Rarely does one have the opportunity to descend the canyon with a safe flow of water. The guide specifies only done in August and September. While there have been years with no descends because of too much water, even during the dry months. … However WE know that a month ago it was descended by a group of Greeks with a perfect flow of water! Fortunately, even after a wet September, the flow continues to be appropriate and our descent is planned for the 3 October… slightly off season.
But unfortunately it starts raining on our arrival. We are not demoralized and distract ourselves by descending the usually dry VOTHONAS canyon which we gladly find full of water and enjoy it tremendously. “After driving 2000 km from Italy to Greece, we cannot have lost our chance to descend the famous Gorgopotamos by only one day, brrr...!” On returning to the city of LAMIA we are encouraged by the fairly dry surroundings… mmm, we go on patrol to the end of the “GORGO” and are surprisingly gratified by the low water level which seems to us accessible.
One more day goes by during which the flow is stabilised and in the meantime we descend the RODOKALOS canyon: Certainly to be repeated which much more water for it to be fun, however the wonderful “canalitic” vertical formation towards the end of the descent gives the canyoning a few extra points...
Our days are numbered: Monday, 5 October, at 7:30 we finally park after 16 km of tormenting off-road which cannot be good for our van! It’s 6ºc outside. We have breakfast reluctant to leave the van and start the torture of wearing our cold and damp wetsuits!
Already in the depth of the canyon, at 8:30 we reach the first waterfall which can be abseiled or jumped! The temperature has risen to 7ºc. It’s cold but our anxious bodies float between a jump and an abseil activating our nervous system to its full. The surroundings are imposing, the water whispers incompressible words and protected in our wetsuits we advance in silence.
Soon we get to the tricky C30 abseil. The inexpert and slightly frightened Elies inaugurates its descent without problems. I easily descend the following C21, which we have been warned to be technical... The flow is more practical than we expected and an expert canyoner could descend it with much more water!
We advance through the frozen morning waters of the gorge, and sign the curious visitor’s book reaching the first 85m big vertical waterfall. We descend a first aquatic rappel where Pilar frightens us slipping under all the water spray! followed by another 48m rappel to the waterfall’s base. At this point the canyon has an abyssal dimension, and knowing that it is rarely accessed makes us feel even more honoured to be there, whilst the long non-stop journey continues.
We are above the second 85m vertical waterfall. I install the 50m.rope for the first rappel, however when the rope’s end flies away in the void, I exchange it for the 70m one just in case… But only after 20m. of abseiling I see a new anchor on the right which forces me to climb up to it and again I make a strenuous exchange of ropes from the anchor above... In this way the remaining abseil is easy and clean instead of making a longer pendulum on the lower anchor. It is important to mention that using this anchor the longest rappel is 55m. avoiding carrying a 85m rope during all the canyon!
Time goes by and fatigue kicks in. We complete a long horizontal stretch with some abseils leading to the sensational final corridor. Next come a jump, another abseil and two last jumps when we float towards the final slide after 9.30 hours in a mythical environment and maybe one of the most beautiful canyons in the world...
Thanks to Thomas Georgas and the Club Alpina XOOOL of Lamia for their friendship and indispensable advice, Efxaristo! |
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GORGOPOTAMOS CANYON, Greece
Access to the top of the canyon is complicated. We advise getting hold of local maps or patrolling the access before the descent.
Entrance: 1150m
Elevation gain: 850m
Length: 4500m
Extremely aquatic canyon.
Access: 15 min (following 16km offroad)
Return: 15 min (with two vehicles)
Descent: 8-10 hours
Highest waterfall: 85m (55m using the intermediary anchor) |
 click for more photos of GORGOPOTAMOS |
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