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  • Hemsedal Ice Climbing, Norway - £1600

    5 days of guiding and instruction in Hemsedal, home to over 100 of Norway’s finest ice climbs.

    Ice Climbing Norway

Situated a 3-hour drive north of Oslo, Hemsedal is regarded as the ‘cradle of Norwegian Ice Climbing’. This ice climbing course is for those looking to experience some of the region’s finest ice climbs with the bonus of relatively short walk-ins and all within a compact area.

Norway Ice Climbing Course Outline

Located halfway between Oslo and Bergan, Hemsedal offers some of the best ice climbing in Norway, with a large range of climbs, from short and very accessible single pitch venues through to long, adventurous multi-pitch waterfalls and everything in between. To quote Will Gadd, the famous American ice climber, ‘I thought Hemsedal was a ski area with some ice climbing more than what it really is, an ice climbing area with some skiing’.

The course is ideal for anyone with previous winter climbing or mountaineering experience as we’ll be mainly operating at (Scottish) grade III-V. For the duration of the course, we’ll be based in a self-catering alpine chalet, located between Hemsedal and Gol, giving us short drives to reach the majority of venues.

Read Full Details
Guided Ice Climbing Course Norway

Customer Reviews

  • 5 star rating Out again with WCMG! After an amazing few days doing winter mountaineering with Ken back in January, we booked again for some summer days. Ken was happy to adapt to Will and my climbing abilities, did some classic rock routes which was great! Learned lots, had a great time out. Cannot recommend Ken & West Coast Mountain Guides enough, there's really no better day out in Lochaber.

    manderswanders 04 Oct 2020

    5 star rating Great days, great ridges, great fun After a great experience with WCMG in January winter mountaineering we can back to do some classic rock routes. The weather lined up perfectly and we tackled some fairly sizable ridges that required the conditions. Ken was great as always, helping us move quickly and providing helpful advice along the way that we can take to our next experiences.

    WillB1345 22 Sep 2020

    5 star rating 5 great days winter mountaineering Me and my partner booked 5 days private mountaineering with West Coast Mountain Guides in January. We were very worried as the week before as there had been no snow, however we were very fortunate and there was a huge dump the night we arrived in Fort William. We went out with Peter Stollery who was fabulous. The 5 days were really varied and we has a great time, learning... read moreMe and my partner booked 5 days private mountaineering with West Coast Mountain Guides in January. We were very worried as the week before as there had been no snow, however we were very fortunate and there was a huge dump the night we arrived in Fort William. We went out with Peter Stollery who was fabulous. The 5 days were really varied and we has a great time, learning winter snow skills, weather interpretation, avalanche awareness, as well as getting a few climbs in some very wintery weather. Peter is incredibly knowledgable and is always eager to share his experience, we had a really great time. We would certainly recommend West Coast Mountain Guides and Peter. read less

    588matthewc 31 Aug 2020
  • 5 star rating CIC hut (mid March 2020) Had an amazing week of winter climbing, which was professionally guided by Ken Applegate and Mark Scales. All the clients on this particular course were experienced winter climbers and we were well matched, allowing us to make the most of the excellent conditions and cram in so many classic grade IV/V routes over the week including: Minus Three Gully, Gutless, Minus Two Gully continuing up North East Buttress, Right Hand... read moreHad an amazing week of winter climbing, which was professionally guided by Ken Applegate and Mark Scales. All the clients on this particular course were experienced winter climbers and we were well matched, allowing us to make the most of the excellent conditions and cram in so many classic grade IV/V routes over the week including: Minus Three Gully, Gutless, Minus Two Gully continuing up North East Buttress, Right Hand Wall Route, Vanishing Gully continuing up Tower Ridge, Hadrian's Wall Direct and finishing the trip with the incredible Orion Face Direct. read less

