Winter Conditions: Valdres, Hemsedal & Lærdal

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These areas cover the popular ice climbing destinations in Valdres, Hemsedal & Lærdal.

After a very mild Autumn winter slowly arrived. The main theme this year has been rapidly fluctuating temperatures and more recently high winds. In the west (Think west coast) unprecedented snow fall has occurred with as much snow falling in the last few weeks that normally falls in the entire winter. In Valdres, Hemsedal & Lærdal as it would seem the norm, much variation has occurred. For example Hemsedal has experienced periods of high winds while where I live in Vestre Slidre (one area in Valdres) we have had very light winds. "Local variation" are the key words.

for weather see:

www.yr.no

Avalanche:

http://www.varsom.no/Snoskred/



In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:
Many routes in the area have been climbed / formed. Haven't been to Lærdal so don't know whats formed.

We climbed inner and outer Haugsfossene yesterday. There was bit if wading / swimming to get to the base of the routes.

Grøtenutbekken: I looked at it yesterday from the road. It is formed and yesterday the last pitches looked covered in snow.
Post edited at 14:20
In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:

Was over in Hemsedal today. Grøtenutbekken had been climbed last Saturday. It was looking a very slightly milky today (but only very slightly). This is an early season icefall as it gets eaten by the sun readily.

Hydnefossen was looking blue.

Torsetfossen was formed but looked covered in snow.
 Rick Asher 20 Jan 2015
In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:

I'm currently in Oppdal after an aborted week in Setesdal; we've climbed last three days, there's enough to do on the higher ground either side of the E6 highway south of Oppdal.
Speaking to locals, it has been very dry therefore many routes thin but still enough to do.
We climbed the local classic kongvollfossen, which was superb although thin at the crux.
Approaches are all easy and it has been consistently cold since Saturday. (-14 on the last pitch today)
In reply to Rick Asher:

Thanks for the info.

Just for info. Oppdal is in South-Trøndelag about 4.5 hours drive north of south Valdres.

In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:

Totten: Forgot to report this yesterday. There is a obvious large icefall that forms irregularly down the NE face pf Totten (Obvious from Hemsedal town). It is formed, but not touching completely down (does it ever?). Can't remember its name at the moment. Get the feeling it hard, really hard. Looks incredible. I doubt it gets climbed often. Something for the talented I would imagine

mick taylor 21 Jan 2015
In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:

I can bob over and belay you on it!
 wbo 21 Jan 2015
In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:

There was a British team in action in Hunnedalen on Sunday on the crag above the car park going to Tømannsbu. I would be interested in the grade and how they found it? We did some shorter things the day before in pretty poor weather. There was a ton of fresh snow blown into some very deep drifts, and quite high avalanche danger, and often there was crappy snow on some very plastic ice.
In reply to wbo:

I have no information on the route you describe. Hunnedalen is in Rogaland County (Stavanger is in this county), its about 9 hours drive from Valdres. You could take a look at the Rogaland Climbing club website (www.brv.no) for more information.
 Mr. Lee 26 Jan 2015
In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:

Great updates. Yes Grøtenutbekken was really good last weekend but suspected its condition had just dropped off peak and was starting to show signs of sun damage. I also visited Golsjuvet last weekend. River was totally frozen. Maybe half the routes were well formed at a guess. Definately worth a visit.

A friend of mine visited Stavadalen (SE Facing) in Valdres this weekend and backed off a route (not sure which one yet) because the ice was too fissured, with a rotten top surface. The routes looked really well formed a few weeks prior. I had been looking to visit Stavadalen but sounds like it'll have to wait until next year. Here's some photos/info from my trip last weekend if any use to anyone.

Golsjuvet
http://leeharrisonclimbing.blogspot.no/2015/01/golsjuvet.html

Grøtenutbekken
http://leeharrisonclimbing.blogspot.no/2015/01/grtenutbekken-wi5-hemsedal.h...
 GarethSL 26 Jan 2015
In reply to wbo:

If the route you are talking about is Tveitaisen , then that was probably myself and my partner. The route goes at about WI4 according to the interwebs.

I/we found it shite. The first pitch was predominantly steep, loose powdery snow on a few cm of ice, with some névé over crumbly snow. The ice that I could find was a thin and brittle lamina on pretty much featureless rock.

