climbkalymnos.com

Climbing

 

• History of climbing on Kalymnos
• Climbing festivals on Kalymnos
• Seasons
• Approaching the crags
• Climbing character
• Route grades & descriptions
• Required gear
• Important tips
• Children and climbing
• Climbing shops / services
• Equipping new routes
• In case of accident

 

History of climbing on Kalymnos

We first heard about the climbing potential of Kalymnos in 1995 when one of the best Greek climbers out of Patras, Giannis Torelli, visited the island. He didn’t do any climbing, but he did take some rather uninspiring photos of the crags. All Greek islands are littered with cliffs anyway, so we didn’t jump to any conclusions. Why should Kalymnos be any different?

 

Everything changed by chance, when the Italian climber Andrea di Bari visited Kalymnos for his summer holidays in 1996. Seeing the excellent quality of the rock and the huge potential of the area, he returned to Kalymnos in May 1997 with some climbing friends to put up some routes. They opened 43 sport climbing routes on Kalymnos (in the sectors Arhi, Odyssey and Poets). Andrea di Bari returned to Kalymnos In October of the same year, this time with Andrea Gallo, a photographer working for Alp magazine. After publication in Alp and Rotpunkt magazines in the Spring of 1999, the way was open for drill-wielding climbers.

 

At that point, climbing on Kalymnos took off. The Kalymnos municipality started a collaboration with Aris Theodoropoulos to instigate a series of measures which developed and promoted climbing on Kalymnos. They started with the scrutiny of the protection on existing routes, and the creation of new routes, as well as the creation of a multi-lingual website. The climax of these efforts came in October 2000 with an international climbing event organized in part by Acharnes Greek Alpine Club – an event graced by the participation of the prominent French alpinist Catherine Destivelle. 180 climbers from 13 different countries took part, exchanging views, giving talks and climbing together, transforming the crags into a joyous Babel. At the same time the first Kalymnos Rock Climbing Guide was published, funded by the local council and distributed for free to visiting climbers. And the rest, as they say, is history….

 

Climbing festivals on Kalymnos

This first climbing event described above was a milestone for Kalymnos, giving it just the right push forward to attain a prominent position on the international climbing map. Since then, the influx of climbers from all over the world to Kalymnos has been increasing. The estimates for 2001 and 2002 are that about 4,000 climbers visited Kalymnos. Among these were some of the biggest names in climbing, who also helped tremendously by putting up some excellent new routes.

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The 2nd Climbing Festival of Kalymnos (2-8 October 2004) made it the center of international climbing attention once again. The festival was organized by the Municipality of Kalymnos with the collaboration of Aris. More than 600 climbers from all over the world participated, including the guests of honor Dave Graham, Liv Sansoz, Francois Legrand, Daniel Dulac and Andrea Di Bari. Also present were some climbers known for their important role in the growth of climbing and equipping of numerous routes on Kalymnos, like Michel Piola, Hans Weninger, Guy Abert and Karsten Oelze, Manolo Zanolla and Simone Moro. Some journalists and photographers of the specialized press also took part, including Jeff Achey, editor of Climbing magazine, who subsequently wrote a 10-page article in issue #238 of Climbing.

 

The highest achievement, perhaps, of the 2nd Kalymnos Climbing Festival was the opening of new routes in the 8a-9a range, which now constitute a major attraction for the climbing stars. Three PETZL workers stayed on Kalymnos for a full month to equip the routes. They mostly set up routes in sectors Arhi, Spartan Wall, Grande Grotta, as well as the first routes at Sikati Cave. Until that point, many high-grade climbers hesitated to visit Kalymnos in fear that they might not find any climb sufficiently challenging; there appeared to be few 8as and above of international status. The 2nd Kalymnos climbing festival proved to be very successful at that, as it endowed Kalymnos with a lot of extremely hard routes for the international rock climbing scene.

 

For more about the 2nd Climbing Festival of Kalymnos, click here.

