Googooplex WI 4

The route Googooplex (WI4, AD+, 340m) was climbed during ÍSALP´s annual ice climbing festival in February 2020, that took place in the Ísafjörður area, Westfjords of Iceland, just before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

To reach the route you go to Hnífsdalur village. From there there is a gravel road that leads well into the valley. If that´s clear the approach is quite a lot shorter. If it´s impassable, the best option is to park at the end of Bakkavegur street, the one that reaches furthers into the valley. The route is in the first corrie on the left, called Bakkahvilft. It´s just over 2km from the end of Bakkavegur street to the base of the route.

In total the route is around 340m and was climbed in 5 long pitches. It´s a mix of ice walls and snow slopes of various steepness.

1. 70m. Short section of ice, snow slope, main section of ice (steep WI4), snow slope and then a short section of ice in the end.
2. 70m. Short section of ice, a long snow slope and then short section of ice again.
3. 60. Snow slope, sort section of ice, snow slope again up to a very short section of ice. Stance made in ice that could be found under a bunch of snow.
4. 70m. Long snow slope.
5. 70m. Long snow slope to the top.

FA: Björgvin Hilmarsson og Bjartur Týr Ólafsson, 8th of February 2020.

The name of the route comes from an album by the legendary Icelandic punk band Purrkur Pillnikk. Three of four members later were members of The Sugarcubes along with Björk and others. This area/sector has another shorter route that is simply called Purrkur. More can definitely be done and I kindly ask others who will (hopefully) set up more routes there, to stick with the Purrkur Pillnikk name theme. Thank you.