After that freakshow and expecting similar conditions on the upper ramp we bailed. Came down on a single stubby screw cuase that's as good as the ice got. There was a pretty nice pillar/ step in the middle, with some good blue ice, but we weren't going to find out what was above it.

I imagine conditions are a little better now. It looks a great route, but also catches the afternoon sun. It was raining ice chunks from the headwall as I was bringing up my second on an elaborate Ice axe belay and a tied off stubby.

Will probably go back and repeat at some point

Another Brit/German ensemble climbed further up the road towards Sinnes and IIRC found similar conditions .
 wbo 26 Jan 2015
In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:
That sounds exactly as we thought - we'd done some short stuff the day before that was similar , and we watched you go up the first pitch and set up the belay as we puffed up to the R.

It. Is super now tho I think. But now the road in Oltedal is shut due to rockfall
In reply to wbo:

Thanks for your comments. This thread is about climbing conditions in Valdres, Hemsedal and Lærdal not Rogaland which is a completely different area. It would be a bit like asking for conditions on the the Cairn gorms and someone saying in Wales its....

Anyway: Was over in Hemsedal yesterday and saw Hydnefossen looked turquoise in colour with some snow on the ledges. Didn't see anything else as there was low cloud.

Word on the street is Grøtenutbekken is in quite tough formation this year.
In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:

Took a drive about yesterday (Sunday).

In Vang: Langåni was formed and looked as intimidating as usual.

Filefjell: Unknown waterfalls formed.

Lærdal: Just had a look at the top end. Less snow than Valdres / Hemsedal. Many good lines formed.

Hemsedal: Parties on Haugsfossen. Inner Haugsfossen was looking a bit milky? Grøtenutbekken had a party on it. They turned after pitch 2 for unknown reasons. The ice is looking like it is on the edge of turning. All the south facing falls in the area get eaten by the sun readily. Last week a strong party turned 2/3 the way up Hydnefossen due to water running down the ice / getting super cold / all equipment frozen. It was mild last week so it should freeze up again as its -10 and the rest right now.

Stavedalen: I have only seen a picture of this classic area. Not been there this year. Looked snow covered / ice has been eaten. Heard a part turned on a route due to poor ice. This is a really good early season venue, but gets eaten readily by the sun.

I took loads of pictures but can't find the camera cable When I find it / buy another i´ll put the pictures up on FB.



In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:

Had some feed back from conditions in Lærdal: Kjørlifossen which is quite low in the valley is formed and has been climbed by several parties.

After a slow / warm start to the season it would seem many of the classics / others have formed through out the Valdres, Hemsedal & Lærdal areas.

In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:

After last weeks -15 it has shot up to +5 during a storm. It looks like it will remain warm until Wednesday and then the temperature will sink again The ice will survive. Some of the South facing icefalls are looking rotten before the thaw. The north facing ice which was looking covered in snow will hopefully improve when it refreezes.
In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:

Well since Wednesday it has started to refreeze. Had a wee tour up to Vang to check out Langåni. Due to low cloud I could only see the lower half, but it was still formed. No idea what the top looks like. There is a pillar at the top that can break-off. The route next door called Drøsja, was out. The lower steep icefall making the meat of the route had completely gone. Looked like a huge fracture line at the top of the pitch. Routes on the north side where formed still but looking a bit wet but still formed.
In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:

Just come back from Hemsedal: After the thaw... Drove down Grøndalen and looked up at Teigafossen. Looked complete. first section looked doable but with some thin sections / mix climbing. Top icefall looked polystyrene however. Nystølfossen Was in part still formed but not sure if it is doable. Some bare sections and some thin looking icicle fringes. Ice looked a bit polystyrene as well. Vøllokula is still formed and looked okay from the road. Not so eaten by the sun. Tuvfossen on the other side of the valley is formed and looked okay. Lots of other stuff formed thats not in the guide book, things formed I have never seen before.

by the ski area. Ønsderdalsdeideret looked formed, could see quite a bit of ice on the top section. Lower section looked very snowy.

Above Hemsedal town: Haugsfossen is still formed but was looking a bit like polystyrene. Grøtenutbekken looked thinner than before the thaw and a bit polystyrene. On the other side of the valley in the shade Torsetfossen is formed and looked okay. Quite low cloud so I didn't get a very good look at the shaded side of the valley.

All in all not bad. The southside are getting eaten by the sun and the northside will hold out with the low temps for quite some time.

