The Ultimate Guide of Trad Climbing in Nafplio – Karathona & Asini (Greece)

On May 15, 2023 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Mountaineering generalLeave a comment

Nafplio is a charming coastal town located in the Peloponnese region of Greece, surrounded by the Argolic gulg and stunning cliffs that offer a variety of rock climbing opportunities. Whether you’re an experienced climber or a beginner, Nafplio has something for everyone.

One of the most popular climbing areas in Nafplio is the Palamidi fortress, a massive Venetian castle that overlooks the town. The fortress is known for its challenging routes, that range from easy to difficult. The limestone cliffs offer a mix of technical face climbing and steep overhangs, and the views from the top are absolutely breathtaking.

Another great climbing spot in Nafplio is at Karathona beach, located just outside the town. This area features cliffs that offer a mix of sport and trad climbing. The routes here are generally shorter than those at Palamidi, but they offer a more diverse range of climbing styles, including slab, face, and crack climbing.

Continue reading “The Ultimate Guide of Trad Climbing in Nafplio – Karathona & Asini (Greece)” →

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

On April 24, 2023April 26, 2023 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Mountaineering general3 Comments

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.

Ek_Tou_Anasfalous_Web_Images_29 — Topping up the route

Continue reading “Ek Tou Anasfalous VI UIAA 90 m. | Trad Climbing in Karathona beach – Nafplio” →

Dirty Friday IV+ UIAA 95 m. | Trad Climbing at the top of Profitis Elias – Asini

On June 4, 2022 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Mountaineering general9 Comments

It has been almost 2 years since my last visit in the area of Asini and specifically to the Profitis Elias rock.

The Profitis Elias rock stands upwards in the beautiful scenery of Asini is called Profitis Elias. The little chapel that is build on top is dedicated to Prophet Elias, and thus the name of the hill.

The view at the top is panorama (360º) and you can get a pretty good idea of the surrounding area and its morphology. It is on the way to the coast of Tolo, if you are coming from Nafplio. There is a road that takes you from the village of Ag. Paraskevi to the lower parts of the hill. From there it is a 15-20 minutes walk uphill, following the path designated by white crosses, that will take you to the top.

Dirty_Friday_Trad_Climbing_Profitis_Elias_Asini_03 — View of Profitis Elias Rock

Continue reading “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

On March 22, 2022 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Mountaineering general8 Comments

Greece, is a very rocky and mountainous country and this gives us the possibility and also the opportunity to go and explore the outdoors pretty much all year round. The initial plan was to go from some winter mountaineering on Mt. Erymanthos, but due to extreme weather forecasts we decided to skip the initial plan and to go for some trad climbing in Nafplio.

According to mythology, the town was founded by Nafplios, the son of god Poseidon and the daughter of Danaus (Danaida) Anymone. The town’s history traces back to the prehistoric era when local soldiers participated in the Argonautic expedition and the Trojan War alike.

The town recessed during the Roman times and flourished again during the Byzantine times.

In the summer, take an invigorating swim on the beaches of Arvanitia, Karathonas, Nea Kios, Miloi and Kiveri. You will also find a nice beach offering all kinds of facilities in Tolo, only 15 min away from the town.

Epsipetis_Trad_Climbing_Karathona_Nafplio_215301_551 — The Karathona Rock

Continue reading “Epsipetis V UIAA 100 m. | Trad Climbing in Karathona beach – Nafplio” →

Climbing in Charamos Crag – Kandia – Argolis, Greece

On April 27, 2021April 30, 2021 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Climbing6 Comments

The last few years, and mainly in the last decade Climbing and specifically Sport Climbing has gone from niche sport to worldwide sensation, and here in Greece this is the rule too. As a result, more and more new climbing crags have been spring up like mushrooms all over mainland Greece, in the Greek islands (ex. Kalymnos), but especially in Peloponnese many new climbing areas have been established. For example in Peloponnese one can climb in Corinth, in Leonidio, in Ermionida, in Nafplio in Asini and from now near Kandia too.

