Ice climbing above the Polar Circle
 

Due to this year's warm winter there was almost no ice climbing in central Europe. So a Slovenian group of ice climbers (Aljaž Anderle, Klemen Premrl and Urban Golob as photographer) travelled to the really cold north of Norway - far above the Polar Circle.

First they visited and climbed in the back country of Troms region where they met local climbers - Marius, Sjur and Edvard. Later on they moved to the windy island of Senja where they enjoyed wild nature, about one meter deep snow on the sea-side, stormy weather and beautiful icefalls of previously – in terms of climbing - almost unexplored island. With all its mountains, Senja Island seems to be the promised land not only for ice climbers but also for alpinists, mountaineers, free riders, touring skiers and for everybody who enjoys hard winter in wild nature.

Despite unstable and turbulent weather they made two new routes – one near Setermoen, a 270 meters high icefall which they graded at 5, 270m. In the valley of Sordalen Aljaž Anderle and Klemen Premrl made a rapid ascent of one 600 meters high ice monster (5+) in just 4 hours. They also climbed the crag for mixed climbing above polar Circle equipped this year by Canadian legend Guy Lacelle. Later Slovenian climbers went to Senja Island where Anderle and Premrl climbed another new route but immediately after the ascent the weather went worse, storms and intensive snow falls obstructed further activities.