Prospective members who would like to join a meet please contact the Meet Secretary via meets@climbers-club.co.uk
The seventh Rjukan Iciest Meet - Space for 4 more
Date: Friday 19th February 2016 to Sunday 28th February 2016Venue: Rjukan Norway
Those who have joined our merry gang at the Gjestegard hostel over the years, those who have shared time on the ice with friends and partners, will know what a great time is to be had in Norway. After a debilitating illness forced me out of the reins for the last two years, thankfully Peri Stracchino stepped into the role of Meet leader, and everything went according to plans. My condition, although still very restrictive right at this time, I hope is going to get better and better as this year ends, so I am using the spare time I have to promote next winters ice extravaganza in this superb wonderland of winter ice, on the basis that I can come and join the fun.
Ably assisted by Peri, I am putting together the promotional material for the next Climbers Club Rjukan Icefest Meet in February 2016. We are holding the meet a little later this year, which may allow some people who have not been able to make previous meets to join us, as well as giving us more daylight and more time for the ice to build.
View pictures from previous icefests ...
Rjukan Icefest Meet - 19TH - 28th February 2016 (primary dates).
I am hoping many Climbers Club members and guests, who have been previously to Rjukan, and those who have shown interest in the past six years but have not yet managed to come along with us, but would like to experience the great times we have on the Rjukan Meets, will be interested in joining us next February. The pictures (PowerPoint) should give you a real insight into this wonderful and world-famous ice climbing venue.
Rjukan is arguably the Mecca of ice climbing, access is simple, conditions are usually more stable than elsewhere, and the Gjestegard Hostel in Rjukan Centre provides the very best accommodation we could ask for. They know we're coming, and tell me everyone is welcome. There are lots of routes at all grades from WI2 to world class hard climbs so whatever your current ice climbing grade you will find plenty to go at.
With this mail, I am starting to contact previous members and guests, to get everyone interested onto the Meet list. New/recent CC members are especially welcome to join our hardy band of regulars.
Interest is already growing for this Meet but there is plenty of time and space for everyone to join us.
Air Fares - I have chosen dates which reflect some of the cheapest possible return trips from Edinburgh, where many of us fly from, but other UK airports serving Oslo Gardermoen, where we usually fly to, have similar/even better fares. Check out prices and flight dates from:
London Gatwick, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and others. Alternatively, you may want to try the Ryanair flights to and from Oslo Rygge.
Usually there are good variations in price, depending on your chosen airport, so get surfing across all airlines. Remember though, the Meet dates are NOT cast in Ice. Members have always arrived and leave on their own choice of dates, but combining with other team members and shared car hire is the key factor.
Our return drive back from Rjukan after a final half days climbing, gets us into Gardermoen airport and our secluded, palatial and FOC airport doss - explanations later).
Fares usually rise as one gets closer to the festive season, but they also drop in price dramatically, so it's arguable as to when to book your flight. Needless to say, flights should be booked in conjunction with your fellow car hire passengers.
Each-way airfares usually include one 10kg hand luggage bag (FOC) and one hold luggage bag - 20kgs (there's usually an each way charge for this hold bag with some airlines, so check this out when choosing flights - it can be significant ). Heavy items like ropes/screws etc. are shared between team members. Winter climbing boots are often worn to reduce baggage weights.
The above dates for the Meet will soon be shown on the Climbers\' Club website, together with more information/pictures about the Meet. Most of us though will start on the same day and leave when muscles are aching or at the end of the Meet. I will be soon booking my flight on the basis of February 19th to the 28th, (Friday to Sunday) giving me 10 days overall, 8 or 9 days requiring accommodation in the hostel, allowing 7½or 8 days ice-climbing with 2 days travelling.
Many of us fly from Edinburgh but there are many other UK departures. (note: if you are car sharing, make sure your arrival coincides with your car sharing partners?).
Please get your teams together first and then jointly decide on your departure and arrival airports.
The travelling time to Rjukan from Oslo is a steady 3 to 3½ hours (watch out for Moose!).
I know we will have the same wonderful amenities available to us at the Gjestegard Hostel, as always. The cosy sleeping quarters (no sleeping bags required), the excellent drying room facilities, the superb showers and washing facilities, the sumptuous in-house breakfast, and the Gjestegard Hostel own kitchen facilities (we all self-cater in the evenings, with simple access to the nearby Supermarket, with its wide variety of self catering foods).
