Monday 28 February 2011

Lofoten Islands

A couple of months ago Andy (and some other folk) got this email:

Subject: Lofoten winter 2011
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:17:37 +0100
From: Marius.Morstad
To:amac_turner 


Hello
Got you guys recomended from Ian Parnell, because you all where new route maniacs, the deal is one week in Lofoten free food and accomondation and boat transport to some off the more difficult spots to reach by traditional means, 20 foreign climbers and 20 Norwegian climbers, this is an elitist event so there is no sponsor tents or slideshows. Just climbing. Hope to see you there . mariusm
Map of Norway
Lofoten invitational 2011
Norwegian alpine club invitees you to a climbing meet in the Lofoten islands with the purpose to go back to the roots, new routes, peaks that hasn't hardly been climbed on during the winter before, if lucky; good Scottish conditions, if unlucky; just conditions. Committing climbs where you have to find your way up and down on your own, little information available, approached by boat, Point of departure; at the shore in the morning, picked up in the evening, you would need to bring an adventures spirit, to be independent and self-sufficient, to be able to find your own objectives.
Facts:
Dates 28/2-6/3-2011
Place: Kabelvåg, Lofoten Islands , Norway


Now as you can imagine he was PSYCHED! 
With the Norwegian Alpine Club sorting out food (quite an expense I can tell you!), transport and accommodation, it was looking like a goer so I spent ages finding flights and booking them and then Mountain Equipment, bless their souls, said they'd help with flights aswell. What a result!
So off they went yesterday, Andy and Lukasz (can't wait for the pics) travelling together and meeting up with Nick Bullock and Pete Benson. They haven't had much information other than the email and a one line response to their messages saying they wanted to go along telling them they were in! So the collective was a bit nervous before they set off wondering whether they were going to arrive at some deserted airport in northern Norway. Luckily all went well and the last I heard late last night was that they'd been picked up and were being driven north..........into a zone of no communication it seems! Oh and it was lashing with rain - hope they haven't taken Fort William weather with them.
Andy has some of Mountain Equipment's 2011/12 winter kit with him - looks brilliant - mostly I'm waiting for the Jolly Green Giant suit photos - that's right a full, bright green, hard shell suit!
I'll keep you up to date if I hear anything.

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