    G5764WYphilg 26 Apr 2020

    5 star rating CIC HUT WEEK WINTER CLIMBING COURSE A truly fantastic week with Ken and Mark. I can't believe how much we got done and how kind the conditions were to us. The guides knowledge of the mountain and routes was outstanding, which allowed us to make the most of everyday. I always felt safe and found the climbing, conditions, views and exposure amazing.
    Definitely up there as one of my best climbing trips!
    I have previously...
    read moreA truly fantastic week with Ken and Mark. I can't believe how much we got done and how kind the conditions were to us. The guides knowledge of the mountain and routes was outstanding, which allowed us to make the most of everyday. I always felt safe and found the climbing, conditions, views and exposure amazing.
    Definitely up there as one of my best climbing trips!
    I have previously been on three other trips around Glencoe, The Ben and in the Cairngorms, winter climbing with larger organisations. My experience with" West Coast Mountain Guides" stands out and exceeded my expectations. Ken and Mark love climbing and just wanted to get out there with us and get as much done as possible!
    read less

    Swillis72 16 Apr 2020

    5 star rating Private Guiding with Ian Fowler Top notch service. Excellent and tailor made winter guiding with tough routes and summiting Ben Nevis and Cairgoms. Highly recommend!

    BorysD2013 31 Mar 2020
  • 5 star rating Quality Mountain Day with a Quality Company An outstanding quality mountain day (QMD) on 16 March PLD (pre-lockdown) with Dave and Ian from West Coast Mountain Guides. Ken runs a great company and is efficient, organised and responsive. First rate administration. Dave and Ian, our guides for the day, were both brilliant; knowledgable and highly professional, and also great company. And we would not have been able to do what we did (Schoolhouse Ridge, Ballachulish) without them,... read moreAn outstanding quality mountain day (QMD) on 16 March PLD (pre-lockdown) with Dave and Ian from West Coast Mountain Guides. Ken runs a great company and is efficient, organised and responsive. First rate administration. Dave and Ian, our guides for the day, were both brilliant; knowledgable and highly professional, and also great company. And we would not have been able to do what we did (Schoolhouse Ridge, Ballachulish) without them, not least given the ‘proper‘ Scottish winter conditions encountered.
    Definitely highly recommended. I doubt there is a better guiding company in Scotland.
    read less

    79nicka 31 Mar 2020

    5 star rating Great Guide. Great Communication before and during the course. Great Course. Booked a private, 2 day, winter mountaineering skills course with these guys.
    Our team of 2 really liked Dave Barker’s approach. He gave good advice, showed very good judgement and was a safe pair of hands in somewhat challenging conditions.
    He was clearly very experienced and his depth of knowledge, from research and experience was evident.
    Our team had very different levels of experience and Dave was great with both...
    read moreBooked a private, 2 day, winter mountaineering skills course with these guys.
    Our team of 2 really liked Dave Barker’s approach. He gave good advice, showed very good judgement and was a safe pair of hands in somewhat challenging conditions.
    He was clearly very experienced and his depth of knowledge, from research and experience was evident.
    Our team had very different levels of experience and Dave was great with both of them.
    Dave's explanations were clear and he explained why he did things in a certain way, but gave alternatives if the boys wanted them.
    His precise approach appealed to our group - one an engineer, one a scientist. They made a good team.
    Both learned a lot and would willingly do a course with Dave again.
    Both liked his personality too and enjoyed the time spent in his company. Dave had a great sense of humour which was essential in the weather conditions. Great that the wet weather gear performed well.
    Book self catering accommodation as you may get an early start each day. The hotels don’t offer breakfast early enough!
    Dave met our team at 7.30am at our accommodation each day, then took them to Glencoe from Fort William as local avalanche risks were high. The guide chooses the best location each day depending on conditions out there. They really know these hills.
    There is a great kit list on their website.
    They answered our emails promptly.
    Would definitely book with these guys again!
    read less

    JT_NS 15 Mar 2020

    5 star rating Winter mountaineering course Had a brilliant week with West Coast. Did some amazing routes including schoolhouse ridge, ring of steall and dinnertime buttress. Andy was a great teacher and we learnt so much with regards to reading snow conditions, potential hazards on the hill, movement on steep terrain and becoming inpendent in the mountains in winter. To really get the most out of the course I would recommend having good hill fitness, It... read moreHad a brilliant week with West Coast. Did some amazing routes including schoolhouse ridge, ring of steall and dinnertime buttress. Andy was a great teacher and we learnt so much with regards to reading snow conditions, potential hazards on the hill, movement on steep terrain and becoming inpendent in the mountains in winter. To really get the most out of the course I would recommend having good hill fitness, It will make it so worthwhile. Thanks again for a fantastic week. The West Coast of Scotland has so much to offer. read less

