Light Line 9: Store Vengetind
Romsdalen, May 2023
90 x 54 cm / Edition of 3 / kr 17500,-
150 x 90 cm / Edition of 3 / kr 33500,-
200 x 120 cm / Edition of 1 / kr 55500,-
"How much am I willing to risk for a photo?" Calum asked himself. He was climbing the last bit to Store Venjetind alone. "I found a really good sliding surface up here, and I don't like it at all. I feel like the snow has some energy. I don't know what to do here," it crackled from Calum on the radio.
We were in Romsdalen to shoot the last photo in the Light Lines project. After we had to bail on the line in March, this was the last one standing; The north ridge on Store Venjetind. a huge and exposed line and the most dangerous one in the project. It was not the most challenging to ski, but the cliffs below meant the consequences would be fatal if the snow avalanched.
Both Calum and I had a tough week before we went to Romsdalen. Calum participated in two demonstrations and talked at a climate conference in Sogndal. I came straight from Hurrungane, where we took the project's most ambitious photo (the 10th photo in the series). We were both mentally exhausted and really wanted to finish the project.
"I don't think you need more than one red flag on this line," I told Calum on the radio. No answer. We saw that the headlamp light continued to move towards the summit.
Some nervous minutes later, Calum answered. "I climbed a bit further up, and the snow got better, but now it is worse again. I'm turning around here."
Calum counted down from ten and uncovered his headlamp for the last time. We watched his light descending the 1100 vertical meters in less than three and a half minutes. The snow must have been good!
The Light Lines project was done. We made it! Ten photos of iconic Norwegian mountains.
The photo of Store Venjetind was a bit of an anti-climax. The line did not start from the top, so we were left with a feeling of failure, even though we only missed the last 50 metres. Nevertheless, the project was finished. We would not return to try again. The fact that the line starts below the top tells a story about Calum choosing not to risk it all for a photo.
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