Heard a party climbed Siluetten (Skogshorn) recently.
In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:
In Hemsedal today. Bit snowy, but from what I could see the routes in the shadow side look good and those on the sunny side look very white now. The routes on the northside will hold out and be good for sometime.

Skogshorn looked very wintery but quite a lot of wind scoured areas at the base.
Post edited at 16:29
In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:
Hemsedal: Just got in from Flagetfossen. Good short day. Great route. From what I could see ice on the north side of the valley looks good. The south side like Haugsfossen look like polystyrene now. Especially Grøtenutbekken.

Apparently last week was popular in Hemsedal (winter holiday week) with almost cues on some of the classics. Skogshorn got some attention as well with reports of good conditions.

According to the weather forecast its going to snow loads tomorrow, which will make Friday powere-tastic! But will bury the routes for awhile

Lots to be going at higher up at the moment or on the north side of the valleys.
Post edited at 14:33
In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:
Back in Hemsedal: Torsetfossen: This one can be seen from the road running between Hemsedal and Ulsåk (Kiwi super market is here). Lovely walk in through forest. It was one of the only times I have used snow shoes and thought they were useful and not trying to kill me. Ice on the steep section was good. Good screws. On the shallow angled areas the ice was a bit plated and rotten. The upper runnel was ice free this year. Overall this year the route is actually much steeper than it was the last time I climbed it.

Didn't snow as much as forecasted. Routes on the north side looking good for sometime. More stable temperatures will see the ice quality increasing.

Posted some pictures on our FB side of Flagetfossen and Torsetfossen.
Post edited at 08:18
 Mr. Lee 09 Mar 2015
In reply to Valdres Fjellguider:

Ay word on the grapevine about how Hydalsfossen might be looking? Guessing it's in good shape.
In reply to Mr. Lee:

I have heard nothing about Hydalsfossen. Interested myself.

 DanielJ 09 Mar 2015
In reply to Valdres Fjellguider:
A couple of friends climbed it last weekend and thought iceconditions good. Must surely be one of the safest late season bets I presume?
I saw a video somewhere on the net from Hydnefossen, middle part, it looked to be in really good shape ( and solid WI5) but that was a little earlier, maybe two weekends ago.
 Mr. Lee 16 Mar 2015
In reply to Valdres Fjellguider:

Climbed Hydalsfossen on Saturday. Awesome day out as the weather was perfect with blue skies and no winds. An easy approach as the snow was hard neve. The ice was a little brittle but overall the route was really well formed with no running water. Would say it would be good for the rest of the month. More here:

http://leeharrisonclimbing.blogspot.no/2015/03/hydalsfossen-wi4-hemsedal.ht...
In reply to Mr. Lee:

Great info. Winter is still hanging on even if the valleys are starting to look like spring.
In reply to Valdres Fjellguider:

Just back from Hemsedal: Spring like in the valley. The north side still holds ice opportunities. Skogshorn looking very alpine, snow in the gullies but the faces are all bare. This time of year it would be possible to grab a ice route on the north side in the morning and go craging in the afternoon in the sun on the south side
In reply to Valdres Fjellguider:

Drove through Lærdal last Friday. All gone now. The north sides of Hemsedal and high will still be good. Ice is still hang on in quantity in these areas. Even in Valdres low down in the valleys ice on the north side is still there while on the south side its all rotten and falling down.

Skogshorn in hemsedal was looking more rock than snow (climb areas) but the gulls will hole for longer. Apart from the gully lines Skurvefjell was also down to rock. On a warm day with sun it will be possible to ski up and climb on this face at the moment, but winter is still in the high mountains and can re-return quick sticks.

By the looks of FB ski touring season is in full flow with many spectacular pictures of people gliding down the high mountains. This is the time of the year the high mountains on the Jotunheim open up.
In reply to Valdres Fjellguider:
Well it would seem its over, while ice may be found in the dark shaded areas most people have turned to there planks and are heading on mass to the mountains to go skiing. While the valleys, especially the sunny sides are becoming green, spring is bounding, the mountains contain good snow and alpine climbing conditions. This time of the year on sunny days it possible to ski up to Skurvefjell in Hemsedal and rock climb and then afterwards zoom down to a cafe.

The roads are now open over Valdresflya and up to Krosssbu allowing access to the higher mountains.

See you next winter!

Ttfn

Jamie
Post edited at 07:27

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