Weekend Whipper: Ripping Cams in a Swedish Finger Crack

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Fay Manners has had a busy winter.

After ice and snow climbing in Scotland, putting up the first ascent of Apollo 13 (5.12+, 13 pitches) in Patagonia, and opening two new ski lines in the Alps, the British alpinist drove to Sweden this month to focus on single-pitch trad climbing.

As part of her warm up for rock season, Manners attempted an onsight of Trampoline (grade 7/5.11b) at Brodalen. This moderate crag in Bohuslän is known for its short approaches, rose-colored granite, and more than 1,000 single-pitch routes.

She was midway through the 80-foot climb, in a 10-foot finger crack stretch, when she placed a .5-sized purple totem—one that didn’t quite fit.

“I put it in when I was pumped and it was the wrong size,” she says, “but I didn’t have the energy to change it to a smaller size, so [I] just carried on.”

When Manners slips out of the finger jams, the purple Totem pops. Her five-foot fall extends to 15 feet, but the very next piece—also a purple Totem—catches her as she swings into the wall, feet first. Compared to most Whippers we’ve seen, it’s a gentle fall.

Manners says she intends to stay in Bohuslän for a few weeks to climb more granite trad routes. We can’t wait to see what’s next for her.

Happy Friday, and be safe out there this weekend.

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