No Disappointments on Skuffelsen (WI5)

I haven't been the biggest fan of Rjukan in recent years as I prefer less frequented places where the ice is free from hooks or steps. That often isn't what Rjukan does best, and in leaner times it has been the polar opposite due to limited options. In better years there can be a huge volume of climbs, although I've generally been unlucky with injuries and illness on such occasions. 

There's actually a fair number of three star routes in the Rjukan guidebooks that have no entries in the UKC logbook. A lot of these routes have a relatively moderate approach of one hour or less, however by Rjukan standards that isn't very convenient. They are total non-classics that probably see very few, or even no ascents each year. The bucket list routes take less effort to reach and often have a regular stream of conditions beta, which has a perpetual effect of further increasing their popularity. I've climbed most of the standard bucket list now, so I figure it's time to check out the non-classics when the opportunity presents.

The formula when it comes to conditions is pretty simple with Rjukan as the ice forms with relative ease at any point in the season, provided that it is cold, due to the lack of direct sunlight and reliable water sources. With temperatures having remained cold for a number of weeks I was keen to visit Rjukan on my terms, with the goal of finding some of the less travelled ice in the general area. Something that would require our own judgement regarding the likely conditions, and where the ice would not be full of hooks and steps to soften the difficulties. I've long since realised that greater uncertainties provide a more rewarding, adventurous experience for me, albeit at a slightly greater likelihood of failure. I'm happy to fail under those terms though. Making things easy as possible for myself in certain respects can often just leave me underwhelmed.

The two routes at Jailhouse Ice looked a good option to spread our bets. They face north-east and sit at the same height as Vemork Bridge, where Gareth and myself knew that ice had adequately formed. There was a three star WI5, called Skuffelsen, and a three star WI4, called Jailhouse Ice, so hopefully one of these would be a go'er.

The listed approach time was 45 minutes but we expected the pace to be slower due to a large dump of fresh snow during the night. It wasn't the ideal day for the Jailhouse area with this in mind to be honest, but I figured it would work with a little more time factored in. It's good that Gareth went along with my less than straight forward route suggestion as many would have pushed for the practical (boring) option of something easily accessible under such conditions. 

The guidebook stated that it was difficult to park, but we found a generously ploughed lay-by in the described location. Things started well. A relatively short walk along the main road brought us to the obvious streambed that climbed moderately steeply to the Jailhouse area. From the road we could only partially glimpse the ice on the hillside through the trees, which merely confirmed the presence of ice to some degree but nothing more, and once the approach was underway it disappeared from view altogether.

We followed the stream bed initially, but the first hint of ice amongst the boulders encouraged us to exit rightwards into the forest, where we expected things to be easier. We soon found ourselves scrambling up increasingly unpleasant ground. The ground became steeper and more broken, the boulders bigger. At times we relied on trees to pull on trees whilst our feet skated on slabby rock. At least once I needed to back off my chosen line. We stayed optimistic for a while, believing it would get easier beyond the immediate obstacle, but in reality it didn't. Our ascent by this means was taking forever, and when the opportunity arose we traversed and down-climbed back into the stream bed with some relief. 

Hard gained yards on the approach 

Retreating back to the stream bed. 

Our pace now increased a little. There was actually very little ice to worry about, although there was also virtually no neve - just boulders interspersed with ample fresh powder with which to swim upstream through and occasionally lose a foot amongst.

The stream bed split prior to the start of the ice, with a separate branch extending to each of the two routes. I didn't even register the split, although I knew that our preferred route Skuffelsen was the left-hand one, and maybe it's no coincidence that I loosely hugged the general left side of the stream bed.

Ice eventually reappeared above us once at closer quarters, and soon after the stream bed broadened to become less distinct, which made the last couple of hundred metres a little easier. After 1.5 hours Skuffelsen stood directly above us and it looked in fine condition from the evidence available. There was an obvious steep section of ice at mid-height but this didn't look to be free-hanging, as described in the guide, and not too sustained either. The neighbouring route, called Jailhouse Ice, was half-hidden around the corner to the right, but at this point in the day we had optimistic plans to possibly climb both routes. 

Beneath our route called Skuffelsen 

A little swashbuckling was needed by Gareth in order to reach the start of the ice through the deep snow. The first pitch was not particularly steep but a lot of inconsistent crusty ice covered the surface, meaning a little extra care was needed to make sure every axe or crampon stuck firmly. The climbing it has to be said felt a fairly steady affair after hillside scramble traverse on the approach.

