us. The name comes from the "Troll" name in Trollråsa, and (of course) not the mighty Trollveggen wall in Romsdalen.
All routes have (as I see it) at least one point ranging from 4- to 4+ on the Norwegian scale. The rock on top of "Poste Restante" might qualify as 5. Your height is an essential factor.
Some of the routes
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