Daniel Du Lac and Guy Abert were some of the first climbers to start bolting routes at Olympic Wall way back in 2004. One of their boldest lines was to be the multi-pitch GALASIA PETRA, a striking line in the middle of a massive cliff with an abundance of features and swirls of color. When they ran out of bolts after equipping Pitch 3, they probably still planned to come back with more bolts and finish the job. But those were still early days in the Kalymnos trajectory; island logistics were more complicated, and resources less available. The pair never returned to GALASIA PETRA, as far as we know, and the epic line was left to languish for two long decades. Meanwhile, easier and/or shorter climbs went up all across the island, including at Olympic Wall: KALYTY was bolted to the left of the multi-pitch, LAETYAN to the right.

Finally, after 20 long years, GALASIA PETRA was completed thanks to Austrian climbers Max Berger and Much Mayr. This past spring Max rebolted Pitch 3 and bolted P4, the route was cleaned from top to bottom, and Much redpointed it on April 4th. GALASIA PETRA—whose name, loosely translated, means “light blue rock”—is the boldest, and now hardest, multi-pitch route on Kalymnos.

The app version of your guidebook will reflect these changes (always check the app version of your guidebook for the most up-to-date information), but here’s the important info:

#21: GALASIA PETRA 8a+ 125m, sector Olympic Wall 

4 pitches (P1 7a+ 22m, P2 8a+ 33m, P3 8a 35m, P4 7b 35m). The hardest multi-pitch on the island and the boldest line on this superb wall. P2 is a classic, which can be climbed as an extension (55m, 18 QDs). Return: Walk back down from the top. Abseiling is not recommended.

Equippers: Daniel Du Lac, Guy Abert 2004 / Max Berger, Much Mayr 2024