Together with his climbing buddies Carl Wilhelm Rubenson and Alf Bonnevie Bryn, Schjeldrup went to Nordland in the summer of 1910, where they warmed up by climbing Stetind as the first. Then we went to Lofoten….
He writes:
“Norwegian mountains had often been discussed in the English Alpine Club and even more often visited by its members. In the north, they had most often greeted Lofoten’s fantastic peaks. The well-known statesman and historian Sir James Bryce – in addition to the club’s president – once stated in a meeting that if the sea rose to the foot of the Chamounix aiguills, one would get a good picture of Lofoten.”
British climbers often led the way in the defeat of the peaks of Lofoten, Scheldrup recounts: “In 1901, Collie, Hastings, Woolley and Priestman attempted its southern edge; But even there they did not let up.
On that trip, they climbed for the first time the Higraf and Geitgaljartindene, which after Store Trolltind is Lofoten’s highest.
After climbing Stetind in the summer of 1910, Carl Wilhelm Rubenson, Alf Bonnevie Bryn and Schjelderup arrive at Svolvær at the end of July:
“The Svolvær goat is the alpine pride of the place, and had rejected several suitors, among whom Martin Ekroll at Skrova had declared that she was not receptive to anything other than rockets,” he begins.
“Therefore, when Bryn in all modesty had asked the hotel’s gracious hostess to set aside some food until we had been up there, he was met with mockery and reproach, which enabled him to show the aforementioned rudeness to us. Readers will understand from this that it was not possible to return without the Svolvær goat between us.”
“It was a magnificent little ascent, which can be followed in photographs that show the fantastic shape of the peak as it stands there like a goat and looks out to sea. It is not easy, although on the other hand it is too much to say when dr. Ouston states that it would “stretched out the best Dolomite guide”. (Dr. Ouston tried it in 1901.) It’s just a matter of finding the right path.”
“At first, this one was self-explanatory, insofar as the only possible route led up to the Goat’s back. But the first meters were very heavy, as they showed a complete lack of foothold, and the handles “went the wrong way”. In that respect, they were reminiscent of Jernskartinden on the Maradal Ridge, where it is like this 30 – 40 meters in a row, so according to Knut Fortun, “a well-aimed impact with a blade of grass would have sent a man dangling into eternity.”
It continued up through a gutter and after passing a disgusting slope, we as trained chimney sweeps climbed through a “fireplace” up on the ridge between Geitenakken and the upright block in the picture. That block was put there for anchoring.
“Our predecessors had also come this far, and all three of us sat down beside their cairn and inspected Svolvær, which lay like a Canaan at our feet. However, we were going back there, and Rubenson was appointed to lead us out of the desert. He first tried it on the side of the peak that faces Svolvær, but quickly ended up on a cornice that joined. Then he returned, let himself slide down through the fireplace, and began to stroll out into the seemingly impossible wall under the highest of the Goat’s horns.
Hysterical dreams about how it would go, if one were stupid enough to let go of one’s grips and footholds, is an unnecessary luxury while climbing. Nevertheless, Bryn and I became a little impatient to see the immediate pleasure that took possession of Rubenson, as he stood in the wall of the Svolværgeita, which here does not allow one to stand without at the same time holding on with one’s hands so as not to go backwards.”
“The rock was a bit rotten and loose, and those who had plenty of time could work out small roofs by loosening brittle stones. Rubenson believed that the night was his, gave himself plenty of time and found and made a “road”, which supposedly had to be treated with care, so that the roofs did not fall out again, but which resulted in him finally turning the corner and thus reaching up to the Goat Horns’ foot. Bryn and I couldn’t suppress a cheer.
We followed and soon after the first two of us stood with the horns. They measured about three man heights and were free of roofs.
We got up on them by first using shoulder help and then sledding ourselves further with our back and neck towards one and our legs towards the other.
At 11 o’clock at night we stood and greeted each other as first climbers on each of our horns.
With a little caution we came down nicely again as well, and at one o’clock in the night we entered “Hotel Lofoten”, where our appearance on the horns had signalled a far-reaching unfolding of the secrets of cooking.”
Text : The basis for the text of the article is made by Svein Smaaskjær for Våganavisa
Photo:Johannes Flesjø, André Juvik Eilertsen, Remi M.J. Eilertsen / Stockshots.no
