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09/22/08. Westkante (VI-, 5P) on Ypsiloterafels & Hypotenuse (VI, 6P) on Sourloti

Ypsiloterafels.

We woke up to chilly temps and bleak looking skies but no rain! We hiked into the Ypsiloterafels base with hopes of doing its West Ridge route. The approach hike was unpleasant – densely overgrown wash that someone has been using as garbage dump. The route itself was forgettable – one move of VI- (maybe?) and the rest was an easy scramble…not that that’s really so bad on a morning where the rock (and the moss on it) were wet and slick from two days of rain. We ran the route in 3 pitches, topped out and found ourselves in the photo crosshairs of two dozen tourists across the gully on the monastery terrace. We rapped in drizzle and headed for lunch.

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Hypotenuse.

In the early afternoon, the first patch of blue sky showed. We quickly made our way to the base of the beautiful Sourloti formation and got on Hypotenuse – a 6 pitch face climb that traverses the impressive face from one corner to another. Very fun climbing and a great position with the red roofs of Kastraki below us. Four pitches up the drizzle started…and then subsided so that we actually had time to hike to and sign the summit register. As the story (guidebook) goes, an enterprising sheep herder once hauled up his entire flock up to this summit (easiest line is graded UIAA V I think) for a season of grazing! We pulled the ropes and once again a full-on downpour began.

Photos

Shirley at one of the monasteries (sporting the rented out monastery uniform) with the view of the Alyssos formation in the background (Sept. 2008).

A view of Kalambaka village from one of the monasteries (Sept. 2008).

More views (Sept. 2008).

Starting up the first pitch of the easy Westkante route on Ypsiloterafels formation; a. nice looking fin of rock (Sept. 2008).

Shirley topping out on pitch 1 of Westkante (Sept. 2008).

Leading pitch 2 (Sept. 2008).

Shirley following pitch 2 (Sept. 2008).

View of Holy Ghost formation from low on the route (Sept. 2008).

Arriving at the second belay (Sept. 2008).

Leading pitch 3 (Sept. 2008).

Shirley on the summit of Ypsiloterafels Tower (…more like “fin” perhaps) after our climb of its Westkante route. One of the Meteora monasteries is in background and across the chasm (Sept. 2008).

Sketching sexy stick figures in the summit register atop Ypsiloterafels tower (Sept. 2008).

Descending off the summit of Ypsiloterafels Tower after our climb of its Westkante route. On the left below is the village of Kastraki, followed by Doupiani Rock. The Kelch Tower is also visible at far right. Also note the monastery on the left atop another tower. Typical weather we had there as in about to rain (Sept. 2008).

Starting the rap off the summit with Kastraki village below (Sept. 2008).

Shirley hiking out after our climb of Westkante on Ypsiloterafels (right). Teufelsturm tower is on the left (Sept. 2008).

A closer look (Sept. 2008).

Center of Kastraki with the Sourloti formation dominating the view (and our tiny rental car; Sept. 2008).

Sourloti and Spindel (which obviously must mean “penis” in German) from the village (Sept. 2008).

Views of Grosse Heilige from the base of the Hypotenuse route on Sourloti (Sept. 2008).

Pitch 1 of the superb Hypotenuse route (VI) on Sourloti (Sept. 2008).

Spindel from low on the route (Sept. 2008).

Leading pitch 2 (Sept. 2008).

Shirley starting up pitch 2 (Sept. 2008).

Shirley following pitch 2 (Sept. 2008).

Arriving at the second belay (Sept. 2008).

Starting up pitch 3 (Sept. 2008).

Higher on pitch 3 (Sept. 2008).

Views from the third belay (Sept. 2008).

Shirley nearing the top of pitch 3 of Hypotenuse on Sourloti. Village of Kastraki is in background (Sept. 2008).

Starting up pitch 4 (Sept. 2008).

Looking back towards Shirley from the lead of the 4th pitch (Sept. 2008).

Shirley climbing the never-ending knobs on pitch 4 of Hypotenuse…actually, I take that back: pitch 5 had some water groove finessing (Sept. 2008).

Leading pitch 5 of Hypotenuse (Sept. 2008).

Shirley at the 5th belay on the stellar Hypotenuse (VI, 6P) route on the south face of Sourloti. Kastraki is in the background (Sept. 2008).

Approaching the water groove oil on pitch 5 (Sept. 2008).

One more look back at Shirley at belay with Pixari formation in the background (Sept. 2008).

Shirley arriving on the summit of Sourloti via Hypotenuse route. Grosse Heilige (Great Saint?) formation across the valley forms the backdrop; further back is the town of Kalambaka (Sept. 2008).

One more of Shirley on the summit (Sept. 2008).

Summit register atop Sourloti formation. Two clifftop monasteries visible in background (Sept. 2008).

A closer look (Sept. 2008).

Grosse Heilige and Spindel (foreground; Sept. 2008).

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