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The 3rd Climbing Festival of Kalymnos (25-30 October 2006) was sponsored by Petzl . Better known as the Petzl Roctrip Kalymnos, it attracted approximately 1000 climbers, including a collection of the finest climbing athletes in the world, who challenged themselves against the newly-bolted ‘ultimate’ routes in Sikati cave. In the words of Steve McClure, “the super-overhanging women’s route went on forever, at a grade of 8b it climbed 60 meters on tufas and stalactites. The men’s route, at over 50m long and 8c was not only endurance orientated but had several distinct cruxes: a bouldery lower section, a long, hard span (especially for the short) under the main roof to reach a 6-foot stalactite, and a steep headwall on with tufa blobs. The route climaxed with 10m of relatively easy (about 7b!!) tufa climbing on crumbly rock to add a bit of spice to the finish!!” And he continues, “the 15 men and 7 women were presented with a real challenge on their ultimate routes. They were allowed only one hour each to work the route before attempting a redpoint a few days later. Not an easy task when the route is 60m long, imagine remembering that many moves! However it still didn’t stop Martina Cufar (SLO), Charlotte Durif (FRA) and Daila OJeda (ESP) from clean ascents. The men’s route was proving more tricky especially with some of the tufas remaining damp and no one managed success on their first redpoint attempt. However, considering the standard of the climbers it was only a matter of time with Steve McClure (UK) and Chris Sharma (USA) getting it in their second attempt and Dani Andrada (ESP) on his third.”

 

The Petzl Roctrip Kalymnos was more than just a competition. Every evening there were films and slideshows presented by Chris Sharma, Alex Huber, Arnaud Petit and Stephanie Bodet. Aris also spoke about climbing on Kalymnos and presented his latest guidebook. To top it off, the municipality of Kalymnos organized a Greek-themed event and Petzl hosted a techno party complete with its own DJ and all!

 

Climbers who where invited and attended the Petzl Roctrip Kalymnos 2006 were: Men: Dani Andrada (ESP), Klemen Becan (SLO), Said Belhaj (SWE), Dave Graham (USA), Alex Huber (GER), Ivailo Krastev (BUL), Thanasis Ktenas (GRE), Tony Lamiche (FRA), Chris Lindner (USA), Steve McCLure (GB), Shawn McColl (CAN), Arnaud Petit (FRA), Ethan Pringle (USA), Manu Romain (FRA), Chris Sharma (USA). Women: Katie Brown (USA), Stéphanie Bodet (FRA), Martina Cufar (SLO), Charlotte Durif (FRA), Melissa Lacasse (CAN), Daila OJeda (ESP), Liv Sansoz (FRA).

 

For more about the 3rd Climbing Festival of Kalymnos, click here.

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The 4th Climbing Festival of Kalymnos (22-26 May 2009) was organized by the Municipality of Kalymnos and sponsored, mainly, by the Greek National Tourism Organisation and the Greek sports company Polo. More than 300 climbers from around the world participated (84 Greeks, 50 Germans, 28 Swedes, 28 Swiss, 26 Austrians, 16 Italians, 13 Spaniards, 12 Americans and individuals from 15 more countries). The star guest at the 4th Kalymnos festival was the mega-talented (and very likeable) 16 year-old Czech climber Adam Ondra. Also invited were the inexhaustible Swiss equippers Christine and Claude Remy who, with brothers Yves Remy and Boris Girardin, have opened more than 250 sport routes on Kalymnos in the past few years. Last but not least, the 22 year-old Slovenian climbing champion Maja Vidmar was there.