    A5719PSaliceb 07 Mar 2020
  • 5 star rating winter climbing intro I did the 5 day intro to winter climbing course with Rich. Really great week, he was very safe and aware of how to avoid areas with an avalanche risk whilst still ensuring we got the best possible experience from the week.
    He was happy to tailor the time to our abilities and what we wanted to achieve.
    Would highly recommend booking with them if you want to push your...
    read moreI did the 5 day intro to winter climbing course with Rich. Really great week, he was very safe and aware of how to avoid areas with an avalanche risk whilst still ensuring we got the best possible experience from the week.
    He was happy to tailor the time to our abilities and what we wanted to achieve.
    Would highly recommend booking with them if you want to push your mountain abilities and generally have some really fun days.
    read less

    Alec139s 07 Mar 2020

    5 star rating Winter Skills Course Booked a winter Skills Day course. Excellent service from start to finish. Course instructor James was very informative and made the day really enjoyable. i feel more confident using my crampons and ice axe. Many Thanks

    Scrad26 01 Mar 2020

    5 star rating Highly recommend Conditions in Scotland can be highly variable in winter. Ken & West Cost Mountain Guides seem to be able to always find routes and things to do.

    Christopher C 25 Feb 2020
Full Description

Norway Ice Climbing Course Outline:

Due to the high number of icefalls, reliable conditions and ease of access, the ice climbing in Norway is world-famous and it draws in climbers from all over the world. Back in the 1970s, Hemsedal was the birth-place of ice climbing in Norway and is continually being developed to this day. The area is also known as the Scandinavian Alps and home to one of Norway’s largest ski centres.

This course meets in Oslo Gardermoen Airport on the Sunday (please be there by no later than 5pm), from where we’ll pick up hire cars to then drive the 200km north to Hemsedal, where we’ll be based for the week. The course includes five full days of ice climbing guiding and instruction and one full rest day, on which participants can choose to go walking, skiing or to simply have a rest. We will then head back to Oslo Gardermoen Airport the following Sunday.

In terms of pre-requisites, we ask that participants have some previous mountaineering or climbing experience and are looking to develop their ice climbing skills. There is also the possibility of coached lead climbing, depending on your aspirations. It’s worth noting that you will cover far more steep ice that you would back on a typical day in Scotland. If you are unsure of your suitability, please get in touch.

Our accommodation will be in a large chalet, situated halfway between the towns of Hemsedal and Gol, which is perfectly placed for the majority of the climbing venues in the area. Please bring your own towel and sleeping bag liner/pillowcase, as linen isn’t provided. Rooms will be shared.

Food costs will be included in the course fees and will be prepared by your guides. We do ask that you help with the cooking and cleaning throughout the week.

It is worth mentioning that the average monthly temperatures in Hemsedal are considerably lower than Rjukan and we found that in 2020, whilst the ice climbing in Rjukan was in poor condition, with only the highest of routes holding on, the ice climbing in Hemsedal, even in the valleys, was amazing.

Average Winter Temperatures (in degrees Celcius)

Hemsedal Rjukan
January -8.8 -6
February -8.1 -5.4
March -3.7 -1.6

Course Ratio: 1:2

Ratio: 1:2 Individuals or couples are welcome.

Costs and Equipment:

The fees will cover transport in Norway, meals and snacks and all guiding fees. We are able to provide helmets, harnesses, axes and crampons.

You will need to cover airfares, insurance and spending money.

Dates & Prices

8 Day Course (5 days of climbing) £1600/person

2021

  • Unfortunately, due to Covid related travel restrictions, we won’t be running this course in 2021.
Kit Requirements

Climbing Kit

Socks –Go for a medium to thick pair of synthetic or wool/synthetic blend socks. You may like to wear a thin liner pair underneath the thicker pair.

