Guidebook: Rockfax Heavy Water - Ice Climbing In Rjukan Norway
7th Mar 2006
Heavy Water - Ice Climbing in Rjukan Norway
Jon Haukassveen & Tom Atle Bordevik
It’s all the rage this winter, ice climbing in Norway. Sure Brits have been hopping across the North Sea every winter for ages, but this new guide from Rockfax appears to have been eagerly awaited. It is the usual Rockfax A5 format, this time with a plastic cover, obviously taking into consideration the fact that ice melts and wets guide books. It is crammed with inspiring photos and decent quality photo topo’s – you’d expect nothing less from a pair of Norwegian editors and the Rockfax brand! The maps are clear and coherent. There is a section on ice formation, the history of the area, the gear you need, other ice climbing areas in Norway, grades, and the best time to visit.
I suspect that one of the major hurdles visitors have to cross when deciding to visit Norway is affording the cost of living. I was a little disappointed to find that the guide gives very little indication of how much things actually cost. I appreciate that such specifics will become dated, but would still prefer to know how much a night’s accommodation, a pint of beer and a cheap meal out will cost me in 2005. Likewise there is little in the way of recommended accommodation other than a list of options, some of them with reference to associated adverts in the pages of the book. Personally I like to see opinions and feelings thrown into a guide as well as facts and figures. Lastly I would also like to have seen some indication of how many day light hours there are in any given month.
Other than the above comments it is a very well put together guide illustrating that Rockfax can indeed diversify with the times. Icefax?
It comprises 128 pages and costs £19.95. Not the best value for money on a pence per page basis, but it certainly packs in a lot of information in true Rockfax style.
Crags covered:
Krokan
Upper Gorge
Vemork Bridge
Lower Gorge
Rjukan Centre
Svadde
Guasta
Ozzimosis
Bolgen
Mael
Jailhouse
Kong V
Presenil
Hovinbole