 

Adam Ondra wowed everybody with his ability to send ultra-difficult routes with seemingly incredible ease. He climbed numerous routes from 8a+ to 8c+, many of them as warm-up (!). If you are not impressed yet, he also made the first ascent of route Los Revolucionarios 9a 30m in sector Odyssey after 6 tries over 4 days. This is the hardest route in Kalymnos to-date, and the first 9a route in Greece (after Adam climbed it, on a hot an humid day, he moved on to Los Kukos 8c and just barely missed the onsight. Rare, but it happens!). Immediately after that, he sprinted to Sikati cave in the middle of the scorching hot afternoon. There, he not only climbed Jaws 8c 50m on his first attempt, but he also placed the draws. For the record, Jaws was the ‘Ultimate Route’ in the 2006 Petzl Roctrip Kalymnos.

 

Maja Vidmar was also in excellent form; she climbed in amazing style and made everything look graceful and easy. She onsighted her first 8b in Kalymnos, Spartan Wall 20m, a vertical technical route with small holds. Maja onsighted a total of 9 routes 8a or harder during her week on Kalymnos.

 

For more about the 4th Climbing Festival of Kalymnos, click here.

 

The next Climbing Festival in Kalymnos is planned for 2011. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

 

Seasons

Kalymnos is known for its dry climate, and year-round climbing is definitely possible. Still, some periods are better than others.

 

Autumn

Autumn is considered the ideal climbing period for Kalymnos. The weather is generally good, with a comfortable temperature so that you can climb all day. It rarely rains in Kalymnos during September and October, and from mid-October climbing in the sun can be a real pleasure. The sea is still warm enough for swimming even in early November.

 

Winter

Don’t be surprised if you end up climbing in your t-shirt on Christmas day – good weather on Kalymnos in the wintertime is frequent. Rainy days are few and periods of rain usually only last a day or two. Arhi and the crags surrounding it are the most suitable crags for winter climbing in Kalymnos, as they are sheltered from northerly winds and get most of the sun from mid-day onwards.

 

Spring

Conditions are similar to those prevailing in autumn, and so it is a similarly excellent time to go climbing on the island. In addition, it is lovely the way the landscape is awash with greenery and flowers in the spring, despite the lack of trees. Breathe in the fragrant air on your walk to the crag. On the down side, sometimes some stalactites are seeped and the chances of rain in spring are somewhat higher than those in autumn.

 

Summer

Don’t imagine that the peak of the tourist season – 1st – 15th August – bears any comparison with the crowds that flock to some of the other islands of the Aegean. The island is in a much quieter category altogether. It is a marvellous destination for peaceful family climbing holidays.

 

At the crags which are in the shade, a refreshing sea breeze will make climbing pleasant in the summer. Due to their westerly or south westerly orientation most crags are in the shade in the morning. Note that on some hot, windless days the rock can seem a little “sweaty” until about 10.00am.

 

Approaching the crags

As for approaching the climbing crags on Kalymnos, things are very simple. There is only one road which runs the length of Kalymnos. At certain points along this road, level with the crags, there are white markers (like milestones) with signs bearing information about the footpaths, length of approach and colour of the painted path marks which indicate the route taken by each footpath. All routes have their name written at the base of the rock.

 

Goats and gates

Around most of the crags on Kalymnos, you are more than likely to encounter semi-wild goats. Please note that the gates in the barbed wire which you often need to pass through on your way to the crags have been carefully built by shepherds to control the movements of their herds. Please help their difficult work by closing all such gates behind you.

 

Climbing character

The rock of Kalymnos is top-quality limestone. It is a little sharp in places, but free of choss (aka rotten, loose rock). There is nothing monotonous about climbing on Kalymnos: there is a great variety of rock, with slabs, walls with delicate moves, pumpy routes with pockets and stalactites or tufas on overhanging rock and roofs. In some respects the rock resembles that of Thailand, only a little sharper.

 

Many visitors have described the equipping of routes on Kalymnos as “the epitome of sport climbing.” At the moment there are over 50 sport crags – mainly west and south facing – with more than 1500 routes ranging from F4a to F9a, although there are quite a few project routes which are expected to exceed 9a. All have an athletic, steep and challenging sport climbing character and are equipped in a sensible and friendly manner using stainless steel bolts.

