/climbing

Kalymnos, Greece

sport · limestone · tufas

A sport climbing trip to Kalymnos, a Greek island with thousands of routes up steep limestone and tufas.

Kalymnos is a small island in the Dodecanese with thousands of sport routes on steep limestone and tufas.

Telendos across the water, a steep limestone island rising out of the Aegean — Telendos, the island you look at from most of the west-coast crags.

A dry valley and limestone hills on Kalymnos — The island from the hills, and a morning pitch with the sea behind it.

Climbing a grey limestone face with Telendos and the village below in late light — The island from the hills, and a morning pitch with the sea behind it.

At the crag#

Standing with a climbing partner in a cave, Telendos and the sea in the opening behind us — A partner and a goat at the ledge. Telendos is always in the window.

At the belay ledge in a helmet, a goat sniffing the pack, Telendos in the background — A partner and a goat at the ledge. Telendos is always in the window.

A climber on a sunlit limestone face in the morning — Morning laps before it got hot.

Another morning pitch on grey limestone — Morning laps before it got hot.

DNA#

DNA is the route I kept coming back to. I climbed it many times trying to finish it, and I finally sent on one of my last days.

Starting DNA, reaching into the overhang while people belay and watch from the ledge — Getting on it. The start is already steep.

On the lower part of DNA with a knee pad on, Telendos and the sea behind the cave — Getting on it. The start is already steep.

Looking up the overhanging tufa wall of DNA, a second climber lower on a neighboring line — The wall from below, and working past the second bolt.

Reaching for the second bolt on DNA, belayer on the ledge below — The wall from below, and working past the second bolt.

Stemming through tufas around the third bolt on DNA — Through the third and fourth bolts. The wall is bigger than it looks from the ground.

A small figure on the huge tufa wall of DNA, sea on the left — Through the third and fourth bolts. The wall is bigger than it looks from the ground.

Higher on DNA with another climber on a line to the left and the sea below — Same section on different days.

Looking up the overhang at a climber on DNA, coastline in the corner — Same section on different days.

Side view of a move around the fifth bolt, sea and headland below — Getting higher. This is where it started to feel possible some days and impossible on others.

Standing on a tufa pillar around the sixth bolt, green rope hanging down the wall — Getting higher. This is where it started to feel possible some days and impossible on others.

Sitting in a tufa rest on DNA, smiling at the camera, another climber below — The seat. I spent a lot of time here, shaking out and deciding whether to keep going.

Looking straight up at a climber in the seat on DNA — The seat. I spent a lot of time here, shaking out and deciding whether to keep going.

A kneebar on the tufas, helmet on, red rope clipped above — The kneebar and the shake. This is the rest I needed if I wanted any chance on the top.

Shaking out on DNA, Telendos and the sea in the background — The kneebar and the shake. This is the rest I needed if I wanted any chance on the top.

Paused on the tufa wall of DNA, red rope hanging down — Another rest, and the t-shirt-as-knee-pad setup.

A compact move on DNA, reaching into a chalked pocket with a t-shirt used as a knee pad — Another rest, and the t-shirt-as-knee-pad setup.

Clipping on DNA, knee pad on the right leg — Clipping through. Some days I got here with something left. Some days I didn't.

Falling off DNA before the last moves — A fall before the finale. This happened more than once.

Ivi#

On Ivi, looking down past the harness and knee pad to the sea — Ivi. Steep, kneebar-heavy, and the sea is always under your feet.

A move on Ivi, knee pad on, orange rope clipped above — Ivi. Steep, kneebar-heavy, and the sea is always under your feet.

A fall or near-fall on Ivi — Coming off Ivi, and Gabe on a steep one nearby.

Gabe spanning a steep tufa section with knee pads on both legs — Coming off Ivi, and Gabe on a steep one nearby.

Rest day on Kos#

My best friend from childhood, Akhil, happened to be on vacation in Kos with his girlfriend Jyo (now known as his wife Jyo). I took the ferry over from Kalymnos to Kos for a weekend so I could spend two days with them, and had a blast visiting wineries and some local attractions in the area.

Akhil climbing — Meeting up with Akhil in Greece, a surreal experience for both of us.

Akhil on another pitch — Meeting up with Akhil in Greece, a surreal experience for both of us.

Jyosana was such a great sport during all of our weird jokes and childhood quirks that we never seemed to have shed. This was my first time meeting Jyo, but she was so obviously a perfect match for my buddy Akhil that it only took a few hours to see that pretty clearly.

I figured this might be the best place to put some videos from the absolutely magnificent wedding that these two had. It was at a local temple where I grew up, and the ceremony was so beautiful. Below is a video from the bride and groom's "first look" in a South Indian style, which I had never seen before!

A selfie with Akhil and Jyo on a path through a vineyard — A rest day with Akhil and Jyo, and a beautiful scene from their wedding 3 years later!

Akhil and Jyo at an overlook above a whitewashed village and the sea — A rest day with Akhil and Jyo, and a beautiful scene from their wedding 3 years later!

We had a chance to drink some great wine on Kos, and I would highly recommend that you explore the family vineyards on the island since we found some marvelous ones.

Buying wine at Volcania from a woman behind a wooden counter — Buying wine.

Walking through the vineyard — Buying wine.

Chess#

A lot of climbers play chess at night, and I had a lot of fun playing with my friends from the crag.

A chess game over Murphy's at a table in the evening — On the left, a guy who owns an awesome bar and daycare in Kalymnos named Monster Cafe & Childcare. On the right, one of my Israeli friends who was exceptionally good at chess, and created a real endgame masterpiece with me on the board one night.

Telendos#

Telendos is a nearby island with some great sport climbing routes.

A boat coming into a rocky landing, someone in a helmet waiting on the rock — Getting on the boat.

A classic climb on Telendos — Getting on the boat.

cd /climbing