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Ice Climbing in the Western Fjords, Norway

Photograph by Celin Serbo

"I am so cold," was the thought going through ice climber Chad Peele's head on the third and last pitch of this 500- to 600-foot first ascent outside of Eidfjord, Norway. "By most standards, it was not an incredibly difficult route with a rating around WI4-4+, but it was so cold that day that everything felt so much harder!" recalls Peele.
Frigid temperatures aside, this is paradise for people who love to ascend frozen falls. "Norway's glaciers carved a labyrinth of fjords that hold plenty of water at just the right temperatures to form long flows of ice," says Peele. "Scouting for first ascents relies on local word of mouth. It takes a lot of walking around with binoculars in the cold and can be quite tricky sometimes."
Getting the Shot
“These fjords rise up out of the ocean and the cliffs lead to vast rolling, windy terrain,” says photographer Celin Serbo about shooting this photo of Peele during a First Ascent expedition in western Norway's fjord country. An experienced climber, the Boulder, Colorado-based photographer was prepared to suffer: “It's cold. Your gear takes a beating. You must be very mindful of the climbers to not knock ice down on them.”
Though the team mostly climbed in areas protected from the wind, the elements were challenging. “I would hear snow coming, cover my camera, and wait it out. After 30 seconds, the snow would pass. My gear—and myself—were completely encrusted,” he says.
Serbo captured the unique point of view by shooting from a cave along the route. “We had a fixed line on the first two pitches of this three-pitch route. Once the climbers started up the third pitch, I decided to stay in the cave because of the great framing it provided.”
Serbo carried two Nikon D300 camera bodies and four lenses: 10.5mm f/2.8 DX Fisheye (used for this shot); 17-55mm f/2.8; 70-200mm vr, f/2.8; 300mm f4; and a 1.4x teleconverter.

Ice Climbing in Eidfjord, Norway

Photograph by Christian Pondella, Red Bull Content Pool

"It felt like climbing a chandelier," says world-renowned ice climber Will Gadd of completing the first ascent of 650-foot Skrikjofossen during a frigid February in Eidfjord, Norway. "This was, by far, the most difficult frozen waterfall I had ever climbed—or plan to." But for Gadd, the opportunity to explore the caves behind frozen waterfalls makes the risk worth it. "The mix of light, atmosphere, and the temporary nature of these jeweled rooms inspires awe." Gadd's route has not seen a second ascent.