 

The rock on Kalymnos seems to come in three varieties:

 

1. Extremely overhanging rock with blobs, tufas and stalactites which, even when tilted 20 degrees past vertical, can still check in at a “mere” 7a!

 

2. Slightly overhanging or vertical, smooth white and orange walls with pockets and smaller tufa features.

 

3. Grey slabs with sharp rock that has been sculpted by the rain (‘gouttes’) with little iron knobs cemented into the matrix.

 

The best of the routes can possibly combine the three types of rock in one pitch! Of equal importance is that the limestone is as yet almost unpolished, in sharp contrast to the rock at some other well-known climbing areas of Europe. This situation will be slow to change given the particularly rough surface of the rock. The majority of the routes on Kalymnos are single-pitch around 20-30m. However, there are a few longer routes reaching 3-5 pitches, and there is tons of room for many more great routes at all levels.

 

Coupled with the excellent quality of the rock is the sheer quantity of it. The existing routes only cover a tiny portion of what is possible here. There are some quality crags still waiting for their first route – all they demand is a little longer walk-in. For those with time to spare and a good drill there is work here for at least the next 20 years.

 

Route grades & descriptions

Sport climbing routes on Kalymnos are graded according to the French grading system. Great efforts have been made toward consistent grading. We’d like to thank the website 8a.nu for valuable collaboration in this respect, and some changes have been made based on suggestions posted on their database. However, since routes on Kalymnos are being put up by climbers from all over the world, and since some of these routes have not yet seen their second ascent, it is possible that a few will need re-grading. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you want to comment about such routes on Kalymnos. We will gladly accept your comments and update the information, where necessary, for inclusion in the next edition of the Kalymnos climbing guidebook, expected to be published in October 2010.

 

Route descriptions:

Our comments are a general –if laconic— description of every route. We have tried to give you a “feel” of each route on Kalymnos, something that most climbers like to read about and which occasionally inspires their ‘must do’ lists. We have also tried to avoid specific beta that might spoil your Kalymnos onsight attempts. For example, you will not see comments like “good but unobvious rest before the crux” or “look for the hidden jug at the crux just to the right of the 5th bolt”. However, if your onsighting of routes is very puritan, it is best to avoid our comments altogether before your attempt. You’ll also have to ignore the chalk and the tick marks, especially if the last rain was 6 months ago, as is usually the case each October…

 

Required gear

The standard gear required to climb routes on Kalymnos is 15 quickdraws and a single 60m rope (10-11mm). However, we would strongly recommend having a rope length of 70 or 80m if you are interested in enjoying most new monster routes or the extension pitches! Whenever something other than the standard gear (60m rope / 15 quickdraws) is required, this is mentioned in the Kalymnos guidebook. Where the length of a route is not mentioned this is because it is 30m or less.

 

Regardless, always tie a knot in the loose end of your rope.

 

Important tips

 

Top-roping

When climbing on a top-rope, you shouldn’t rely solely on passing the rope through the permanently placed carabiner at the belay point. As a back-up, you should also add a runner / quickdraw or, better still, a screwgate carabiner.

 

How to clean the very steep single-pitches

When you remove the quickdraws from an overhanging route, do not unclip from the first one as you lower back down. Keep yourself clipped in through the bottom quickdraw until you reach the ground. If you don’t, there’s a chance of a big swing which, with the rope stretch, can easily lead to hitting the ground at speed. Bear in mind that on almost all the routes in Kalymnos the first bolt is placed close to the ground (2-3m) and you can clean the quickdraw by re-climbing the first few metres after you’ve untied. Alternatively, re-clip the third bolt on the way down, then lower down to strip the bottom two, before re-climbing to the remaining quickdraw to take the swing at a safe height.

 

Lowering off

Most routes on Kalymnos can be climbed on a 30m rope… but not all. Serious accidents still happen with people being lowered off the end of the rope. Always tie a knot in the loose end of your rope; get in the habit.

