Bare Blåbær (Just Blueberries)

Approach

See South Face route description for driving directions. Follow the south shore of Djupfjorden, and cross at the moraine separating the freshwater from the saltwater lakes. From here, walk along the North Lakeshore for around 100 meters or so. A climbers path heads more steeply up to the right. It follows along granite slabs, and through swampy areas, and sometimes is quite steep, the climber hanging on to tree roots and bush trunks to continue upwards. The aim is to head for a large granite skirt of rock above the North Shore of the lake. This sub-summit of Vågakallen is known as Pillaren (the pillar). Follow left along the base of the huge slabs until passing below a black arch. The ground at the base of this route is very worn as it is popular. It begins in the left of two cracks just left of the black arch.

Route Description

Pitch 1 5.4 The crack doesn't quite reach the ground. A few slab moves, and the crack is gained and followed up a left facing corner, then thin fingers to the belay ledge.
Pitch 2 5.6 Follow the wavy splitter perfect handcrack for a full pitch of fun.
Pitch 3 5.6 The crack now is in a groove which gradually steepens. The crack gets thinner, so step right over to the next wider handcrack.
Pitch 4 5.6 Follow chockstones wedged in the groove, make a couple of friction moves right into yet another hand crack.
Pitch 5 5.6 Follow the same crack for the entire pitch. It gradually begins to go right. Use slings or suffer serious rope drag before reaching the bolt anchor. Rappel off the bolt anchor with 2 50m or 60m ropes.
It is possible to climb two more pitches, and rappel from slings, or continue up easier climbing to the top of Pillaren which is actually the end of a ridge of Vågakallen. From the top, traverse the ridge over to the col between Kvanndalstinden and Vågakallen as described in the South Face description.
DESCENT: The normal descent rappels after the 5th pitch from bolt anchors that follow the fall line, not the route.

Essential Gear

2 50 or 60m ropes for the rappel (and also to minimize rope drag on pitch 5.)
Full set of stoppers, few medium to small hexes. Several cams in the finger to hand range, no larger than a #3 Camalot. Slings. Most pitches are close to a full rope length, most are of consistent difficulty, so rack accordingly.

Images

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