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June 5th: Kallaritikos.
For those that against all forecasts, traveled to the west, this weekend offered great whitewater paddling. But as the rivers in the area were already in high flow, from the last of the snowmelt, most of us feared that the forecasted stormy weather would be too much.
Heading instead to the east, the possibility to find enough water after the storms, in Mourgani river, sounded much more inviting.
But where are those storms when you need them? It was supposed to rain all night here at Grevena area, but instead the night sky is full of stars and the ground where we set our camp is dry!
The following morning after checking the water level at the put in and confirmed that there was not enough water there, we decided to take our chances against the weather and head west.
Via Kalambaka and Kastania we drived over Pindos range to Chaliki, where Lakmos was also running very low and finally reached Kallarites and the upper section of Kallaritikos river.
I can never get enough of watching this steep creek. (See photo on the right) This must be one of the hardest runs in Greece, with only one descent as far as I know, back in 2000.
The weather was cloudy but not so heavy and we only had a light rain from time to time. Far from the forecasted stormy weekend. Now the sun was shining again. We reached the bridge of Kallaritikos, after the village of Christi, the put in for the usual Kallaritikos run. The level seemed to be perfect, 25cm at the stone bridge gauge, so we decided to give it a try.
It took us almost an hour to complete the shuttle process, with Yiannis driving to the take out of the combined Kallaritikos and Arachthos run, at Plaka. When he returned to Kallaritikos put in by taxi, Konidis and me had already dragged our boats along a muddy dirt road, to finally put in 400m above the usual put in. We jumbed in below a class IV rapid, a tight S turning ramp with a boulder barrier at the bottom. The next 400m was a fun, class III to III+ bouldery slalom course, much like the first 100m of the normal run.
In 15 minutes we reached the bridge, where Yiannis was waiting. We heared the sound of thunder, not very far away and we noticed that the clouds above us had that raincloud look and smell. We quickly moved on to stop and check the class IV- rapid at the entrance of the canyon. I jumbed out for a quick glance, to decide the best line and Yiannis and Dimitris followed my hand signals and quickly they nailed a perfect line.
I was very glad with our team's progress, especially with Yiannis who's almost a year absent from paddling trips, due to a physical problem, now paddles class III+ rapids with ease, ready for more technical rapids. Those were my thoughts while getting back into my boat, when I realised that my peli case with camera and GPS were not there...Flashback...
I'm getting out to check the big boulder rapid at the upper part, taking the camera along to shoot Dimitris. It looks to be quite easy and it starts raining so I go back to my boat. That's it. It has to be left there! 500m upstream, but the access is possible so I have to return.
I quickly climb up the tiny path out the entrance canyon to reach the bridge. The rain that had started to fall more powerful the last 5 minutes, has already floaded the asphalt road and dropping off the bridge forming a small waterfall. As fast as I can drag myself - I will definetely have to include loosing a few kilos in my TDS (to do soon) list - I crossed the already muddy fields, over the river bank. I soon reached the spot to see the bright orange peli case still standing there beside my eddy. I was reliefed as I had realised that the river was rising fast and I started taking side glances for anything orange colored flowing.
On the way back, the small side streams I crossed 10 minutes before, they are now full of grey silty mud and the river starts losing its bright blue color. Reaching the bridge I notice two big waterfalls falling from the two side walls and the guys are scrambling up the goatpath with the boats. The gauge has already gained 20cm and rising. The river has speed up and flooding the gorge entrance. The rain keeps falling and the thunders keep roaring. We have no chance than to abort.
We managed to find a way back to our car after standing in the rain for three hours. The traditional greek hospitality didn't applied to our case, as the local people wouldn't miss their fishing plans, to give us a lift. At the end we managed to hire a truck to load people and boats to Plaka, where we camped for the night.
The next morning, I hapilly found myself on the back of the same truck, hopping around at every bamp of the road, while the others had the "pleasure" of listening for 40 minutes the stories of the truck driver, from his earlier days as a taxi driver in Athens.
The river was still high (at 40cm) but it was clear and the sun was shining. A few clouds on the north could propably bring down some rain, but for the moment, there were too far to worry us. We jumbed in, with the truck driver watching us quite anxious, as Yiannis demonstrated his succeasful roll at the first rapid. "I thought that was the end" he said to Dimitris, holding his head in dispair "He would be drown for sure!"
In 20 minutes we had left the first canyon behind us. With plenty of class III to IV- rapids, this 300m part is a great ride, before the gorge ends and the river continue its trip through an expanded river bed, in an easier but still rewarding wave train winding route.
After half an hour, we saw a road coming down on the left and at the next turn we reached the big concrete bridge to Michalitsi. A quick inspection for a clean passage and we passed the small weir underneath. 100m further an older, almost destroyed wire bridge, stands as a guard to the main gorge. A gauge at the foot of the stone pillar shows 20cm.
The walls get higher and come closer. Eddy by eddy, boat scouting the easy stretches (class II-III) and admire the natural beauty of this white limestone canyon. There are no easy eddy out so we keep our distance as we know that there is a tricky rapid somewhere close.
In a while we spot a wire 4m above. Remnant of an old bridge? I can't really say. A rusty pipe is just over the water on the left (So be careful in higher levels!)
A pyramid like boulder stands in the middle of an horizon line, 50m further. This is the infamous Irene's stopper, where our friend Irene was forced to do almost 7 rolls in a raw, before the hole would give her a break. The right leaning ramp at the base of the pyramid rock and the vertical wall 2m to the right, form this sticky hole that should be negociated with sheer power and a right to left speed-driving of the boat.
The problem with this spot is that in certain levels, there is not an easy way out for bank support and in a case of swimming, this one will not be a short one! No worries though as there are no dangerous spots until the next gravel bank on the left, where paddlers and boats may happily join eachother.
We keep moving through easier waters and great vistas, until the gorge seem to end and all of a sudden we join the much bigger river Arachthos. The speed gets higher the rapids get poushier and soon we find ourselves negotiating big water.
Before reaching the next take out, 1.5km later, at the twin bridge of the road leading to Ambelochori, we have at least one rapid to be cautious for. Neni's ribs, is the rapid where the vicious pharmacist Ziakas landed his boat on Neni, while she was trying to roll her way out the big hole. A small white boulder on the right side of this 1m ledge, might be out of the water in lower levels to point the boof spot. If not stay on the right and make the must-boof-stroke to the eddy on the right.
Hidden Falls, the Rock Tower and the great Arachthos gorge with the water showers and the small caves and finally the historic single arced stone bridge of Plaka, are the highlights of this part of Arachthos, waiting in front of us. Blessed with sunny weather, blue skies and friendly white clouds, we had the chance to enjoy all these highlights and reach our take out at Plaka pretty soon.
You may read more about this splendit section, in Arachthos trip report.
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