Clipping bolts in Geyikbayiri

A bunch of us spent a week around the new year hanging out in Geyikbayiri in Turkey. We've already been here last year, but even the second-time-round I was stunned by just how cool this place is.

We were sleeping in a bungalow, squeezed in between an orange tree and an olive tree, with the pleasant morning sun tempting to stay on the porch for the whole day sipping coffee. Even though the crag was 50 meters away from our porch. Waking up to crowing roosters and eating fresh oranges made it a very mellow trip. We also got to see some local herding and taste a couple of Gozleme.

Happy. Note the oranges.

Happy II. Note the approach distance.

Oh yes, I almost forgot the rock climbing. It is pretty amazing, you can find the whole package here - pockets, crimps, tufas, vertical, overhanging, caves, etc. Ant the stone is beautiful. Orange limestone painted with blue streaks that keeps on going for more than a kilometer.

I got to do quite a few cool routes, including Dionysus and Trio de Ligoville, but the most memorable were some of the easier long routes - the 40 meter 7a climbs Jaja city and Da Vinci mode. Still a lifetime of routes left there so I'm sure I'll be back sooner or later.

Saule on the 'Little big wall' during a sunset.

Laura and somebody else in Mevlana.

Back to Zurich now. Let's hope for blue ice and fluffy snow for the winter feel. Meanwhile, scratching tools in Ueschenen.