Charamos Crag was spotted by S. Konstadakopoulos, who proceeded to bolt most of the routes on the left side of the rock face. C. Rigas was also invited and bolted several routes, focusing on the right portion of the crag, while E. Chroni, among others, contributed with cleaning some routes and generally supporting the bolting process. Most of the routes are quite demanding and on the upper scale of the climbing grades.

Climbing_Kandia_Argolis_Agios_Andonis_195153_407 — View from the parking spot

Continue reading “Climbing in Charamos Crag – Kandia – Argolis, Greece” →

A Trad Climbing Guidebook of Profitis Elias – Asini, Argolis (Greece)

On March 10, 2021May 1, 2023 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Climbing, Mountaineering general14 Comments

In the past years we have been climbing in various areas, mountains and crags and therefore we gained experience in the various forms of climbing. With this post, we would like to share with you a free climbing guidebook from the first established routes in Profitis Elias of Asini, which is located nearby Nafplio.

The rock climbing around Argolis region is all on excellent solid grey limestone. The majority of the routes are single pitch sport climbing routes, though there are some trad climbing routes as well. The Argolis area claims to receive over 3,000 hours of sunshine per year and is a popular holiday destination. It also means that it is possible to rock climb virtually all year round in the Argolis region.

Profitis_Elias_Asini_Trad_Climbing_Cover — Download FREE Guidebook

Continue reading “A Trad Climbing Guidebook of Profitis Elias – Asini, Argolis (Greece)” →

Diaberis Pothos | Trad Climbing at the top of Profitis Elias – Asini

On July 15, 2020November 18, 2020 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Mountaineering general16 Comments

Few weeks ago, on this blog I published my first ever First Ascent that took place on Mount Ortholithi. This time, together with 3 fellow climbers we decided to go and explore the Profitis Elias rock of Asini, nearby Nafplio city.

We have been informed that this rock is an excellent location for trad climbing and we also knew that has been totally unclimbed besides a route which was first ascended by Mountain Guide Kostas Tsoukleidis and Nadine Strobl (O Kipos tou Profiti V+ 110 m.).

Therefore, we decided to go to explore the potential of Profitis Elias rock and specifically the North Face of the rock. We have been very pleased of what we have seen and we decided to climb to the top by the North-East couloir.

Climbing_Diaberis_Pothos_Profitis_Elias_Asini_Route — Diaberis Pothos VI UIAA 100 m.

Continue reading “Diaberis Pothos | Trad Climbing at the top of Profitis Elias – Asini” →

The Ultimate Guide of Climbing in Argolis, Greece

On April 1, 2019December 28, 2020 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Climbing4 Comments

Argolis or the Argolid is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese, situated in the eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula and part of the tripoint area of Argolis, Arcadia and Corinthia. Much of the territory of this region is situated in the Argolid Peninsula.

Most arable land lies in the central part of Argolis. Its primary agricultural resources are oranges and olives. Argolis has a coastline on the Saronic Gulf in the northeast and on the Argolic Gulf in the south and southeast. Notable mountains ranges are the Oligyrtos in the northwest, Lyrkeio and Ktenia in the west, and Arachnaio and Didymo in the east. Continue reading “The Ultimate Guide of Climbing in Argolis, Greece” →

Climbing in Nafplio

On July 2, 2018July 6, 2020 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Climbing17 Comments

Nafplio is located in a protected bay of the Argolic Gulf, just 1.5 hours by car from Athens. The crags of Nafplio are in fantastic seaside locations; for the most part, the cliffs are solid limestone featuring slightly overhanging red, yellow, and white rock. Nafplio itself is very lively, and its Old Town is a popular weekend destination teeming with quayside cafés, restaurants and hotels. Thanks to Nafplio’s location and layout, you can easily navigate it on foot, and go climbing, jogging or swimming within minutes. Lastly, Nafplio has a very mild climate, which makes it one of the best venues in Greece for winter climbing.