FA - Long Dick, S 3C
A few weeks ago I completed my first new route. A long slab route in the
Snillfjord area of Norway on a mountain called Glashylla. The route is technically very easy apart from 2 harder moves, however protection opportunities are limited and the quality of belays is variable and requires some creativity along with some small cams. Recommend only doing this route on guaranteed dry days.
Although I doubt anyone will repeat this route, what follows is my attempt at a route description.
Getting there
Assuming you live in Norway and specifically Trondheim, drive to Orkanger then get onto FV 714 and drive to Krokstadøra. About 2-3km after Krokstadøra you will see the slab on the left hand side and a sign to Berg. Pass the sign and park on the left. See included map and photo of parking.
Approach
From the parking head up through the forest along a ‘knut liten’ path. Head up and right. The route does not start at the base of the slab but a little higher. Refer to the map below for a rough approach route.
The route
The hammer feature described at the end of pitch one is actually a 2m step which runs diagonally from left to right.
Pitch for pitch
Pitch 1 (80m)
Start where marked on the map which is not at the base of the slab. Would be cool to start at the base and then link up with this route.
There is a grassy corner which you start on follow this up 5m then climb onto the slab. Watch out for loose rock around the corner. Climb straight up the slab, there are a couple of corners on the right hand side which take cams.
After you get to some parallel cracks head left towards the step up a diagonal corner. Follow this up to the step where there is a bush on you left hand side and a small horizontal crack which will take small cams.
The pitch is approximately 80m so if you have a short rope you can find another belay anchor and split the pitch or do it alpine style.
Pitch 2 (50m)
Climb over the step (3c) and onto another slab. Head up parallel cracks and into another corner system. At the top of the corner there is a crack and a mid sized bush belay.
Pitch 3 (65m)
Climb onto a ledge (flatter slab) then onto slab again and onto another ledge before a steeper slab step. Go right and then left to overcome this and belay at a large corner. If you extend the pitch more there is a tree further on which would make a better belay.
Pitch 4 (50m)
Follow the corner to the left, past some trees then onto another slab. Belay from a tree at the top of this slab. Good belay.
Pitch 5 (50m)
No protection, blank mossy slab. If the second is feeling brave you could solo this. At the top of this slab trend left into a group of bushes / small trees
where you can belay.
Pitch 6 (40m)
No protection, blank very mossy slab. Again you could solo this, belay is limited at the top and a sitting belay in the grass is the best I could find.
To the top
Easy walk to the summit of glashylla.
Descent
There could be potential for an abseil descent on lookers right from some
trees but this is untested. The descent we took is shown below.
Essentially, follow the ridge to the left then right down to a reentrant which forms into a gully forested with birch trees. Follow this gully down and then go straight down through the forest keeping close to the line of cliffs on your left. Once the forest starts to flatten out go left back towards the car. You might pop out at a field where you should be wary of hunters which have a few hides places around the field for picking off deer, elk and weary climbers.
