I woke up early on Sunday, feeling excited about the day ahead. I was going trad climbing with a few friends, and I couldn’t wait to get out to the crag and test my skills on the rock face.

After packing all my gear and double-checking my equipment, I hopped into my car and drove out to the crag. As we arrived, I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins. I was ready for the challenge.

We took some time to scout out the route and assess the rock quality. We discussed the type of protection we’d need to place as we climbed, and I felt reassured that we were all experienced and knowledgeable about trad climbing techniques.

Karathona Beach, located in Nafplio, is known for its picturesque views and crystal-clear waters. However, it is also a hidden gem for rock climbers, as it offers a variety of climbing routes suitable for both beginners and advanced climbers. In this post, we will explore a new trad climbing route called “Ek Tou Anasfalous” (Εκ του Ανασφαλούς) which was first ascended in December 2020.

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Ek Tou Anasfalous VI UIAA 90 m. | Trad Climbing in Karathona beach

“Ek Tou Anasfalous” (VI, 90 m.) (Εκ του Ανασφαλούς in Greek) was first ascended on December 26th, 2020 by C. Rigas and A. Georgopoulos. The route is situated on the rock formation at Karathona beach in Nafplio and offers a challenging traditional multi-pitch climb with diverse climbing styles, including slab, ridge, and crack climbing.

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Ek Tou Anasfalous VI UIAA 90 m. | Topographic Map

If you are going to climb alpine rock faces, you will need the most detailed information possible about the rock and the route. All this can be found on a topographic map: This is a graphic representation of a climbing route and can usually be found in a guidebook or on certain websites. The lead climber should always have the topographic map at hand when on the rock face.

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Check out some more trad climbing routes here:

• Skytali V+ UIAA 35 m. – Trad Climbing in Arma – Mt. Parnitha – Attica
• Klassiki VI UIAA 100 m. – Trad Climbing in Kato Flabouri – Mt. Parnitha – Attica
• Dardiza Bayby Shitter V- UIAA 20 m. | Trad Climbing in Dardiza Bay – Ermioni
• Fantastic 4 V+ UIAA 200 m. – Trad Climbing in Kantili – Mt. Pateras – Attica
• Dirty Friday IV+ UIAA 95 m. | Trad Climbing at the top of Profitis Elias – Asini
• Epsipetis V UIAA 100 m. | Trad Climbing in Karathona beach – Nafplio
• Tsirio To Proto | Trad Multipitch Climbing on Mount Onia (Oneia) | V 170 m.
• Alpina V 300 m. | Climbing on Pyramida – Mount Giona (Aselinon)
• Diaberis Pothos | Trad Climbing at the top of Profitis Elias – Asini

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Like any map, a topographic map uses symbols to represent information about the rock. Climbers can orient themselves on the basis of these standardised Symbols. Illustrations indicate the climbing direction, the length of each pitch and the number and type of belay points. Further indicators that can help with orientation include a logical route, the rock quality as well notable features on the rock.

Bellow a topo of the route Ek Tou Anasfalous VI UIAA 90 m.

General route information

“Ek Tou Anasfalous” (VI, 90 m.) (Εκ του Ανασφαλούς in Greek) was first ascended on December 26th, 2020 by C. Rigas and A. Georgopoulos. The route is situated on the rock formation at Karathona beach in Nafplio and offers a challenging traditional multi-pitch climb with diverse climbing styles, including slab, ridge, and crack climbing.

On April 23rd, 2022, the first repeat ascent of the route was achieved by C. Rigas and Olympus Mountaineering.

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Approach

The route is located in Karathona beach, in Nafplio, Argolis – Greece.  Its orientation is south. Approaching R0 requires 10 minutes of hiking on a goat trail.

• Parking spot coordinates: 37.542000, 22.826482
• Beginning of the route: 37.542950, 22.829169

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Route description

R0 – R1 | V UIAA – 35 m.

The route commences with the first pitch (35 m.) located to the right of the south face of the rock and roughly 15 meters west of the Epsipetis route.

