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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2007 - 12:20pm PT
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On my second day I hooked up with a European guy named Fred to climb The Holy Ghost.
The Pillar of Dreams is the classic line and climbs like a Tuolumne adventure,
Beset with firm knobs and steep slabs and graced with a bulgy OW crux at mid height:
In this Dieter Hasse photo below, you can perhaps make out two parties,
Both in red, one at 1/3 height and one at 1/2 height:
(Jane later accomplished the first free of solo the 9+ route)
The climbing surface is of a conglomerate type, with large cobbles essential to upward progress.
Most all of the routes were put in ground up using ring bolts.
Healthy run outs abound.
(photo Hasse)
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2007 - 12:54pm PT
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While the Pillar of Dreams is a five or six pitch route,
It is moderate and an excellent mid-level introduction to the style of climbing one encounters at Meteora.
I hooked up later that afternoon with another fellow, Basti, to climb the Corner of Madness, also on the Holy Ghost:
The Corner of Madness begins as an excellent crack climb in a corner.
The climbing proceeds upward along a superb 10+ jam/lay back diehedral and is crowned with a thrilling 10- headwall finish.
(photo Micha Klein)
(photo of Basti & Tarbaby by Micha Klein)
(photo Hasse)
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Another fine thread, wandering open-eyed.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2007 - 01:34pm PT
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Thanks Larry, glad you could make it!
The amenities in Kastraki provide for a most hospitable stay:
Jane, Basti & Kai, enjoying a post climb reverie:
(photo Hasse)
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Tarbuster
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2007 - 01:41pm PT
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I was still a bit jet lagged, a couple days of power lounging ensued,
Along with a bit of smartly indulgent R&R by the pool:
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2007 - 01:48pm PT
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2007 - 02:12pm PT
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Many if not most of the good lines in Meteora were established by Deider Hasse.
His was an impeccable style, always bold and ground up, and imparted with aesthetic vision.
My time here was laced with a sense of possibility and of freshness.
In the early 90s, Meteora, although well rigged with established classics, still had an aura of naivety.
One of the routes that had been high on Jane's list was the Kastraki Tower.
This route took a stunning line, vertical and sometimes overhanging, up the central chimney and offwidth system.
This was quite a fantastic line to encounter.
The first pitch was an overhanging flared chimney, requiring broad 5.10 stemming between stalactites and sandy walls.
(As I arrived shod only in cowboy boots, I picked up the spiffy green approach shoes down in Kalambaka)
The crux 3rd/4th pitch was a purported 10+ OW, which went in a pretty straightforward manner.
Aside from the crux section, that pitch is primarily a squeeze slot, with some good exposure.
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mack
Trad climber
vermont
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Very cool! This is on my ever expanding climbing destination list.
Mack
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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Very Nice!
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Tarbuster's threads are always convey much more than the climbing, that's one thing that makes them fun to follow.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2007 - 04:23pm PT
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Jane & Micha are the most wonderfull hosts: they posess and share such an awesome sense of humor and good fun!
This is the rig they drove down from Germany, known affectionately as The Terminator:
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2007 - 05:31pm PT
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The time of my life!
"Git' yer biscuits in that gravy while it's hot"
-Hud
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divad
Trad climber
wmass
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Thanks for a great TR. The climbing looks awesome, as does hanging by the pool.
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Mtnmun
Trad climber
Top of the Mountain Mun
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Cool Tarbuster. We are going back to Greece next year. Thanks to this post, Meteora is a definate.
BTW the Greeks are notoriously lax when it comes to safety. How is the fixed protection in Meteora? Is the gear in good shape or old and manky? I did not read the details of this post, but I assume it is trad and sport from the looks of that corner you are climbing.
Thanks
Jude
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2007 - 05:59pm PT
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Jude,
In many ways it is an area overlayed with a rich German climbing heritage.
Dieder Hasse was extremely prolific & strictly trad (probably still at it); Heinz Zak did some stellar routes.
I hear sportclimbing has since settled in and there would be some good ones if this is so.
All the towers/routes have Greek, German, and English nomenclature.
Aghion Pnewma = Heiliger Geist = Holy Ghost
Germans put in many of the bolts and they were, 15/20 yeras ago, very beefy ring bolts.
That's what I know.
Happy Cobbling!
Roy
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2007 - 06:16pm PT
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That said, from Dieter Hasse's METEORA:
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2007 - 06:22pm PT
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It is an honor & a pleasure Matt,
Thanks for coming to the party!
(photo Dieder Hasse)
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TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
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Wow.
Really nice Roy. I've wanted to go there ever since I've seen photos of the area, but now it's on!
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2007 - 10:51pm PT
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Stich,
Just went to a house warming party for Jane & Micha last night, here in Boulder.
Here they are back in their little Kastraki home, which they still own!
In years to come, we'll do it again.
The towers in view from their porch walk:
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