 

Improving your technique

Kalymnos is an ideal place for a climber to push his or her limits. As there is such a variety of good, well-protected routes on which a fall is nothing to fear, you can climb at the very edge of your abilities, improving your technique and self-confidence day-by-day, week-by-week.

 

The wide spread of difficulty on Kalymnos means there is a lot of choice for climbers at all levels, although the emphasis is on the range from 5b to 6c – a range that caters to the taste of the majority of climbers. There are also quite a few easier routes on Kalymnos for novice climbers, and the island is already being used as a destination for some of the most important climbing courses in Europe.

 

Even those climbing grades above 8a will not feel that the choice is limited. In addition to the now numerous 8a and 8b routes there is a great number of lines waiting to be bolted, and some ready-made projects up to 9a waiting for the struggle.

 

Litter and cigarette butts

Please don’t leave litter. If other climbers have thoughtlessly left their trash behind at the crag, why not set a good example and pick it up? Furthermore, smokers should be extra careful with their cigarette butts. Not only are they a huge fire hazard on a tinder-dry island but they are also unsightly. Let’s not turn the base of the crags into a giant ashtray.

 

Children and climbing

Kalymnos is one of the best destinations in the world for family climbing vacations, particularly during the summer and autumn months when, after climbing, you can relax at the beaches and go swimming. Hundreds of climbing families have already discovered the island and are regular visitors. Most of the climbing sectors in Kalymnos have a flat base and it is quite common to see young children playing on the ground while their parents are climbing. To help you select suitable venues, we have placed a child’s face symbol (smiley, normal or frowning) on the relevant guidebook pages to make your decision easier. There are a great number of easy routes that can be top-roped even by the youngest of children. There are even some very closely bolted routes suitable for the young ones who are interested in leading routes. Last but not least, the most enjoyable game is the ‘giant swing’ on the climbing rope right after one of the parents has lowered off one of the overhanging routes like the ones at the Grande Grotta or the Marci-Marc cave at Odyssey. Of course, always watch out for loose rock dislodged by the rope or other climbers as well as other dangers when you are at the crag with children. However, if you still don’t want to bring children to the crag, you can always leave them for a few hours at one of the two nurseries in Pothia. Some of the hotels also provide babysitting services.

 

Climbing Shops / Services

There are two climbing shops on Kalymnos, both around Massouri. “Wild Sports” is in the basement of Plaza Hotel, and “Climber’s Nest” is at the edge of Massouri, where it meets Armeos, just where the path to the Poets sector begins. The two shops sell climbing equipment as well as stylish climbing clothes, while they also rent selected climbing gear.

 

Finding a climbing partner

Even if you decide to come climbing in Kalymnos without your usual belay slave, you can easily find partners, especially during spring and autumn. There are message boards at the climbing shops and the information office where you can leave a ‘search for a partner’ note. Alternatively, before starting your journey you can post a topic in the ‘climbing partner needed’ section of the Climb Kalymnos forum.

 

Guiding

Guiding services and climbing lessons are both available on Kalymnos. For further information or for booking details please contact us or visit the climbing information office if you are already on the island. We will put you in contact with the guide(s) currently on the island, and you can make your decision.

 

Equipping new routes

• On Kalymnos new routes can be put up either from the bottom up or from the top down, by abseil. In addition to lines suitable for single-pitch routes, there is ample scope for lots of longer routes of up to 5 pitches on Kalymnos.

 

• 1. Our aim is for the climbing routes on Kalymnos to be as safe as possible, so that climbers can concentrate on the technical difficulty of the routes without worrying about risks to life and limb. While there can be no objection to climbers climbing on Kalymnos with traditional protection (nuts and friends, etc) it is the policy of the local authorities that all new routes be protected with bolts for the safety of those making repeat ascents. Traditionally-protected routes are not accepted on Kalymnos.

