Sven Swartling

Sven Olof Swartling (Olle)


Olle was born February 4, 1932 in Link�ping, Sweden. After completing his mandatory year in the Swedish army he signed up for an additional year of service. With his second year bonus he and a few friends traveled to Winnipeg, Canada in 1954. In March 1955 he moved to Chicago, Illinois at the invitation of his mother's cousin. The cousin was a bricklayer and Olle learned his trade from him.

When he was taking his first wife back to Sweden for a visit he was asked his draft number. He hadn't been aware that Permanent Residents were required to sign up for the draft. He was drafted. Paul and Joe Stettner recommended him for the Cold Weather and Mountain School at Fort Greely near Fairbanks, Alaska. The marriage didn't survive the army. He was honorably discharged October 1960 and became a US citizen July 21, 1964. In 1977 he married Susan Cochran.

Shortly after his arrival in the US he joined the Chicago Mountaineering Club (CMC). The club became an important part of his life. He served as Rope Leader until 2011, and held the offices of President, Outing Chairman and Director. He was also a member of Iowa Mountaineers and served as a Rope Leader for seven of their Peruvian Expeditions. In 1964 he taught climbing and rescue techniques at four Wisconsin parks where climbing hazards existed.

Olle loved the mountain where he spent a month each summer despite the high demand for his bricklaying skills. He liked to explore areas that were not well known and/or rarely visited. Many of these were in the Interior Ranges of Canada; he also climbed in Alaska, Montana, Washington, Wyoming and Peru. Back packing trips with some climbing were done above the Arctic Circle in Norway and Sweden. He always had his large square Bronica camera around his neck. In 1967 he climbed Denali; it was a good time to be there - only one other party was on the mountain. One of his more memorable trips was in 1988 when he and six others flew to a valley northeast of Arctic Village, Alaska. They walked north, over the Brooks Range (climbed Mt. Michelson on the way) then crossed the North Slope to Barter Island (about 150 miles). Crossing the strait between the mainland and the island on a make-shift raft was rather interesting.

Olle rock climbed at Devil's Lake, the Mississippi Palisades in Illinois and Seneca Rock in West Virginia. However, most of the climbing was done at Devil's Lake where he could be found almost every weekend from March through October. In the winter he enjoyed cross-country skiing locally and downhill skiing in Colorado, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, and Europe.

In the 1950s, CMC published climbing route information in their club Newsletter. It was consolidated and printed in 1965 as a preliminary guidebook. Olle was one of many who provided information. He continued to explore new areas, mapping them and writing route descriptions. That led to publication of "Climber's Guide to Devil's Lake" by University of Wisconsin Press. The first edition, published in 1979, was co-edited with William (Bill) Widule. It included information from the CMC records, the Hoofers guidebook, and new information gathered by Olle and Bill. He was sole editor for the second edition published in 1995. It included new climbs in established areas and new areas east and west of an old quarry on land that the DNR had recently purchased. Olle and Peter Mayer co-edited the third edition published in 2008. It included new climbs in established areas and new areas in Steinke Basin. Pete photographed most of the climbing areas, marked selected routes and listed GPS coordinates.

In 1996 Olle retired. When his wife retired they looked for a home near Devil's Lake and moved from Chicago to Middleton, Wisconsin in 1997.

In December 2012, a brain tumor was found and operated on; it was a metastasis from the colon. This was followed by radiation, chemotherapy and additional surgeries. On June 7, 2014 Olle was admitted to UW Hospital. With the help of Agrace Hospice Olle moved home, then to their facility in Fitchburg where he died peacefully at 8:00am on June 14, 2014. His wife was with him.

He is survived by his wife Susan (Cochran); his sister Britt Bj�rnberg; three nieces, Katarina Bj�rnberg (Bengt Nilsson), Margareta Wass (Morgan), and Helena Bylin (Lars); and eight grandnieces/nephews, Nana Bj�rnberg, Filip Bj�rnberg, Lisa Bj�rnberg, Henrik Wass, Magnus Wass (Evelina Bodin, son Olle), Hannah Wass (Jesper Hallqvist), Amanda Bylin, and Felix Bylin.

In lieu of flowers please make donations be made to your favorite charity or Agrace Hospice (5395 E. Cheryl Parkway, Madison, WI 53711 or agrace.org/donate.