Thread: Trekking/mountaineering

My family and I have been doing some mountaineering lately.
As we live in a country with such fantastic nature, we simply feel we must take advantage of it

Yesterday we did another trip, this time to Jotunheimen, home of the highest mountains in Northern Europe.
After 5.5 hours of hard climbing we had done a 7400ft summit, then a 7700ft before finishing off with the highest of them all, Galdhoepiggen at 8100ft.
It is said that on a clear day, the views from the summit comprises about ¼ of Norway's land mass!

Mother nature threw all the weather she had in the bag at us.
Sunshine, snow, hail, rain, high winds and spectacular silence
Along with the best views this little northern land of rocks and fjords has to offer.

My little 9 year old girl, 40 pounds light, did every single summit without even complaining once!
Even the Jack Russell managed most of it, but due to shortness of his legs, we had to lift him every now and then.

Every one loved the trip, and next weekend we'll be doing the spectacular Besseggen.

Here's the kids and I at the summit of Galdhøpiggen



Phi, my 13 year old at the cliff just over a glacier below Galdhøpiggen


The Mrs. and I on our way up
(she is not this small, I'm standing higher than her on this image.)


Next weeks goal, the beautiful Besseggen.
A ridge that goes between a green and a blue lake up in the mountains




Anyone else enjoy trekking/mountaneering?
Please share your photos and details

Wow thank you for sharing! Looks like tremendous fun and quality time with the family. My work schedule doesn't allow much free time but I try to go camping with my children as much as possible. We enjoy fishing, woodcraft, exploration and marksmanship when we go. Beautiful pictures friend

Absolutely, unabashedly, utterly JEALOUS!

I think SRP has corrupted me,,,, in the first photo, I saw a mountain full of "potential hones" before I noticed your family & the little cabin at the top,,,,

Beautiful photos, all of them, thanks for sharing them Birnando.

Stunning scenery brother - beautiful family.

Looks like a fun scramble and a beautiful land! I enjoy mountaineering, but mostly I am a sport climber; spending my time at Rumney, NH. Do you and your family do any technical climbing? It is a blast and would highly suggest checking it out if not. I would love to start trad climbing which is what you see in Yosemite, CA, but you need to do somewhat of an apprenticeship like with SR shaving. Placing a cam you're gonna trust your life with isn't something you learn on Youtube lol.
Norway may quickly become a sport climbing hub for the hardmen of the world. One of, if not the top, sport climber in the world is setting some crazy routes in Norway. He is basically climbing a pane of glass at a 45 degree angle. Here is Adam Ondra in all his glory;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgz7ybI1frc

That's great stuff, Birnando, the scenery is incredible. Ondra is so powerful, isn't he aa1192? I also admire Dave Graham and of course Danial Woods and Chris Sharma. I mainly boulder, and mainly inside but some outside stuff. I've been top roping inside a few times and once outside; and want to get in to that more. Not sure if I'd ever get to the point of doing trad climbing. It's great to see another climber here...

Birnando that last photo is incredible...

Ondra is a beast, but man he seems like such a douche. I don't know if you watched the Reel Rock about La Dura Dura with Ondra and Sharma climbing together, but there is a hilarious segment comparing the two climbers. Here is a shortened version;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stQhEZn4RE0

I also enjoy bouldering (although I still can't crack v6), but sport is my favorite since it is where I started. Bouldering is awesome, but you should experience a lead fall... it changes everything. I think bouldering is far and away the most dangerous climbing; of course that is barring any Honnoldesque escapades. I like the freedom trad offers, but it is a major commitment across the board. Oz has such a crazy climbing history and I would love to come check it out one day. My goal of climbing trips in the coming years is Thailand for deep water soloing/sport and Kalymnos, Greece.

Dumbfounded by your photos. And the kids? Respect. I love backpacking ridge lines in the US's northern woods, but I'm ready to learn real mountains to see what you see!

My wife and I have been doing a lot of day hiking this summer. No mountaineering, a little scrambling over a few boulders. When it cools off a little bit I want to do some backbacking camping.

Here are a few pictures from yesterday, a short hike up Elk Mountain in Oklahoma. A 2270 foot peak, one of the highest around us, it is about a 1000 feet up for us.

I admire the mountains and views in your pictures.

Charlie


on way up



rain water


view from top