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KALYMNOS 2007
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Ghost Kitchen
Photo: Dafni (6c+), one of the many 'ornate' routes on Ghost Kitchen.

The Old and the New


The 2006 Kalymnos guide was a sumptuous volume, detailed and very well illustrated. The descriptions struck a balance between the café/bar-topos of yesteryear and the sometimes over-verbose British climbing guides; there was enough information to tease and excite but not enough to give away all secrets or confuse the non-English speaker. It would be fair to say that it was a strong role-model for a new generation of European climbing guides.

The snapping off of Trella’s tufa does rather relegate the front cover to historical record. No matter, for the book is now virtually sold out with only the odd copy left in certain shops (as of November 2007).

Fortunately, Aris Theodoropoulos is nothing if not a total enthusiast, and already the book is winging its phoenix way to the printers for a reprint and new front cover. Things haven’t been standing still on Kalymnos and those who travelled to the island recently have been offered a print-out of recent routes. These are now going to be incorporated as an appendix in the revised edition.

But we’re not talking of a few filler-in problems here. We’re talking 250 new routes since 2006, plus additional re-gradings and fresh descriptions.

Hard-core Additions

Many of these new additions boost the number of top-end routes with Jaws (8c) and Por una sociedad con mujeres satisfechas (8b+/c) having been added to Sicati Cave for the Oct 06 Petzl Roctrip competition. In the same hole, is Les Arts du Vide (8b), a video of which can be found on YouTube. Whilst still on the subject of the super steep, Nicolas Favresse has added Inshallah (8c+) under the rim of one of the North Cape caves and two new high-grade projects fill the acres of empty rock up at Jurassic Park.

The other key spot for ‘sick-hard’ routes is the ever popular Odyssey where Los Kukos (8c) was repointed by Sean McColl. Gora guta gutarak (8c+) was added by Nicolas Favresse, Nadir (8b+/8c) by Alessandro Lamberti and Inti Watana (8b) by Steve McLure; all three or four star routes. However, Tagmania (8c?) to the right of Orion and Los Revolusionarios (8c+/9a?) to the left of Lucky Luca both await first ascents.

On Iannis, to the left of Poets, O Draconian Devil put up by Steve in Sept 2005 has been a very popular route (for 8b+); this is now joined by Racomelo, the project just left of Tufa King Pumped, with a boulderer’s nightmare at mid-height and a sustained technical groove to finish; this was bolted on the last day before the appendix was completed (and may eventually go at 8a+/8b).



Arhi Angelica
Photo: On Arhi, stylishly on the
tufa of Poseidon (6c)
Photo: Crossing through on the first
crux of the popular Angelica (8a)

Quality Boom in the Mid-grades

A swathe of top quality mid-grade routes has also been added across the island although Telendos ‘across the water’ has not missed out on the bonanza. In the three caves above the village, you’ll find Princess of Telendos (7c+) arcing out of the very rim of the largest cave. Don’t be fooled, the caves may look small from Massouri but expect little change from 30m. Sustained 7b to two-thirds-height wears you before you have to launch out onto the headwall for some technical reaches off small footholds. Whilst here, enjoy the varied Comandante Jorge in the middle cave which gives a very good value 7b; both routes are on excellent rock.

You can hire a boat and save shoe leather to reach some of the other new sectors in Telendos. Irox and Pescatore both lie beyond the Eros sector (ie beyond the little white church high on the flank of Telendos mountain) and contain routes from 3c to 8a+. If you do opt to walk there and back, don’t neglect to call in at the Naftikos café where the owners/climbers can fill you in on further developments.

Back on the ‘mainland’ of Kalymnos, Adrian Berry has opened up a sector in the 'empty quarter' between Panorama and Iannis. Adrian considers his Anaphlactic Shock, at borderline 8a, to be one of the best routes that he’s done at this grade.

Elsewhere on the island, the big gently-leaning wall in the middle of Odyssey is now the home of a ‘big three’ with Aris’s own Inti Raymi (7b+) joining the equally massive Sirene and Fourtuna in a competition for the title of ‘hardest sting in the tail’ at around the 7b+/7c mark.

It should be pointed out that virtually every new route mentioned so far is of four-star quality, the highest accolade on offer on Kalymnos. And even then there’s more, with gems to be found on the new sector above Arhi where Chappi (7c) follows 40 metres worth of tufa and 28 bolts. Gegoune (7c+) is a new addition at the underrated Galatiani and Mort aux Chevres (7b) mixes with the big boys at Sikati.


Arhi
Photo: Chloe Graftiaux heads left into no-man's land but... 'Ne Pas Toucher a ma Bite' F8a+.

For the Pleasure Climber

As always Kalymnos also caters for those climbing in the friendlier grades and there’s no better place to learn to lead. With this in mind, the relevant additions are legion. In the quiet of the northern reaches, sectors Styx and Kastri have gained more than twenty new routes from 4a to 7b whereas possibly the best selection of sensibly-graded additions is on Sea Breeze and Amphitheatre Arginonta where another 25 have sprung up. And many of these are top-quality indeed with red-rock attractions like Pornokini (6a), Wild Sex (6b) and No Sleep ‘til Hammersmith (7a+) all getting the four-star accolade.


Photo: Starting Mythologie, an excellent 7c on Iliada
Photo: Polipitis 7a+, also on Iliada
Mythologie Iliada
Symblegades Symblegades
Photo: Joel Fine at the crux of the classic TNT (6c)
Photo: Chris Frayne on KVR (6b) also at Symblegades

Iliada has become popular since the new guide with Nestoras (7a), Hector (6c), the fabulously Beautiful Helen (6a+) all getting continual attention whilst Mythologie (7c) deserves an extra star to add to its existing three. These are now joined by another ten routes, mainly in the 5c-6b+ range. Come on now, you know it’s worth an extra 10 minutes walk from Odyssey.

Even the popular crags of Kalymnos are by no means ‘full’ as Dave Musgrove has shown by adding The Siege of Thermopylae (6c+) to the right flank of Spartacus. Entirely new crags are being found along the new road from Arginonta to Vathy (which is now almost complete and driveable, albeit on gravel for some of its length). Julian, the new sector at the highest point, offers a dozen easy routes in the 3-6a range with stunning views from the ceiling of the island. Whilst still thinking about new sectors, there’s always rumours of an unclimbed wall up to 50 metres in height, woven and chaotic with tufa, challenging Grande Grotta for supremacy. Well, the rumours are true…the wall has now been breached at 7c; I’ve seen the photos.

Aris
Photo: Aris busy equipping Racomelo (8a+/8b) at Iannis

An all-new Edition

By Spring 2009, the faces of Kalymnos and Telendos will have changed. And so will the guidebook for that’s the year for which a completely-new, fully-revised guidebook is planned. Add your comments to the Rockfax database or send photos, personalised route descriptions, grading opinions etc directly to Aris Theodoropoulos. They will be very welcome.
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