Deep powder beneath the route

Starting the first pitch

Gareth's first belay stance was comfortably located on the right side of a makeshift cave, formed by the ice pillar further left and a roof overhead. The scene resembled the crux pitch of Brudetappene in Oppdal. From the cave there emanated the sound of a substantial amount dripping water in the direction of the ice column, but it looked dry and well formed enough not to be of outright concern.

View towards Tinnsjø from the top of the first pitch.
Photo by Gareth Lord

The base of the pillar was coated in a layer of superficial yellow ice, which immediately shed in grand scale once I started to kick into it. Beneath this lay powder snow. The pillar looked to be fully weight-bearing but a little burrowing beneath the right side quickly revealed an arm-width gap. This didn't actually have a huge significance since the temperatures had been stable in recent weeks and was very confident that I could climb the pitch in steady fashion. 

As I traversed out to fully beneath the face it became much clearer just how much water was running down the right side. Immediately left of the wet streak, in the centre of the column, a vague open corner looked to offered an obvious line of weakness, and still further left the ice became more compact and hopefully ideal for screws. 

Gareth pointing out the crux from belay 

The difficulties didn't look particularly hard or sustained for the grade from the base, but I anticipated the conditions would make up for this. I mounted the steep ice and immediately became subjected to the shower down my right side, which couldn't be avoided. Water streamed down my jacket and right leg, and my right gaiter boot began to fill with water. All that could be done was to ignore this as best possible and focus on the climbing, which if anything became slower and more cautious. The 'good' thing about the situation that I found myself in was that a lot of effort had been put in to just reaching this pitch, so we were a little more committed to try hard. Particularly when the screws on my left side were feeling so solid. My axe placements down the back of the groove were largely first time and with minimum effort, although the fissured nature of the ice was enough to leave a small nagging doubt in the back of my mind about my axes security. What's more my right crampon placements never felt in a fully happy place among the wet chandeliered formations. All this never created enough doubt not to push on, but there was enough reason to find myself cautiously lacing the route.

Me on the second pitch
Photo by Gareth Lord

The pitch reminded me a little of Nye Vemork in the Upper Gorge, although the length of sustained difficulties felt moderate for the grade. Most places would probably grade this WI4+, but we can probably take the WI5, given the degree of sketchy climbing.

The steepness eased back from vertical in the upper half of the column and the snow made a comeback once fully above the difficulties. The entertainment didn't take a pause however as now there were some big suspended icy slabs that needed collapsing in violent fashion.

Gareth's first words when appearing at the top of the steep ice on second was 'that was f*** amazing', which reinforced my view that it had been a quality pitch - and maybe my wettest. 

Easy ground above the crux pillar

The third pitch was an easy 20m snowy slog to the top to cap an excellent route. There was no time to climb the neighbouring easier Jailhouse Ice (WI4) but that could gladly wait for another day as the general area warranted another future visit.

View over Tinnsjø from towards the top of the route

We abseiled down the true right side of the ice. Firstly to a pair of small trees protruding from the ice, then to a broad snow slope that was level with the start of the crux.

Gareth on the second of three abseils, shortly before the drama

Some prolonged stretching of the longer strand of rope on both our parts then took place without any slip. For the second weekend in a row an abseil rope was stuck, which was disappointing to say the least. The route's name seemed to suddenly be threatening to ring true. Last weekend on Skogshorn it had been me that had prusiked back up the rope, so this time it was Gareth's turn, although that wasn't a very fair way to decide things, since Gareth wasn't present the weekend prior.

Gareth attempting to free the rope

Gareth quickly lost patience with prusiking due to the volume of stretch in the ropes. Worst case scenario we could at least downclimb the remainder of the route and return tomorrow to retrieve the ropes. That wasn't an attractive outcome and would definitely have to be registered as an epic, as well as a dent in the pride. 

I had another go at freeing the rope. I tied the rope to my harness, walked backwards down the snow slope a little to fully stretch the rope, and then threw my full weight backwards onto it. To my surprise - and relief - the rope moved! Fortunately not too much since pessimistic outlook on the situation had carelessly led me to fail to fix myself to an anchor point. Instead I merely slumped over in the snow. With the same technique deployed in repetition the ropes were soon retrieved, and a further ab brought us swiftly to the base of the route.

We stuck to the stream bed on the descent, which kept things much simpler, and gravity worked greatly in our favour now. The climb isn't finished until fully back down as they say, and today certainly observed that rule.