 

• 2. Particularly because of the proximity of the sea, on Kalymnos you should use stainless steel bolts and hangers, the former being at least 10mm diameter expansion bolts or glued-in bolts using epoxy resin.

 

• 3. When equipping a new route on Kalymnos, always put the first bolt about 2.8m off the ground, the second about 1.2m further up and the third 2m above the second. This will help avoid climbers hitting the deck.

 

• 4. Each lower-off should be equipped with two bolts joined by a chain carrying an ‘inox’ carabiner for lowering off. As long as stocks hold out, chains and stainless steel carabiners can be obtained free of charge from the information office of the Municipal Athletic Organization on the road between Massouri and Emporios, beneath Odyssey.

 

• 5. To keep up these high standards of protection, climbers wanting to put up new routes on Kalymnos are advised first to climb some of the ‘model’ routes on crags such as Arhi and Odyssey to get a clearer picture of what is intended. New routes on Kalymnos should be equipped to the same standard, following the guidelines given below, thereby avoiding dangerous run-outs.

 

• 6. Never place bolts on stalactites.

 

• 7. Never drill either stalactites or the rock simply to place a sling. Slings as permanent protection should not be placed even if there are good natural holes. Instead of slings, bolts should be used.

 

• 8. Never chip holds or place artificial holds.

 

• 9. Clear your route of loose rock and of any vegetation that hinders climbing. The judicious removal of ultra-sharp edges with a hammer is considered reasonable and necessary.

 

• 10. If your route is to be over 30m, you should arrange an extra belay point to enable climbers to lower off using a single 60m rope. If, for example, the first 20m of a route is 6b and the last 15m is 7c, fix a belay point after 20m so that the route can be enjoyed by more climbers and not just by the guys in the 7c league.

 

 

(Above: the ‘Kalymnos bolting style’ is marked in green)

 

 

11. Always put a bolt exactly before the crux of the route.

 

• 12. Those putting up new routes on Kalymnos should write the name of the route discreetly, in Latin characters, at its base. This should be in blue paint, not in felt-tip pen which disappears too soon.

 

• 13. Most of the route names on Kalymnos derive from Greek mythology and Greek history, a respectful example set by the first Italian climbers on the island. For instance, at the Poets sector all the names are those of ancient Greek poets. We think that this tradition should be continued on Kalymnos (so dust off that copy of Greek myths and bring it along with the drill).

 

• 14. No further routes should be put up inside the cave of Grande Grotta, partly because there are already so many and partly so as to protect this marvellous work of nature with its wonderful stalactites.

 

• 15. It would also be better if no more routes were put up in Odyssey, especially on the right side of the crag where the routes are already dense. When there is so much unbolted rock elsewhere on Kalymnos, there is no reason to squeeze new routes into already crowded sectors.

 

• 16. To utilize the existing sectors of Kalymnos more fully, it is suggested that you target your new routing towards sectors with, currently, only a few climbs but an abundance of rock. For example, there is a great amount of available space between Spartacus and Poets. It’s better to do this than open brand new sectors if you only intend to equip one or two new routes.

 

• 17. There are a great number of unfinished projects on Kalymnos temporarily abandoned owing to lack of bolts or time. However, most of the activists do intend to come back as soon as possible to finish the job. So please avoid completing the bolting of unfinished projects on Kalymnos until a minimum of 2 years has passed by.

 

18. Lastly, please contact us before and after putting up new routes on Kalymnos.

 

In case of an accident

Unfortunately, as in the rest of Greece, on Kalymnos there is no organized climbing rescue service. This is one extra reason why we want to create the safest possible conditions for climbing on Kalymnos. If an accident happens while climbing on Kalymnos and the person suffers just minor injuries, they should be taken to the island’s hospital for medical treatment. The Kalymnos Hospital is just outside of Pothia, on the road from Pothia to Massouri.

 

IMPORTANT NUMBERS:

 

112 (Universal emergency number | Free of charge from any phone or mobile)

 

Ambulance +30 22430 23025