Our host at the hostel tells me he doesn’t think there will be any price increase in bed night costs and the in-house breakfast for next February (there has been no increase in 5 years), and as most people know, the breakfast allows uncontrolled access/amounts of day food supplies and plastic bags supplied for the use of!!. For newcomers and reminders for previous Meet attendees, last year the hostel costs were circa €29 per night per person and circa €6.50 for a breakfast (2*- 3* hotel standard and equivalent prices).
The bedrooms are 4-bed bunk style (usually organised for your car share team) and the rooms are very warm and comfortable, just what you need after a cool day out in the Vemork Gorge or at Ozzimosis. The drying room takes some beating, spacious, efficient and perfect for getting the gear dry for the next morning. It's usually a fairly relaxed start each day as the days are long enough anyway and there is usually no need for crack of dawn starts unless teams are going further afield. Almost all the main locations in the guidebook (Heavy Water - Rockfax) are close to the town, in the valley.
Just outside the kitchen is a warm and spacious eating and relaxing room. Superb. The excellent supermarket is minutes away, across the road in town.
Don't worry about getting lots of Norwegian Kroner's on landing (credit cards are much more useful) but do remember alcohol is quite expensive in the bars, so some duty-free on arrival or at UK departures is crucial. We all tend to socialise together each evening in the hostel. Whisky/Gin/Rum & coke rules, OK?
As for climbing partners, we have always had a good scene with friendly and flexibility in climbing partners, and have, in many great Meets so far, have been able to organise ourselves into great teams, many done so before leaving the UK. Any loners will be helped to join teams each day throughout the Meet.
Car hire and sharing will of course be relevant to confirmed 4 or 5 person teams, usually organised between ourselves in advance, and car hire is usually from the airport(s) through the usual Hire companies UK websites. The usual Norwegian costs apply with car-hire; it's quite expensive so it's good to get a car-full. As Meet leaders, Peri and I tend to be go-betweens and help people to get together if needed. If you need to car-share, get in touch with other members (or Peri and me) and we'll get it sorted.
The usual spreadsheet for information and advice, showing members in teams and car-sharing details, will be in operation as soon as I hear more of members' commitment to come. These spreadsheets will appear regularly, showing increasing numbers participating, along with helpful e-mails/phone numbers etc, so people can organise all that is needed for the meet.
So, let's get it organised and get ready for some great fun climbing again.
I look forward to your continued support on this great Meet. The option to travel out west (Setesdal, Aurland, Laerdal or Hemsedal and other more adventurous locations) is always a possibility for the keener, (and not necessarily) harder climbers. We can always consider a quick trip elsewhere and back to the cosy hostel in due course. However, to date we have always stayed in the comfort zone of the hostel and Rjukan for the climbing. It's enough for most.
If the climbing gets too arduous for some, there is always decent (and inexpensive) skiing (with the daily FOC bus outside the supermarket) for rest days - even the cost of hiring equipment and/or having a lesson frankly compares well to somewhere like Excape in the U.K. and contrary to what people have heard, one can buy reasonably priced beer at the supermarket, though apparently we\'re supposed to be reasonably subtle about it....technically you're not supposed to drink your own alcohol at the hostel..). However, we've had many a wonderful and sociable evening in the lounge, and kitchen eating areas, with a small cup of whisky/rum/gin and coke to hand to end the day!
If you have ANY queries, please let me help you solve them.
Contact details are :
Smiler Cuthbertson:
01463 751230 / smiler@smilercuthbertson.co.uk / 07792 391582
Peri's: Peri Stratchino,
01904 416757/ flippersandbottle@yahoo.co.uk / 07934 4466960
We're on Facebook as well, so please get back in touch.
Talk to you soon.
Kind regards,
Smiler and Peri
Meet Coordinator(s): Smiler Cuthbertson and Peri Stratchino
How to attend: Contact meet coordinatorIf you have any ideas of venues for further meets please contact the Meets Secretary. If you have never organised a meet and would like to contribute to the Club then you may find it useful to read the Meets Guidance.
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