📍A Crag with a view!
With an astonishing view over the Storuman lake, the top of the crag is a popular viewpoint for locals and tourists passing by. The crag is facing south above a large stone field with only a few trees casting shadows, therefore it's in the sun all day. Paradise, right? Yes and no. The catch here is the loose nature of this rockface. Several of the established routes are really good but one can still expect some holds to become loose and fall off over time. All the uncleaned parts are really loose.
CLIMBING IS ONLY ALLOWED DURING THE PERIOD 14TH AUGUST TO 15TH APRIL WITHIN THE AREA SHOWN ON THE MAP, APRRENDIX 3A AND 3B (SE LINK BELOW – “SKÖTSELPLAN..”)
🎱Style:
Mostly large angular edges i various sizes on vertical or overhanging rock. Quite a few jugs and flakes but pockets are rare. Some hard cruxes and just as many pumpy lines. The main wall (Gudagåvan) is demanding for arms and shoulders with big moves in steep terrain. The walls are filled with holds, and once you removed the loose ones - there is a lot of possibilities for climbing on all parts.
🌞 Season:
The crag is closed for birds nesting during 16th April until 13th August. Therefore, the climbing season here is a couple of weeks in March/April. (lots of snow, but climbable on warm days) but it’s the fall that’s really good, 13th of August throughout September. In good weather October is also good, especially for the harder lines. November = well… on a great sunny day.
👣Approach (15 min):
Walk the marked path until the sign that says "Steep fall ahead". Facing the sign, turn 30 degrees right, and head sideways down the slope. You'll reach some old fixed ropes in 30 meters and can follow them down to the scree-slope and the bottom of the crag. See sector overview (in the pictures section).
🏕️ Staying here:
"Storumans camping" is recommended, full service no matter how you stay there, tent, camper or a cabin! They have everything and are helpful to a max!
https://www.storumanscamping.se/en/home/
🧗♂️Gear needed:
- 60 m rope. For all of the routes done in 2023. Most of them are 30 meters. Some of the older routes (1-10) may require an 80 m.
- Helmet! There is loose rock in every sector and even the established routes are known for loosing a hold now and then. Helmet on when you are anywhere close to the wall.
- 20 quickdraws (for at least one to two pitches and for creating top-rope anchors.
⛰️ All of the routes done in 2023 have anchors with lowering carabiners (non-locking, opposing). The anchor-status for route 1-10 are to be presented.
All the starts of the routes at "Verdonhyllan" are reached by rapell from above, by anchoring in trees above each route. There is a plan to mark these routes from above in the coming years.
Every route that is a multi-pitch have anchors at each pitch that makes a rapell/return to the ground possible.
🚨 Make sure that you have first-aid gear and have a rescue plan for the climbing. The national/local rescue number is 112. ⚠️ Beware of adders/vipers in the area, they are poisonous!
🚙Getting there:
Kyrkberget is located 26 kilometers northwest of Storuman. Follow the E12 towards Tärnaby. Take the road to the left and follow it for 1.5 kilometers.
Then turn right and follow the road for another 500 meters until you reach the car park.
There is a path that takes you to the viewpoint aka the top of "Verdonhyllan".
For information about the natural reserve:
https://www.lansstyrelsen.se/vasterbotten/besoksmal/naturreservat/kyrkberget.html?sv.target=12.382c024b1800285d5863a8a9&sv.12.382c024b1800285d5863a8a9.route=/&searchString=&counties=&municipalities=&reserveTypes=&natureTypes=&accessibility=&facilities=&sort=none
🛠️ New routes:
Kyrkberget has about 20 finished routes to date, but room for MANY more. There is also a handful of started projects, some with just a few bolts and some bolted all the way. But none of them entirely cleaned - that's the real job! Please respect the projects reported as closed in this guide. There is a LOT of work put in on some closed projects here. And not too much to ask to let them who’ve done all the work, have a fair amount of tries first.
The place is huge and there is more than enough of undone epic lines for you and all your friends, and their friends, and their friends ..no need to nick someone else’s project.
You are more than welcome to come here for first ascents, and if you want to make a new route but lack gear or knowledge - please contact us and we will try to help.There are a few rules though, since all the climbing takes places in a nature reserve (Naturreservat) maintained by Länsstyrelsen we must follow their rules:
¤ Permission must be granted from Länsstyrelsen in order to start cleaning and bolting. This is due to the fact that their maintenance-plan for the reserve then may have to be revised, as they are the ones responsible.
¤ All new routes must be carefully cleaned from loose rock and all vegetation. This means a LOT of work with each route, and it usually takes a couple of days to clean a pitch if you are fast and work long days. The rule goes - if anything moves = work until you removed it entirely.
¤ All routes must be bolted, because of the loose character of the rock - naturally protected routes is prohibited.
¤ Only Stainless bolts at a minimum of 10mmx90mm and not less than 316 steel quality.
¤ All routes must have an anchor of two points (bolts) to the wall and two independent carabiners for lowering.
¤ Bolt spacing should be modern - meaning not to spaced and protecting the climber from ground fall, shelf's and other dangerous things you could fall into. A good rule is - when in doubt - put in an extra bolt. You can always skip bolts when climbing later if it feels too dense.
¤ Every route should put up here should strive for an own start and finish. In some cases, routes share starts or anchors but we try to keep this to a minimum. Strive for independent lines with its own start and end. (anchor)
Email any questions regarding the climbing at Kyrkberget to dan@nordaccess.se or henrik.enfalt@gmail.com
