Routes in Hamarøy

Long and serious in places.

A fjord to the summit adventure, reported to have been climbed in a day (12 hours!) The route begins left of the large groove defining the West Face with 20 or so easy slab pitches before another 10 or so steeper pitches lead to the West False Summit (33 pitches total). From here, continue to the summit via Vestveggen (20 pitches).

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The original line was first climbed in winter and starts in the same position as Vestveggen, following a more direct path sightly left of Vestveggen and slightly right of the defining large blocks which lean into the West Face.

Stated in the guidebook as having easier route finding and better climbing, it´s actualy neither of those things; Expect just as nice climbing with just as difficult route finding!

1. The route starts near two large blocks and right of the 2 large square roofs in a corner. This pitch trends gently right to a large ledge (stor hylle). Build your belay in the corner to your right.

2. Take the LF groove until it´s possible to traverse right into a RF groove. Traverse right again when the LF corner becomes visible to a belay on a small ledge. Routefinding can be a little tricky. It helps to aim for the roof below the LF dihedral.

3. Head out left & up the parallel cracks.

4. Short pitch to the base of the finger crack.

5. Climb the short but great finger crack to a stance

6. The ´devils dance floor´ pitch traverses out right then up the RF corner to a ledge on your left.

7. Trend gently left via the path of least resistance to a ledge. Walk left & build your belay in the corner below a gently right trending finger crack. Not the best rock on this pitch.

8. Up the finger crack then step left and follow cracks & grooves to the ridge

It´s a further 300m of mellow ridge scrambling to access Vestveggen. The P1 OW is a very obvious marker.

Route description & topo

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The striking West ridge is the obvious path to the summit from Vestveggen. The route starts below the obvious wide crack, which was first climbed in 1937 (& an amazing achievement for the era).

1. Start up the dihedral, when the holds disappear traverse left into the wide & sustained crack. Big cams useful (1x #2, #3 & 4#).

2. and

3. Easier climbing leads to the base of the next steep crack.

4. Climb the finger crack in the middle of the wall, after 15m traverse to some balancey climbing on the arete. The crack in the main corner is harder (N6 for the wide crack, N7- for the thin corner crack).

5. and

6. Easier cracks and corners lead to a rightwards exit through a hole & up to the summit block

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Follows crack system to the right of Vesteggen

Large lower ledge system running along the lower half is the approach for most lines on the South Face.

The first ledge system is a possible, thou not recommended retreat option

The second ledge system is the recommended retreat option.

Route description here

Trends left towards a large flake after a shared start with Kongelosjen Direkte. Rarely climbed

The direct start to Sydpillaren tackles the lower slabs up to Kongelosjen. Grades are similar but some sections are often wet &/or harder to protect.

Originally done in 17, listed as 9 pitches in the guide.

Long route with the occasional bolt to the left of sydpillaren. Starts 30m right from the of highest point on Kongelosjen ledges & 100/150m past the start of Sydpillaren.

1. Start up the slab then follow the obvious easy system to a ledge.

2. More easy slabs to a ledge.

3. More straightforward cruising. Belay at the base of the right leaning corner.

4. Climb RF corner up to the first big ledge system.

5. Walk left to belay on a small ledge below the next groove system

6. Follow the grooves to belay at the base of the bombay chimney.

7. Rock, paper scissors for carrying the pack then up the chimney to a ledge.

8. Straight forward cracks

9. Up the finger crack until an awkward move left is needed. Continuing up this groove leads to the 2nd Amfi (Where it´s possible to retreat). Set your belay below 40m pillar with twin grooves.

10. Climb the mini roof to a small ledge.

11. Follow the crack, when it ends step left to belay at a good stance below the RF groove

12. The RF groove (crux) leads up to an exposed stance.

13. Down climb from the belay then traverse out right to access the gully. Follow this to the summit.

The section of rock between the end of the hiking trail (Halls Fortopp) & the summit block. It´s also the descent for the climbing routes; a fixed 15m abseil avoids the few moves of N4 climbing.