The initial section of the pitch involves an easy climb of approximately 5 meters, graded at IV UIAA, leading up to a dihedral that is traversed from the left. From this point, we must ascend to a boulder featuring an overhang with a difficulty of UIAA V. Exercise caution while navigating this section as there might be some loose rocks.

Once we surpass the overhang, we arrive at the prominent ridge of the route where the terrain becomes somewhat easier with a grade of around IV UIAA. We follow the ridge to a large block with a conspicuous crack.

At this juncture, we can establish the first belay. The belay stance is ideal, comfortable, and offers a spectacular view of Karathona beach.

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R1 – R2 | V+ UIAA – 30 m.

he second pitch commences directly above R1, requiring us to ascend the large rock formation via a prominent crack. This section represents the crux of the pitch, with a maximum difficulty of V+ UIAA.

Upon surmounting the crack, we must tackle a ridge with a grade of IV UIAA until we arrive at the dark grey slab. Climbing the slab is a true delight as the rock quality is superb. 

However, we must exercise caution as although the difficulty of the slab is up to V- UIAA, there are limited opportunities for reliable gear placement to safeguard against falls.

Upon reaching the top of the grey slab, we encounter a ledge just beneath the red rock, which serves as the location for R2. 

Take care to set up R2 slightly to the left of the continuation of the route and not directly below it.

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R2 – R3 | VI UIAA – 25 m.

The third and final pitch is the shortest yet the most challenging, containing the crux of the entire route.

Beginning with a V UIAA slab, where adequate handholds are available, the climber must maintain a stable body position and perform moves with a maximum difficulty of V+ UIAA. After ascending approximately 6-8 meters, we encounter the stunning crack that represents the crux of the route. The crack poses a maximum difficulty of VI UIAA, which is more challenging than the average grade and necessitates strong climbing technique and significant confidence. The crux involves a continuous sequence of moves until we reach the top and the final section of the route – a ridge that leads to the summit.

To set up the belay on this pitch, we can utilize one of the large boulders with a double-sized sling or kevlar cordelette. Reaching this point provides us with a unique view of Karathona Beach, Astros, and Mount Parnon.

The weather on that day was really good. Clear sky with a a bit of wind. During our climb, and in the last two pitches, we had a bit of cold wind coming from the north and that made the climbing conditions even better.

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View from the Top

After we finished the climb, we took some time to celebrate our accomplishments. I felt a sense of camaraderie and connection with my climbing buddies.

Looking back on the day, I feel grateful for the experience. Trad climbing was an adventure that tested my physical and mental strength, and it gave me a newfound sense of confidence in myself.

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Return from the route

Our return route starts from the top of the route. We initially go north and on point 37.543471, 22.830226 we change direction towards the west. The descent is through a goat trail.

The descent takes about 15 minutes.

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Details of the Climb

• Location: Karathona Beach – Nafplio
• Difficulty: VI UIAA
• Length: 90 meters
• Pitches: 3
• When to Climb: Autumn – Late Spring
• Water Features: None

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Recommended Gear

For this multi-pitch climb, I used the following gear:

• Mammut Wall Rider Helmet
• The North Face Verto 27 backpack
• 5 lanyards 60 cm
• 1 lanyard 120 cm
• 4 locking carabiners
• 1 HMS carabiner
• Petzl Hirundos Harness
• Simond Climbing shoes
• BD HotWire Quickdraws
• Alpine Quickdraws
• Cordelette for prusik
• 2 x 60 m. rope
• 4 carabiners
• Reverso
• 0.5 lt of Water
• 1 energy bar
• Friends / Camalots
• Rock Nuts

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Download for free the complete route description and Topo map

• Download the complete route description and Topo map in PDF (interactive)
• Download the complete route description and Topo map in PDF (Single Page)

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Before you leave this blog check out the following map

Below: This map marks all the mountaineering adventures that have been featured on Olympus Mountaineering so far, including several Sport climbing crags – Select full screen to expand, zoom in for more detail, or click on a marker for a link to the post.