Valhalla (9a) by Arne Farestveit

Arne Farestveit, 191 cm tall, has done the 65 meter long Valhalla (9a) at Flatanger which is an extension to Odin's Eye (8c+). Adam Ondra did the FA in 2016 and the Joe Kinder bolted route has previously only been repeated by Edu Marin and Sindre Saether. "In short I could say that I tried Valhalla for 50+ sessions over 5 trips since 2020 (counting days on Odin's). The route suits me really well, and it feels like a huge step above anything else I have done." (c) Henning Wang

What's the backstory on Valhalla, your first 9a?
The hardest part of Valhalla is the first 15 meters after Odin's anchor. First, you have a hard and technical travers on underclings and side-pulls that really drains you, and then comes the meat of the route. A powerful boulder that requires good amounts of biceps and back strength, which is something that is hard to have after climbing 40+ meters. Passing this boulder is the redpoint crux of the route and I fell there many times from the ground. After this boulder it is around 8b, where you shouldn't fall, but anything can happen. On my last day in 2021 I made it up to the boulder from the ground, but I was not strong enough at that point to pull it off.

I returned to Flatanger two times in 2022, both not very successful, and both very mentally exhausting. Trying a route of this length is incredibly hard on the mind. Each attempt requires maximum effort, and perfectly executed climbing in order to save as much energy as possible for the boulder. You want to rest where you can, but at the same time, you don't want to rest too long or else your legs get tired and your body temperature rises. In total, I think i made it up to the boulder 5-6 times in 2022, but I was too tired and did not have the power to pull off the boulder.

When I came back to Flatanger this June, I had quite a different approach than earlier. Usually, I would do crazy amounts of endurance and running before coming here, and while that definitely gives you good endurance on the long routes and a great ability to recover on the kneebars, what it also does is break down your body before coming here, and at the same time you lose a lot of the max power! I found out that resting more, and giving one really good attempt a day was the way to go. That way I ensured maximum effort and high mental energy. Before coming here I did ZERO endurance training after 5 weeks of only bouldering.

Physically and mentally I felt better and stronger than ever before, and my bouldering strength had never been better. I decided not to jump straight on Valhalla, and went to try Sledgehammer (8c+) first, to get a feel for my level. I felt incredibly strong on the wall, and even though my endurance was worse than on previous trips, the moves were so much easier, and I managed to clip the chains off it after just 4 sessions.

It was time to try Valhalla again. After 2 days the quickdraws were put up, and the beta was refreshed. The moves felt good. On my first go from the ground, I repeated Odins, easily, with almost no pump, and I saw that I had gotten a lot stronger and that I actually had the level to do this. Next burn I fell on the boulder, making a tiny highpoint. Only one more move, the hardest move remaining, to get through the boulder.

On the 22nd of June, we had the craziest conditions I have ever seen in the cave. There are two holds that are ALWAYS wet on the route. One on Odins, and one in the extension. They were both dry. The wind was blowing and the temperature was just perfect to not get too cold. I went for my first try of the day and felt amazing. Odins had never felt easier, I was completely fresh. Arriving at the boulder I made a tiny mistake by a foot placement I fell while holding the semi jug, of the last hard move. WOW, I'm so frickin close!!! Need to keep the nerves down now… Wanted to go home as I had only done 1 burn a day up til that point, and thought I would be too tired. Leo convinced me to do one more burn. You can do it, he said. Nerves were building up, but keeping casual conversations with the boys, trying to joke and keep things light made the nerves stay away.

1.5 hours later I hopped on the wall. Conditions are still crazy. I was moving well and relaxed. The eye went smooth, and clipping Odins anchor felt even easier than the previous attempt, and I was feeling really relaxed. My breathing was good and I was climbing efficiently. As I did the travers I arrived at the boulder not destroyed, which was something new. As I went for the boulder Sindre and Leo started screaming like crazy, I started screaming like crazy and somehow, just barely, I stuck the big move and held the cut, with 3 fingers barely on the most outer part of the hold. I couldn't have been closer to falling.

My heart was racing and my breathing went crazy. I need to relax. Sindre and Leo tell me to calm down. I go into the no-hand rest and start relaxing my breath. I still have another 20 meters of 8b to go, and I was always nervous about falling up there. If I did I would mentally collapse, and probably not have the mental fortitude to try again from the ground. As I used the rest I was surprisingly fresh, relaxed and calm. I moved the next 5 meters to the next rest. Felt good. Went for the last hard boulder. It went with ease. Arriving at the rail I was feeling no pump and still so relaxed. A scenario I never expected. I only stayed in the rest for a few minutes before sprinting and breathing like a madman up the last rail. 8 meters of 7c+ endurance on slopers. I was feeling weightless, climbing seamlessly perfectly, and the rail had never felt easier. Clipping the chains of my first 9a was euphoric. That instant moment of relief, fulfilment and happiness is something I truly will never forget. It is a dream come true, and i couldn't be happier. Somehow that was not the end of it. 2 days later the imaginable happened. After staying in Flatanger for 1 week, Leo (on his 7th and last climbing day) managed to climb Thor's hammer, after a HUGE 1.5 hour fight. What we started together back in 2021 as something far beyond ourselves, was suddenly over. I couldn't believe it. Leo belayed me on Valhalla, and I belayed Leo on Thors. What a perfect ending.