Balogeri

__Balogeri__, like nearby Vlychada, will make your heart flutter. Yet again, here’s a crag that overlooks a remote beach with diaphanous water and pebbles faded white from the sun. But this time, the bolted crag is just a tiny area dwarfed by a massive limestone-clad gorge that extends inland. Balogeri Gorge is about 5km long. It starts near Richea village and eventually spills out onto a beach known as Damos. The walls of the gorge are lined with vast quantities of limestone, and if you are a route equipper you can already hear the siren’s call to pack your drill and book a one-way ticket. Yes, Balogeri is real. You are not dreaming. You are also wondering why in the world the entire gorge isn’t already bolted. The team that equipped Balogeri consulted closely with the local authorities before drilling a single bolt. It was mutually agreed that any development in the gorge must be limited, strictly controlled, and done in an environmentally sensitive manner. Balogeri is an area of fragile ecosystems and singular beauty. So please enjoy climbing at this paradise, but leave absolutely no trace. And don’t pack your drills without first getting permission from the authorities in charge. Please contact us and we can provide more details. __Climbing__ Grey slabs and fully pocketed walls on the first pitches, with grades from 5b–7a+. A few great extensions from 6b–8b, too, on red rock with colonettes, blobs, and big holds. In total there are 37 routes graded 5b–8b, most being 6a–6c+. Balogeri was developed for the CLIMB KYPARISSI project in April/May 2019 by the following team (unless otherwise noted): Aris Theodoropoulos, Charlotte Durif, Dimitris Titopoulos, and George Kopalides, with the help of Dimitra Klaoudatou and Katie Roussos. __Gear__ A single 80m rope + 15 QDs for the first pitches (20 QDs for the extensions). __Conditions__ Long hours of shade (and the perfect beach below) make this crag best for climbing in the spring, autumn, and summer. __Shade (Exposure: NW)__ On the left, until 15:00. At the middle, almost all day (some sun comes around at about 18:00). On the far right/beachfront, until 13:00. __Kids__ Good down at the beach.