Koikkala

Koikkala aka "Koikkis" is quite large and quiet area in middle of nowhere. Unique rock shapes and beautiful nature are the heart of Koikkala. Koikkis offers over 100 problems and there is still lots of potential for new lines. Rock quality varieties from good to really loose and "crispy", but most of the lines are good quality stuff.

Here is few reasons why you should visit "Koikkis"
- Beautiful scenery and chill atmosphere
- Diverse setting of boulders, high, low, steep, technical, powerful, dynos...
- Lots of good slabs in many grade! That's quite rare in Finnish granite...
- Lots of quality low/mid seventh grade problems!
- Maybe you like brush new stuff also?

Here is some route recommendations on every grade:
4-5: Even moderates here are good, Väliinputoaja, Pullapilari
6A: Peduiinin sandaali, Loivat liikkeet, Alasläbi
6B: Vartiotorni, Vimosen päälle, Fidel Castro
6C: Buéno, Best of Mozart, Tomahawk, 500 kiloa lihaa, Vapaustaistelija Kurt Cobain, Afterlife
7A: Alias, Adagio, Che Guevara, Mierolainen, Super-Siiri, Rouste, Vadelmavenepakolainen
7B: Natural High, Cooperin testi, Sopivasti lihava, Soijalatte
7C: Nuoren aviomiehen on syytä muistaa, Tom's Diner, Työväen katto, Primitive
8A: Romanttinen komedia (psst, assis is still a open project...)

Koikkala aka "Koikkis" is found by MTK (Workingclass Climbers of Mikkeli) climbers Sami Romppainen and Antti Siivonen at year 2007 or so... Area is proved to be good quite fast and group of local climbers gathered there often. In addition to the previous ones nearby heroes like Mika Hinkkanen, Antti Liukkonen, Simo Puonti, Eero Virtanen, Marko Nyqvist has brushed there lots of lines.

"At year 2008 MTK has arranged one of the first climbing festivals in Finland "Koikkisfest" :-) idea was to open lot's of new lines and repeat the older ones. I made a poster of happening and we published it in our legendary MTK blog. Eventually about twenty hardcore climbing fans around Finland gathered at the scene on that weekend and everyone had a good time!"
-Sami Romppainen

So, the "golden era of Koikkala" was years 2007-2009 when most of the main lines has climbed. But there is still potential left for new cool easier ones and also few harder projects which need to be check out with new eye :-)