Klättring, Svensk Stil

When traveling, moving, or starting a new life, one simply cannot leave his or her passions back home. They are the first thing in the rucksack. Otherwise, they’d disqualify for the notion of ‘a passion’; So, in my case, that was a passion for sharp rocks, and I had to take it all the way up to Sweden.

Arguably, I’ve survived worse; I moved to a place that could justifiably be labeled as ‘the epicenter of flatness’, since there was literally no single rock to be found in a the vicinity of about 1000km. And I’ve moved there twice. But that’s another story – this one is way cooler anyway. Sweden does have some nice mountains; it’s just that they are at about the same distance than Austria is from the sea. However, luckily enough, a few thousand years ago, the last ice age was kind enough to drop a few granite boulders, randomly scattered about.

They say, it has to hurt. Well, it does. That is due to a coule of noticeable features that definitely make climbing up here different from anything I’ve experienced before.

• Swedes love to not mind the weather.
  There is just no point in doing so. Just climb. Fog, rain, snow, wind, or my yet-favorite svenska word, ‘snöblandat regn’, or particularly a combination of all those factors, that’s what makes it exciting.
• Swedes love to burn rocks.
  Literally; Sometimes, I’m not too sure if that’s for warming-up-the-stone reasons to prevent your hands from freeze to the hold or if it’s simply a practice to clarify who’s boss here. All love flames!
• Swedes love to climb in the dark.
  For obvious reasons, a necessity, but for some, as a fetish; They only send when it’s dark. After all, they might be watched. But believe it, there are truly impressive sets of illuminating-equipment out there.
• Swedes love to climb feet first.
  Well, at least some of them. Others do hands first as well.

But above all, Swedes love to climb. Despite everything. And that’s the spirit right there, you take what you got and better be happy (and book the occasional trip to Spain). Climbing is about being out there, meeting inspiringly motivated people, taking rock over concrete; and jävlar, it is pretty out there. If you can see something.

Kom igen Olafsson!!