Routes in Austvågøy

P1/P2 can easily be linked & helps speed things up on busy summer days. It´s also common to climb right at P5 to the abseil line, as the final pitches are not of the same quality & it´s common for the rope to get snagged on the flake above

Classic line heading up the full height of Presten. Starts on right side of main face, about 20m left of a steep choked gully. Abseil retreat possible with two ropes without leaving gear up to end of pitch 4.

1. Up centre of three shallow corners, then traverse left to crack which leads to a small ledge with a chain belay to the right.

2. Follow groove then up to flake/block on the left. Continue into a thin finger-crack and continuation to bolt/chain belay.

3. Up the narrow groove then left up a diagonal ramp to bolt/chain belay.

4. Short wall and groove then up to bolt/chain belay. This pitch can be linked into the following with careful rope management.

5. Move up to right of large block and follow cracks to belay on top of block.

6. Up thin cracks/grooves to a good ledge, then traverse 20m left (some rope drag and loose rock) to belay on a higher ledge in base of groove.

7. Follow groove and flake until it becomes a thin crack, then step left into a parallel crack system. Continue up into a left-facing groove to belay above a bulge in the corner.

8. Continue up the groove then right into slabby groove. Belay on either of two ledges at the base of the 'Slanting Corner'.

9. The 'Slanting Corner'. Up the clean groove to tiny ledge, then trend left before heading right (can be climbed direct, but harder). Below up right at large block.

10. Up left across ledges to a large loose flake jammed in a groove. Climb carefully up past the flake, then continue left up a chimney groove and below at its top, below open groove.

11. Follow the open groove up and right to its top, then move down and right for several metres, before traversing horizontally right. Make delicate moves around right into the grassy exit gully.

12. Scramble up grassy gully to top.

A classic & the first route to dry on the wall

Beautiful series of cracks. Very easy to protect. Comfortable belay stances and descent on foot.

In the guidebook, the first pitches of Gollum and Smeagul are reveresed. Gollum starts at the top of the block.

Popular because of the Top50 tag in the guidebook, this is a winding, disjointed line that makes communicating with your partner difficult. Will possibly feel like a hard 4+ if your not used to jamming.

Ant Line on Maurpillaren, Gollum on Gandalf wall or many of the routes at Paradiset or Rørvika Lower Wall Right make for more enjoyable introductions to Lofoten climbing.

One of the best lines here. Pitch 1 goes just right of Gandalf & up the corner with a tree before trending right & up the arete to a large belay ledge. Pitch 2 heads right & then up the short & steep hand crack (crux) to a ledge. The final pitch takes gradually easing finger cracks through the orange rock to the summit.

Pitch 3 image-

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Start 1-2 meters left of the arete in the black/grey rock. Good protection. First belay on a small ledge beside the big roof over Lys og skygge's first pitch.

The aesthetic dihedral. Takes small wires

The lazer cut splitter going straight up the boulder. One of the best finger crack pitches at the grade in Lofoten

Clean dog-leg crack on the left side of the cliff. Convenient lower-off.

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Image here:

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A brief description & some images from Bergtagen guides here.

GPX track with the approach here

Some more images

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1. Clip the bolt & traverse right across the slab to gain the crack. When the angle eases take the crack left & follow this to a good ledge below the steep finger crack in the dihedral.

2. Climb the finger crack up to, then over the roof. It´s nicer to belay on the ledge in the col than directly below the P3 crack (& keeps you away from anyone climbing 1910 Ruta or Forsida.

3. Traverse up over detached pillar then down & left for about 3 metres, then up the gradually widening crack. A #3 needed, #4 nice.

Thin gear needed & an extra piece or two in the 0.3-0.5 are nice to have.

World class crack climbing & one of the must do lines on the islands

Some images here-

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Beta here

Hard start and scene of a couple of broken ankles. Consider bringing a boulder pad/ clipping a pre-placed 1st piece

Easy slabs and cracks to a tricky large crack at the end.