Thermal/Base Layers –A couple of thermal layers are useful, along with thermal leggings. Powerstretch works well.

Fleeces or synthetic-filled jacket –At least one fleece layer for your upper body. If you get cold easily perhaps add a fleece gilet/vest to your layering. Having an extra fleece top or synthetic layer in a waterproof liner at the bottom of your rucksack is essential.

Down Belay Jacket -Essential for when belaying

Walking trousers –Polycotton, polyester or softshell is ideal.

Warm Hat & Gloves –With regards to gloves, it is best to have a thinnish pair of waterproof or softshell gloves to climb in, particularly when leading

Warm Mitts -For belaying

Waterproof jacket and over-trousers ( outer shell clothing) –Only a lightweight set of waterproofs are required for ice climbing in Norway

Softshell jacket and trousers –We recommend mid-heavy weight softshells. Thermals can be worn beneath if necessary.

Rucsac –A medium volume sac (35-50 litres) is best for winter climbing, with ice axe carrying loops.  Everything needs to fit inside your sac.

Bivvy Bag –A large person sized poly or foil survival bag is the minimum requirement, essential.

Head Torch –Essential for all courses, plus spare batteries.

First Aid kit –A small personal pack including medication for blisters. Suncream and sunglasses if good forecast.

Flask –0.5-1 litre for hot drinks on the hill. If you take a flask, a waterbottle is optional. Don’t carry too much liquid in winter!

Ski Goggles

Trekking Poles -These are optional, but useful particularly in descent. One is probably enough.

Boots –For ice climbing, fairly modern B3 boots are recommended.

Crampons –Should have 12 or 14 points and be compatible with your boots. These need to be particularly sharp for steeper ice climbing. Vertical front points provide more security and displace less ice.

Ice Axe –Two modern technical tools with sharp picks. It’s important to also have a lanyard to attach the axes to your harness.

Helmet –Please bring one along if you can. We have DMM helmets available.

Harness -Please ensure you have at least two ice screw clippers (e.g. DMM Vault) attached to your harness.

Belay device, three HMS Carabiners, two prusiks and one 120cm sling

Other than the above kit, you will need regular clothing

Programme Outline

Typical Programme

Day 1 – International flight to Oslo, Norway. Transfer to Hemsedal and accommodation
Day 2 – Introduction to ice climbing in Golsjuvet
Day 3 – Guided ice climbing day on Flagetfossen
Day 4 – Guided ice climbing day in Grøndalen
Day 5 – Day off – option to go walking, skiing, climbing or have a rest day
Day 6 – Lead climbing coaching on Skørrsbekken
Day 7 – Guided ice climbing on World Cup Issen or Lead climbing coaching on Ridalsberget
Day 8 – Transfer to Oslo, international flights to the UK

This is a sample itinerary. The exact itinerary will be flexible and take your abilities, aspirations and the prevailing conditions into consideration.

Example Routes

  • Flagetfossen WI 3+
  • Haugsfossen WI 4
  • Golsjuvet WI 2-5
  • Vollokula WI 4
  • World Cup Isen WI 4
  • Torsetfossen WI 4
  • Botnabekken WI 3
  • Rundtopbekken WI4
  • Grotenutmiget WI3
  • Grotesigne WI3-4
  • Kyrkjebonsstolfossen WI4

You can find a fairly comprehensive list of ice climbs in Hemsedal on UK Climbing. The guidebook for ice climbing in Hemsedal is available in shops in Hemsedal itself.

Ice Climbing in Hemsedal

Hemsedal is home to some of the most beautiful and accessible ice climbing in Norway and has routes for all abilities.

Booking Enquiry Form

Please fill out the form below if you have any questions or would like to book.
We’ll be in touch soon!

Ken Applegate Mountaineering Instructor and Mountain Guide

Roadside ice climbing in Hemsedal
The ice climbing is as good as Rjukan
Better ice climbing than Rjukan
Great views on an ice climbing course in Norway
Great views ice climbing course
Lead Climbing in Norway
Ice Climbing Course, Norway
Steep ice climbing in Hemsedal, Norway
Leading an ice climb in Norway
Find Out More

Contact us if you would like more information or have any questions

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