Text Box: Chuck After Our First Climb

 

An amazing two weeks with Chuck and Ozer (The Dude) in Cyprus where we climbed at Cape Greco, Cape Pyla, and Besparmak (aka Pentadaktylos = Five Fingers).

 

Day 1: Chuck and I headed for Cape Greco for some short and well documented climbs to make the start with. The weather was perfect, and we had a great day. At the end of the day we had climbed 7 really good routes. With a lot of attention from the tourists!

 

Day 2: This was the day for a big climb at the Five Fingers. Chuck, Ozer, and I went there for an early start. Chuck and I decided on a very impressive and adventurous 6 pitch climb on the 4th finger, called The Wanderer.

 

We parked the car quite far away and tried to locate the climb from far, as it was quite a challenge to actually spot the climb on such a big mountain crag with descriptions left from late '60s!

Text Box: Spotting the climb of day 2 from distance

After we decided where the climb was, we went for it.

 

Text Box: The Impressive 1st Pitch on The Wanderer It was Ozer's first day climbing outside so we had paid special attention when choosing the climb with Chuck so that it was easy enough  (a VD).

 

After a brilliant first pitch, Chuck took the lead and lead the next two pitches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: 3rd Pitch of The Wanderer

After Chuck's 2 leads we were all pleased with the climb and were eager to do the rest (well I was a bit hasty since I was cold because I left my shirt at the bottom of the crag, and now it was getting a bit windy:))

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I took the lead and headed for the 4th pitch (or what we thought as the 4th pitch). As I ascended the climb I found myself in the middle of a clay ground instead of limestone! The protection got very thin and the holds vanished, all of a sudden I was in the middle of a very bold and technical climb that made me think I was about to die...

 

Text Box: Ozer on the 4th Pitch; He doesn't know what's coming!

With a lot of grunting and excitement, I made it to the top, and so did the rest.

 

After all the excitement, we all made it to the top, and hastily headed for the bottom since it was starting to get dark (already!). But it was almost too hasty, as Chuck didn't wait for us and headed straight down from the Northern Face of the crag, which was a long long long long way around, and we ended up being in the dark before we could find our stuff at the other side of the crag. It took a lot of blind search but at the end we found everything and headed for home!

Text Box: At the Belay 5.Text Box: Abseiling into V Gully at Cape Pyla

 

 

 

Day 3: After our mini-epic on the previous day Chuck and me decided to go to Cape Pyla and Greco for some nice single pitch climbs right by the sea. (Ozer decided to take the week off after Day 2's climb).

 

 

We had a great day with some really amazing climbs ticked off. We finished the day off with 6 climbs done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Chuck at Cape Pyla

 

Day 4: Chuck's last day. We headed to Five Fingers and Chuck lead a great HS climb on the middle finger, called Samuda.(Chuck and I had another mini-epic of our own on our way down:))

 

Text Box: Chuck at the Top of Middle Finger

After Chuck's lead, we realized we didn't have time left for another climb on the Five Fingers so we headed to the smaller crag right by the Five Fingers, which is my project! The crag is named The Styloid Process. Me and Chuck did the first ascent of 2 new routes. I lead an amazing 2 pitch VS 5a, named Firinda Magarina, probably the best VS I have climbed so far! Then Chuck finished the day by leading a single pitch VD, which he named Barking Dogs.

 

Text Box: North Side of 4th Finger seen from The Styloid Process

Chuck left the next day and I took the weekend off from climbing.

 

Day 5: Early Monday, Ozer and I headed for Cape Greco, and did some really good climbs all graded Severe.

 

Text Box: Sunset at Agia Napa seen from Greco

At the end of the day, I felt really strong and wanted to do something harder than a Severe. So I found an E1 which I thought was doable by me, and went for it! Thus I have lead my first E1 climb, named Break Dance.

 

 

Day 6: On Wednesday, I headed to Styloid Process with Ozer to ascend some more new routes. and We did the first ascent of 3 more routes; Gara Guli HS, Ebem VS 4c, Cirkin Sey HVD. Then we finished the day off with the 2nd ascent of Cuk MVS, a route that I did last year.

Text Box: The Styloid Process (Besparmak)

 

Day 7: My last day climbing in Cyprus. Friday. Ozer and I went to Greco again to do a bit more easy climbing. We ended up doing some really good climbs (I even took a fall on a VS:)).

 

Text Box: The end of the day-week-vacation. A freaky sunset at Greco.

All in all it was an awesome vacation thanks to Chuck and Ozer. I did over 30 climbs, some of them being very long! Put up 5 new routes, and lead my first E1!