Training with LJK, rockhard paratroopers

We are back from the woods with my eldest daughter Jessica. She will join me for the 3 first weeks of my Everest campaign. She will come with me to the Everest base camp and from there we will climb Island's Peak, 6100 meters, as a prelude to my Everest climb.

Climbing up the icewall with an ice-axe and cramp-ons is hard work, this is how high I got in 2 minutes

Anyway, now we attended a training organised by the guild of the Finnish paratroopers, Laskuvarjojääkärikilta (we have long words in Finnish!). It was a very good training. I am happy to recommend it for everyone interested in climbing, high mountains or just hiking in the wilderness. It's especially good for those planning trips to glaciers.

The weekend was full of program, 6 different themes including challenging exercises like ice climbing, rock climbing, rappelling or abseiling 50 meters (descending a rock face with a rope), getting a fellow up from a crevache, handling ropes and making snow anchors. 

At 4 AM we had a wake up call and then we practiced for 7-8 hours without any break.

The snow situation wasn't very easy. There is no snow in Finland now (except in Lapland). That's very extraordinary. Normally it should be the best skiing right now. Despite of the lack of snow the organisers managed to improvise great exercises for us. Luckily the lake was still frozen. The ice made huge sounds at night, but it held our weight when the whole group was on it. 

Sleeping in tents in the woods, training the whole weekend, learning lots of new things makes you feel you really have used you muscles and brains.

Thank you organisers, 10 very skilled mountain climbers!

I invented a vehicle for descending with all our materials, there was barely enough snow and ice to glide. But it was easier than carrying it all!