A route description is available here (in Norwegian)-

A description for winter conditions

A description of the ski route

Some images of the route

Up the diagonal feature on the North face

The natural line of descent from the summit if continuing onto Sildpollentinden.

The most popular route to the summit is well protected, moderately graded & in an absolutely fantastic setting. One of Norway´s best ridge traverses.

There is a route description & topo available from the climbing club. Walk off the back & don´t rapp as described (it´s not really known if that line actually exists!)

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https://www.bergtagen.no/kuglhorn

Route on the far left of the North face that rejoins Østkammen after 5 pitches

Description available from the American Alpine Club. Link to the topo

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Amazing, sustained, steep climbing. Some bold moves and one serious pitch which gets out the best of you.

1. Climb the detached flake

2. Step right then up into the clean RF corner system. Belay at a small stance

3. Continue up the corner, traversing under the roof and up to a small stance

4. Steeper jamming leads up to, then over a bulge & trending left in the beautiful corner system to another small stance

5. More steep jamming up the remaining corner system leads to a semi hanging belay under the roof.

6. The traverse pitch. Head out left under the roof then up the airy corner for 5m before boldly traversing left 2m to gain the next crack system. An exposed, technical & excellent pitch

7. Back to hand jams & easier climbing up the next corner system.

8. A short pitch up the remaining corner system to a deluxe grassy ledge

9. A tough start, retrofitted with fixed equipment (1 bolt, 2 knifblades), leads to a wider crack system & gradually easier climbing. The Crux.

10. Continue up the wide corner, before trending left (big exposure) under the roof where a handcrack appears up to the final summit.

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This route is described in Tidsskrift for Norsk Alpinklatring 2021

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The difficulty of the climbing is primarily grade 3+/4-, but with some shorter sections of grade 4.

The route starts up an obvious finger crack splitting the slabs at the base of face. Traverse left after the finger crack and continue up the left of the two obvious dihedrals on the upper part of the face. Apart from some poorly protected slabs the route is well-protected and with little vegetation.

Low-angled slabs, cracks and dihedrals leads up to the shoulder and the descent route.

Mostly moderate climbing (grade 4-5) with a long and nice dihedral as the crux section. The climbing is mostly made up of dihedral formations and knobby slab sections. A 70 meter-rope & a running belay was used on easier parts of the first ascent. Using a shorter rope would probably increase the number of pitches to about 15, but there are plenty of opportunities for good belays on the whole route.

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Topo and description here-

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It´s 5 pitches to the last rapp station or 12 pitches to the summit

5 pitches to the last rapp station. Bail from here or continue to the summit via klubbruta

From the last belay station (P6) it´s another 6ish rope lengths of scrambling to the top. From the summit, descend via Northern side.

A route description is available from Narvik Klatreklubb

Some images here

There´s some initial admission ticket vegetation climbing on the lower portion of the route. The remaining pitches are high quality climbing on good friction granite.

A long traverse to the right below the top third of the face (after 5 pitches) leads to the base of two obvious dihedrals. The biggest dihedral to the left has a lot of vegetation, so climb the right hand one. This is the crux section of the route and starts with a perfect finger crack that eventually turns into a hand crack (#3 Camalot). The crux section is steep but is easily aid climbed if you can't manage the 7+ climbing.

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The approach exposes you to avalanche terrain; caution required. Descend via normal way.

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An outrageous, overhanging open project. The first pitch is bolted and has not been freed, the 2nd pitch goes on gear but has only been top roped clean.

Best approached from the West by parking just before Skjellesvikskaret. A faint climbers trail trends right across the base & up to the lake where open grassy slopes lead to the top of Kjerna. Rapp down the SE cliffs of the ridge (2 rapps, 1 bolt on each station)

Route description and topo available from Norsk Tindeklubb