Utby

Utby is the biggest crag in Göteborg and consists of four different areas: Gärdsås, Fjällbo, Resilin and Utby itself. The area is very popular, both among climbers and ”normal” people who like to go for a walk in the area. The environment is of great natural beauty. Here you’ll find many good and classic routes (most of them are traditionally protected but there are also some very good bolted lines in the area).
Bergsjön is a lake close to the area and offers possibility to a refreshing bath in the summer.

ASPECT AND CLIMATE
Most of the walls in the area are facing south. Some of them are in the sun most of the day while others are in the shade from the trees. It follows that some routes dry fast while others stay wet long after the rain.
You’ll find some more details at each sector’s description below.

THE ROUTES
Most of the climbing in Utby is done on vertical or a bit slabby walls. Crack climbing and face climbing on big crystals is what the area is best known for. Most of the routes are naturally protected but there is also a significant number of mixed and bolted routes in Utby. In general, the bolted routes are equipped with lower-offs while the trad ones are not.
You’ll find some more details at each sector’s description below.

THE SECTORS
GÄRDSÅS
Gärdsås is not as popular as the major crags in the area, Utby and Fjällbo, but you can find some very good crack climbs here that are well worth a visit. The crag should be of interest to you if you want to climb easy trad routes.
ASPECT AND CLIMATE
Left part of the crag faces south while the right part is facing east. The south facing sectors are in the sun during most of the day while the east facing ones are in the sun before noon. Consequently, the routes on the former sectors get dry faster than routes on the latter and, as usual, the cracks need more time to get dry than face climbs. The trees in front of the crag give some shadow to the belayers. The right part of the crag is very child friendly.
THE ROUTES
The climbing in Gärdsås is for most part vertical or slabby. However, you can even find a considerable number of grooves, arêtes and small roofs here. Two of the routes are mixed, the rest is naturally protected. There are only two lower-offs on the top of the crag.

UTBY
Utby is very popular and the environment is of great natural beauty. Here you’ll find many good and classic routes.
ASPECT AND CLIMATE
The crag is mainly facing south and is in the sun for most of the day. Only a few routes are shaded by trees which means it can be quite sweaty to climb here during the summer. On the other hand, there is a great number of routes here which get dry very quickly after rain. You’ll find more details at each sector’s description.
THE ROUTES
The routes in Utby are mostly vertical or slabby. Crack and face climbing on big crystals dominates. Almost all routes in Utby are trad or mixed ones (there are only few bolted/mixed routes here and a few lower-offs).

FJÄLLBO
A big sector with many classic routes. There are both trad, mixed and bolted routes in the area.
ASPECT AND CLIMATE
Most sectors face south and are in the sun for most of the day but there are also sectors that face south­east and southwest and they are in the sun during morning respectively afternoon. Some routes are shaded by trees, which cools you down a bit during hot summer days, while the others are best suited for climbing during spring and autumn. You will find more details at each sector's description.
THE ROUTES
The climbing in Fjällbo is generally done on vertical or slabby walls. Crack and face climbing on big crystals dominates. Most of the routes are naturally protected and not equipped with lower-offs. You will find more details at every sector's description.

RESILIN
A crag where you’ll find some very good technical climbing on vertical walls. Resilin was the first so called sport climbing crag in Göteborg. You can see it by the way the routes are bolted (see below).
ASPECT AND CLIMATE
The crag faces south (sun until late afternoon) and is partially shaded by trees. Some of the routes get dry very slowly after rain.
THE ROUTES
Most of the routes are about 15-20 m long. The climbing here is a nice technical and vertical one. You’ll find bolted, mixed and naturally protected routes here. Some of the trad routes are quite bold. Because Resilin was the first sport climbing crag in Göteborg the routes are quite sparsely bolted, and the bolts are often placed in the middle of a crux (you’re not supposed to feel safe according to the old school). However, if you’re a bold climber or do not mind some top roping the crag is well worth the visit. There are lower-offs on the top of some routes.

Det klättrades i Utby redan på 1930-talet (mestadels runt Slabben och Övre väggen) men inte mycket är känt från den tiden.
Den första mer kända perioden i Göteborgs klätterhistoria är 1960- och början av 1970-talet. Under den tiden gjordes leder som Skärselden, Flygande maran, Spagaten och Monster layback. Varken etiken eller utrustningen var speciellt utvecklade på den tiden och därför är det troligt att lederna (de svårare i alla fall) klättrades helt eller delvis tekniskt.
Början av 1970-talet innebar en ny generation klättrare, bättre utrustning (klätterskor och kilar) samt skärpta etikregler (det skulle ledas för att få en godkänd bestigning). Förutom Utby utvecklades då även stora delar av Fjällbo där leder som Katapulten, Svarta diedret och Stopper gjordes. Även den mäktiga klippan i Lexby (leden Great crack gjordes exempelvis i mitten av 1970-talet) samt den något mindre imponerande Rammberget började utvecklas på den tiden. Den mest aktive och inblandad i större delen av nyturerna var på den tiden Ulf Björnberg.
Runt 1978 friades den dittills tekniska leden Tuborg, vilket innebar ett genombrott för klättringen i Göteborg. När denna tidigare tekniska led visade sig vara möjlig var det som om en psykisk barriär revs. Efteråt följde en period där många av de tidigare tekniska lederna (exempelvis Slot Machine, Limbo och Dart) friades och graderna ökade stadigt. 1979 hölls en UIAA-träff i Göteborg och de många duktiga utländska klättrarna innebar en inspiration för hemmaklättrarna. Även etiken förändrades och onsightbegreppet blev känt och använt av alltfler.
Under det tidiga 1980-talet pressades graderna ytterligare, främst tack vare norrmannen Hans-Christian Doseths som gjorde förstabestigningarna av bland annat Pripps, Gullebrand, Tientsin och Flugornas herre (leder som även idag, 40 år efteråt, inger respekt).
Under samma period avtog nyturspotentialen i och med att nästan alla rena spricklinjer redan hade klättrats. Detta medförde att nytursmakarnas intresse vändes mot de dittills ”ointressanta” klippartierna med endast väggklättring. I och med den uppluckrade hållningen gentemot borrbultar blev det möjligt att klättra sådana leder som bl.a. Bob Hope och Sabeldans på Hollywoodväggen i Fjällbo. Även Resilinväggen började utvecklas under den här perioden.
De mest aktiva i slutet av 1980- och början av 1990-talet var Johan Nilsson, Henrik Sennelöv, Lars Ingemansson och Piotr Bober.