Skapelsen repeated free on Tågveggen in Norway by Eivind Hugaas and Kalle Olsson

Kalle Olsson and I completed what is probably the first free repeat of the route "Skapelsen" (700 m) on the Tågveggen (Tågwall) in Litldalen, Norway, from 24th to 25th of June 2023.

The route was first ascended from the 30th of June to the 1st of July 1986 by the power couple Anders Lundahl and Eva Selin in just 19 hours. They did this in around 30 pitches, proposed 7a and noted after their ascent that it was extremely serious. The route caused some controversy and much of the Norwegian climbing community dismissed their claim and most believed the route could not be that hard nor that serious or that the claim of the new route was simply made up. It was a different time back then, with quite strong personalities along with many impressive and innovative feats in the Norwegian mountains to compare and compete with.

To the best of our knowledge, until recently nobody has managed to repeat it by free climbing all the pitches. Aslak Aastorp and Kasper Kotake are the only ones known to have attempted, in the early 2000's. They free climbed everything apart from the crux pitch. In 1995 Aslak and Trond Hilde established a winter aid route up the wall, from the 24th of February to the 7th March, which very probably follows "Skapelsen" up the headwall. They named their route "Mitt Hjertes Trell" (The Captive of my Heart) and suggested several pitches at A3. It is worth noting that Lundahl and Selin never made a topo of their climb, however, there's pretty much only one natural line up the wall, meaning that it's very unlikely they climbed anywhere else. Bearing all this in mind, it is not 100% certain that Kalle and I, or indeed Aslak and Kasper, climbed Skapelsen.

Notwithstanding these details, Kalle and I had a blast on the route, encountered very good climbing and suggest an upgrade to 7b+, or Norwegian grade 8, on the crux pitch, which we both lead with pre-placed after a top rope round each. We climbed the route in 17 pitches, with quite a few being long, and some simul-climbing. We needed 19 hours for our ascent. While 7b+ on a big wall was very much cutting-edge back in 1986, we have since been informed that Eva and Anders top roped the crux free, and did not lead it.

Regardless of style chosen to climb the route, the wall has a committing character and pushing on through the headwall without knowing that there is a feasible way forward, requiring only 19 hours and adopting a pure alpine style is, we belive, an important undertaking. Apart from one loose and run-out pitch, Kalle and I found the climbing to be protected adequately well; perhaps not extremely serious, but definitely engaging on most pitches.

Before Kalle and I made our ascent, I made three prior attempts with Nelson Muir Neirinck where we bailed for different reasons. Despite an easy approach and a fairly friendly atmosphere with ample sun (thanks to its west facing aspect) and a grand view close to home, Nelson and I concluded that the wall should not be underestimated.

We hope Skapelsen will see some more traffic in the future and that this wall and route will receive the attention it deserves. The wall has more lines on offer and the bottom pitches of "Mitt Hjertes Trell" look like they might provide some very hard and serious free climbing for those keen enough.

Eivind Hugaas