By Chad Peele After numerous days of traveling, scouting and climbing, a down day was sounding pretty good. We decided that Eidfjord was just too “dead” to enjoy and that we should have a mellow day of climbing instead. Luckily for us, we had the perfect route to explore.

By Caroline George We pull into Ossa, a little hamlet across the ferry north of Eidfjord, sitting on the tip of one of Norway’s many fjords. A striking blue line peers from behind a rocky outcrop. We drive to the end of the road and the view reveals two long pillars of bright blue ice.

By Adam George For the past week, we’ve followed climbers Chad Peele and Caroline George as they attempted a bevy of first ascents in Norway. Also on the trip is George’s husband, Adam, who gave us a sneak peek at what it’s like to tie into rope with your partner in climbing and in life.

By Caroline George Naming a route can sometimes be the real crux of a route. The name needs to communicate what was experienced and/or describe aspects of the climb. For example, “The Nose” on Yosemite’s El Capitan gives away the part of the wall the route follows

By Caroline George We arrive in Rjukan in the late afternoon. Seth Hobby—our rigger / American expat to Norway / guide—shows us a few of the area’s great classics. The air is cold and dry in this little enclosed valley that doesn’t see the sun from the end of October through April

First Ascent guides Chad Peele and Caroline George, along with fellow ice climbers Adam George, Seth Hobby and photographer Celin Serbo, have traveled to Norway to explore the vast expanses of Scandinavian ice and attempt a series of first ascents.

  Last week the First Ascent team traveled to Ouray, Colorado, to celebrate the start of ice climbing season and to sponsor the 15th Annual Ouray Ice Festival. The festival kicked off with presentations by some of the most accomplished climbers in the industry: Caroline George