This route can easily be done in 3 pitches to storhylla by stretching the first belay to a stance close to the roof (55m) and pitch 2 until one of the good ledges above the roof (45/50m). This avoids rope drag and bad communication for the roof pitch (P2).

Protection is good (heart in the book dates back to before micro cams/totems)

The Maurpillaren to Sjørfjellet ridge. Mostly easy alpine style scrambling with some exposed sections. There´s 2 rapps, both 30m & both from fixed nuts & slings.

It´s possibe to continue traversing all the way to Nordryggen (up to N6-, 2 x 60m ropes needed).

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Excellent climbing from Storhylla up the corner system left of Vestpillaren (rejoins at the slanting corner stance).

1. Up the easy groove to a belay next to the large block

2. Traverse left then follow the fingers and hands crack system up to the base of the LF roof/corner.

3. This pitch is nails & should be broken into 2 rope lengths to preserve your small gear & prevent rope drag. Delicately traverse left as far as possible before a tricky mantle. Continue up the steep and hard finger crack to a good ledge. An amazing pitch.

4. Climb the remaining thin finger crack. A short section of easier but loose stuff takes you up to a giant ledge.

5. The steep & clean diagonal crack. Belay on a tiny ledge after the chimney. Another great pitch.

6. Short OW off the belay then take the LF corner up to a sloping ledge with a fixed piton belay. Yet another great pitch.

7. Climb the chimney, exiting out via the thin ramp to your right & up to a small stance. The great pitch vibes continue.

8. Up the corner, traversing out left under the roof then easy climbing up the groove to a big ledge on the left with some loose rock. Sustained!

9. Take the left groove up for 20m then trend left again & up the next groove to a small ledge with a single piton.

10. Easy climbing left up the face then scrambling right up the groove to small stance

11. Continue up the groove then it´s more scrambling right to another large ledge.

12. Step down right, then up the next easy groove to an even bigger ledge

13. Steep face climbing on jugs up the left side of the wall.

14. Continue scrambling along the right side of the ridge up to the ridge crest

15. Down the ridge to a fixed 15m abseil. Continue across the crest to another fixed anchor.

16. The original line tackles the steep slab via the right side of the arête. The crux is do not fall climbing. It´s possible to avoid this pitch by abseiling down 20m right then up 2 pitches of gross but safer N5 scrambling (the grassy walk of shame). There´s also a third option; A chimney up from the same abseil point which takes you to the standard P16 belay (bit loose & mossy but possible to get some pro, N5+).

17. Take left side of the pinnacle. A final section of loose & grassy stuff leads to the summit.

> A short with Katie Lambert & Caroline George on Storpillaren

Some images here-

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A proud send from the 70s, this burly line is a test piece for wide crack enthusiasts. One of Lofotens best/worst pitches.., depending on how many #5s you can round up

1. Climb the crack through a small roof onto a belay ledge at the bottom of the obvious crack.

2. Follow wide crack up, bring plenty of big gear (#4, #5..)

In the guidebook, the first pitches of Gollum and Smeagul are reveresed. Smeagul starts left of the block, going up the tricky zig zag crack.

Tight hands to offwidth crack. Fun jamming test piece that´s easy for the small hand crowd (7-) & tough work for large hands (7)

Bolted anchor as of July 2019

3 unique pitches, the last (4) is part of the Coley smoke.

Video beta:

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Usually done in 2 pitches (P1/2 linked as close to the upper dihedral as your rope will stretch)

Some images here-

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1. Starts a few metres left of Smeagul in the grassy crack & up to the black ledge where you move right over to the Gollum belay.

2. As for Gollum.

3. As for Gollum.

Sit start & up the right arête

The original line up to the fixed Storhylla belay

Take standard Lofoten rack plus some micro cams

A mixed route characterised by safe but runout slab climbing

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The original finish to Gandalf goes left of eagles nest (the P2 belay) up the burly crack. Big cam nice.

Breaks right from Gorilla into a OW finish. Big cam nice to have (#4)