Norway Ice Climbing 7th-14th March 2026

Meet Co-ordinator: Zak Page

This year’s Norway trip delivered exactly what you’d hope for from a week in Rjukan: good ice (mostly), varied climbing, a few epics, and plenty of progression across the team.

The group was a proper mix of experience, including two complete ice novices. With tuition/support from two experienced members of the club and plenty of backseat climbing advice from the rest of the team, the novices got up to speed quickly and were climbing confidently by the end of the week. A great example of what these trips are all about.

Arrival and First Impressions We arrived on the afternoon of Saturday 7th March with just enough time for a quick recce at Krokan. Conditions looked promising: fat ice, good coverage.

Sunday: Straight Into It A full day at Krokan, climbing routes from WI2 through to WI4. With plenty of routes in great condition, it provided a great introduction for the newcomers and a chance for the more seasoned among us to get back into the swing of things.

Monday: Things Get “Steep” Monday proved to be a step up at Gaustatoppen. Steeper, harder ice gave more of a challenge which the team embraced with the optimism unburdened by the reality of ability. T kindly testing the ice screws by falling upside down onto them. Z needing multiple “takes” on his first route and A needing a top rope throwing down one of the “easy gullies” that turned out to be in full Scottish condition: deep snow and no protection in sight. 

Other highlights from Monday included:

·        BP “the cornice breaker” cruising the Scottish gully with suspicious ease

·        L putting in a standout performance, leading a rampy WI3 on her second ever day on ice

Tuesday: Big Days Out Tuesday saw the group split into teams to go after bigger objectives:

B, J, T climbed Fabrikfossen a 7-pitch route WI2 - 3 route in the centre of the valley. The team reported great climbing with several other teams also taking on the route. Sadly, the Spanish teams let them selves down on the abseil with the classic European approach of “don’t mind us we’ll just be coming pass/over the top of you”

D and Z took on Kavita, a nine-pitch WI2 route which they expected to finish quickly by linking pitches. Eight hours later having completed nine 60m pitches they topped out on the road an hour and a half walk from their car. A long day but great value climbing

L, M, and M and A headed to Susie’s Veil near the industrial museum, ideal for building mileage and confidence.

Each group found their own level of adventure, making it one of the most satisfying days of the trip.

Wednesday: The “Rest Day” After three days climbing, a rest day was required… by some.

One group headed skiing, where Z briefly attempted to become a skier before reverting to his natural state as a snowboarder. D took on the role of ski instructor for L, while M lapped everyone with skis in varying degrees of attachment to his feet.

M opted for a quieter day with a relaxed start. Dropping back in to Krokan, M was able to dial in his screw placements and becoming first of the team to visit the infamous the coffee shop.

The A-team decided they hadn’t had enough climbing so an alpine start and Trappfoss, WI4, became their objective for the day. Another Rjukan Classic in the upper gorge. The decent taking nearly as long as the climb with some of the best reported belay setups created this week. The team made it home in time for tea, medals and a 6 hour round trip to the airport for T to collect R who was joining for the rest of the trip.

Thursday: Ozzimosis and New Discoveries With the Addition of another Newbie, the team headed off to Ozzimosis. New guidebook supplements from the Oxford Alpine Club in hand the team were nto explore the expansion to the infamous crag. T, J, and Z all led the classic Ozzimosis Ice Fall WI4 route. Many other lines were put up across all the original parts of the crag with plenty of top roping opportunities for the team to continue skill sharing and practicing technique.

A carload decided that they required a trip to coffee shop and so called it early in the afternoon. Those that stayed took some time to check out the new section of the crag. L lead her way up a lovely low angle WI2, J and Z made the most of a steeper section and completed a 2 pitch route which T and R followed up after.

Friday: Final Climbing Day Friday began with L making an early departure back to reality.

Conditions had warmed overnight with rain fall visible from the accommodation. We headed into the Upper Gorge anyway. Unlike last year, the river was fully frozen, making access much easier. The ice was soft on the surface but still climbable.

The group split into two, one team climbing Nerdsvingenfoss a single pitch ice fall providing two lines and the other team on Tracy’s Eye. A route wide enough for many teams narrowing to a final with a steep, punchy pillar. After swapping routes, we called it a day early and headed back to town for a first/final visit to the coffee shop.

Only 48hrs after arriving R (and T) departed for Oslo, while the rest of the group celebrated with dinner out in the town. Conversation quickly turned to future plans. GMC Ice Climbing 2027? Lillehammer?

Life Off the Ice The accommodation played a huge part in the success of the trip. A spacious 12-person house comfortably hosted the group with only minor compromises regarding sofa beds and D and Z having to share a bed all week.

Evenings revolved mainly around food. Cooking in pairs, some excellent meals were produced notably A and M's vegetarian lasagna and a proper Sunday roast courtesy of B and T.

Linda ensured the important parts of the trip were documented by photographing each evening’s meal. This system worked flawlessly… until Friday when she left and the team “forgot”.

The sauna saw heavy nightly use, and the living room with its near 180-degree view up and down the valley encompassing the town of Rjukan, Gaustatoppen mountain and many of the icefall, it provided the perfect place to collapse and consume snacks each evening.

Trip Stats 📊

• Total Climbs: 173

• Days Climbing 6 out of 8

• Biggest day out: Kavita – 9 pitches (~9.5 hours car-to-car)

• Standout Route: Trapfoss WI4

• Time spent in the Sauna: 15hours 35minutes

Final Thoughts A special mention must also go to T's Japanese fishing gloves. Bright blue and resembling washing-up gloves, they offered zero style points but proved remarkably effective.

A and M’s mentoring can’t go understated after the team decided not to have a guide this year. A and M really stepped up to help teach the newbies and provide them with a great foundation to build on.

All in all, a brilliant week. Good climbing, great company, and just enough chaos to keep things interesting. Most importantly, it confirmed this won’t be the last Norway see of the GMC

GMC Ice Climbing 2027… watch this space.