Martin Olslund free climbs a new route in Trollveggen

22.12.2015

Access technician at Høyden, Martin Skaar Olslund, free climbed a new route in Trollveggen (grade 8-) together with Sindre Sæther earlier this fall. The route they climbed is a linkup of the three routes Norskeruta, Krasnoyarsk and Franskeruta. Trollveggen in Romsdalen is Europe's highest vertical and overhanging rock face.

"After walking the start of the Norskeruta, we climb the Krasnoyarsk route, to get directly into the steep part of the Fran skeruta. Martin climbs a great and firm corner on Krasnoyarsk, before we turn right to the large shelf at the bottom of Trollspeilet. The Troll Mirror is a huge, overhanging wall surface high up in the Troll Wall.

The climb here, in the upper part of Franskeruta, is steep and demanding, and characterized by loose rocks (...) Several steep rope lengths later we come to the most difficult part of the wall.. When the forearms are filled with a burning pump, you climb out a small overhang and make a delicate sequence on limited anchors. The rope length is graded 8-. "

On a small shelf, 800 meters above the rocks down in the valley, both are very happy to have climbed the most difficult part of the wall without falling. There is still around 400 meters of climbing to the top, but from here the steepness decreases somewhat and the climb becomes easier. 

"We topped out the wall just after dark, and were down by car number 2, at the top of Trollstigen, at 00.46 - 21 hours after we left car number 1 down in the valley beneath the wall."