Pillar Of Dreams (VI, 250m), Meteora. Greece

30.5.08

Pillar Of Dreams (VI, 250m), Meteora. Greece

Following last years amazing Mount Olympus trip we headed back to Greece for a return visit.
We also experienced the majesty of Meteora with its towering conglomerate walls. The goal was to climb the local classic Traumpfeiler (Pillar of Dreams).

As per the previous year we embarked on the 6 hour hike up to Olympus from Litorhoro . In anticipation of blisteringly hot weather we dressed accordingly...

Sunshine and shorts - At this point it was all smiles

Unfortunately the weather was not as accommodating this time especially as our mountaineering equipment constituted mainly of flip-flops and t-shirts. It turned out a character building experience as the weather was cold wet, sleeting and bleak.

Hail walking - Not what we signed up for

Atmospheric mountain scenery

Greece in June - Skis outside the hut!

However we got some scrambling done (in trainers..on wet rock) up the highest peak Mytikas (just shy of 3000m). We even found ourselves inside a highly charged atmosphere buzzing with electricity. Now I don’t mean the atmosphere created by the people I literally mean the atmosphere around us. Standing up hair, electric shocks and a the feeling that a rush thunderstorm could materialise at any moment we descended as fast as possible.

Hardened Mountaineers - in trainers

Trekking past Stefani in June

Scrambling grade 3 terrain

Singing the book. Poor vis and a potential thunder storm looming

After summiting Mytikas and enjoying the hospitality of the ‎Christos Kakkalos‎ refuge we headed down and on to Meteora. Being at a much lower altitude than Olympus it was blisteringly hot. Thankfully our campsite had a pool. The climbing is essentially pebble pulling on linear walls of up to about 250m. Its an awe inspiring place to visit and climb.

A route at Doupiani

Andy at a belay

Consulting the guidebook

Back country single pitching - Mosquitoes everywhere

Traumpfeiler (VI, 250m) was the local classic. One trad pitch but essentially the route is bolted and it finishes on top of one of the larger towers. The route like everything in Meteora is face climbing on pebbles - that said the crux in a flaring groove that requires some old school 3D climbing. Bolts are spaced to keep you dialed in. Nothing too hairy though.