Ex CADET RJUKAN EMU was a winter adventurous training package conducted in the Telemark region of Norway at the beginning of January 2026. The exercise delivered the Winter Climbing Foundation (WCF) course and Ski Touring Continuation Training to six Officer Cadets from East Midlands Universities’ Officer Training Corps.
Ex CADET RJUKAN EMU was an exceptionally ambitious exercise, conceived after many years of instructor experience and observations, delivered to a suitable training audience of Officer Cadets who had adequate experience of both mountaineering and skiing. From a unit perspective, this exercise marked a progression into a new domain.
On the first day of the exercise, the team refreshed climbing and abseiling skills with a visit to ‘Ozzimosis’, a roadside ice climbing venue. With short winter daylight hours, the team continued its training on Day 1, refreshing ski skills and testing ski touring equipment by night skiing at the Gaustablikk resort. Over the next three days, the team rotated through multi-pitch ice climbing progression at numerous venues in the Rjukan valley and ski touring around the Gaustablikk area. A challenging ski tour to the summit of Gaustatoppen, the highest mountain in Telemark, provided a particular highlight and despite extremely cold temperatures and biting winds, the clear skies made for phenomenal views of ‘one-sixth of Norway’, according to tourist literature! The tough conditions meant that the Officer Cadets had to be on top of the new skills that they had learnt, looking after their equipment and conscientious in managing themselves. Whilst ice climbing, the Officer Cadets experienced the alien feeling of trusting crampons and axes to make progress up the stunning frozen cascades. The Officer Cadets were also familiarised with the Second World War actions of the ‘Heroes of Telemark’ by watching the film, further reading and linking it to places they visited.
The final phase of the exercise was a ski expedition overnighting in a remote, unstaffed tourist hut in the mountainous area around Blefjell. The expedition involved an arduous journey in varied terrain, away from prepared ski tracks, where navigation, route-selection and group management were tested to the full. Once at the Sigridsbu Hut, the challenges changed to tending a fire, melting snow to provide water and making one’s own entertainment. The return journey back to the vehicles was made by a different route to provide additional training benefit.
Ex CADET RJUKAN EMU was blessed with several clear days with fantastic visibility, including for the expedition phase. The weather lent itself to long days outside, constantly engaged in varied activity and only stopping with the onset of tiredness or the practicalities of admin. As with most of the Northern hemisphere this season, winter was late arriving and as such both snow coverage and ice formation was thin, which made for challenging decision-making and demanding activities.
Ex CADET RJUKAN EMU has fuelled another year’s worth of stories that have shaped both the Officer Cadets and the character of the unit, with plenty of enthusiasm for a repeat exercise next year. Particular thanks go to the Ulysses Trust for bringing this experience into the reach of university students.
“I can’t believe what we’ve achieved in the short period of time that we’ve been in Norway; everything from climbing frozen waterfalls to skiing into the middle of nowhere. I did not think I would be doing this when I applied to take part in the exercise!”
OCdt M ‘Mads’ L-C.
