Author: Olympus Mountaineering

In Greece, curled up within the majestic mountains, lies a treasure trove of insights waiting to be discovered. From the art of winter mountaineering to the thrill of trekking, from the peacefulness of hiking to the challenges of rock and alpine climbing, there is a world of adventure waiting to be explored. My humble endeavor is to provide you with a glimpse into this world, to guide you through the rugged terrain and share my experiences with you. If you wish to join me on this quest, I welcome you with open arms. Simply send a message using the form below, and let us embark on this journey together.

A mixed climbing attempt on Profitis Elias 2.257 | Mount Kyllini (Ziria)

On January 13, 2020September 3, 2025 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Winter Mountaineering3 Comments

First time I have visited Mount Kyllini (Ziria), it was during the first snow-fall of 2016. It was a very exciting day, and since then I have visited this mountain various other times but I was always reaching the highest point of Mount Kyllini (Megali Ziria), Simio.

During the last winter season, I had spotted a very nice alpine route on a lower peak of Mount Kyllini, Profitis Elias Peak (2.257 m.). As I always like to explore new alpine routes, and due to the fact I did not find any relative info for that part of mount Kyllini, I have decided to set up my gear and to go and explore the climbing possibilities of the North-West face of Profitis Elias Peak (2.257 m.).

Hiking_Climbing_Kyllini_Ziria_Profitis_Elias_Peak_103200_166 — Mount Kyllini – Megali Ziria as seen from St. Nicholas chappel

Continue reading →

Hiking in Geraneia Mountain

On December 30, 2019August 30, 2025 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Hiking & Trekking1 Comment

Mount Geraneia is a mountain range in Corinthia and West Attica, Greece. Its highest point is the peak Makryplagi, elevation 1,351 m. It covers the northern part of the isthmus between the Gulf of Corinth and the Saronic Gulf. It spans 5–10 km from north to south and 30 km from east to west.

The geography of Geraneia includes forests in the south, the west and the northern part at an elevation of under 900 to 1,000 m. Barren land is in the central part. The grasslands and some bushes lies to the northwest. Farmlands and some barren land lies to the south.

Hiking_Gerania_200723_272 — View from the top of Geraneia

Continue reading →

Multi-Pitch Climbing in Solomos – Pegasus 6a – 100 m.

On December 26, 2019September 6, 2025 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Climbing1 Comment

Solomos (or Tsouba) is located south of Corinth, near the homonymous village of the prefecture of Corinthia.

The crag had begun to be created since 2005, but recently a wide maintenance and enrichment with new routes was carried out by the mountain guide Dimitris Titopoulos, following actions and support from the EOS of Corinth and the Municipality of Corinth.

Multi-Pitch_Climb_Pegasus_Solomos_174901_653 — Solomos crag

Continue reading →

Rab Spark Waterproof Jacket Review

On December 17, 2019August 30, 2025 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Apparel Reviews, Gear Review7 Comments

It has been quite some time ago since I have reviewed any waterproof jackets, and during this fall, I have been testing my latest waterproof jacket, the Spark by Rab.

In the past I have been using The North Face Venture HyVent 2.5l jacket and the Millet Goretex jacket (review will follow up soon), but due to the fact the Millet has lost significant factor of the waterproofness, I wanted to be dry for the winter mountaineering activities, and therefore I got the Rab Spark jacket.

Rab_Spark_Waterproof_Jacket_Review_110929_057 — Rab Spark Waterproof Jacket

Continue reading →

Hiking in Parnonas – Sitaina – Russa Petra – Megali Tourla – Profitis Elias – Sitaina

On December 3, 2019 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Hiking & Trekking2 Comments

It is again this time of the year that winter is about to kick in and one of the best ways to explore and enjoy the outdoors is to go for a nice day-hike. Greece, is a very mountainous country and there are plenty of peaks of about 2.000 meters of altitude.

Although we have already been in Mount Parnon previous times, we have decided to visit again this beautiful mountain, once again from a different route. We hiked a steep but beautiful trail which starts from Sitena (Sitaina) village, passes Russa Petra and via the South-to-North ridge we reached Megali Tourla (1.935 m.) which is the highest peak of mount Parnon.

Hiking_Parnonas_Greece_211553_604 — Megali Tourla (1.935 m.) as seen from Profitis Elias Plateau

Continue reading “Hiking in Parnonas – Sitaina – Russa Petra – Megali Tourla – Profitis Elias – Sitaina” →

Nordisk Mos Down Slipper Review

On November 25, 2019August 23, 2025 By Olympus MountaineeringIn footwear, Gear Review3 Comments

Winter mountaineering activities, are in the core of my outdoor activities and this means that many times I need to stay overnight on the mountain, either in a tent or in a mountain hut.

One of my favourite rituals after a long day of hiking or climbing a mountain, is to relax my feet. The most basic way, is to remove boots and replace the socks. Though, if you want to wander around the mountain hut, you need to have a second pair of shoes and/or a pair of slippers.

After an extensive research, I came to the conclusion that the Nordisk Mos Down slipper is the one that I wanted to have and use.

NORDISK_MOS_DOWN_SLIPPERS_153441_383 — **Nordisk Mos Down Slipper**

Continue reading →

Hiking in Ermionida – Ermioni – Kranidi (Argolis) Part 04 | Grand Traverse Mikrovouni – Asprovouni – Profitis Elias

On November 18, 2019February 4, 2021 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Hiking & Trekking2 Comments

Ermioni is a small fishing town of Argolida (Argolis) at the east of Peloponnese. The traditional taverns, the cafes, the paved streets, the beautiful houses and the crystal clear beaches around this area are some of the reasons this town is an interesting summer destination of Peloponnese. While travelling around this area you will have the chance to admire the olive and the pine trees and plenty of bays with turquoise water.

Continue reading “Hiking in Ermionida – Ermioni – Kranidi (Argolis) Part 04 | Grand Traverse Mikrovouni – Asprovouni – Profitis Elias” →

Petzl e+Lite Headlamp Review

On November 8, 2019November 5, 2019 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Gear Review3 Comments

Headlamps are essential items for the mountaineering gear list, and a good headlamp is a must for winter mountaineering activities. Even well-planned hikes can end up taking much more time than anticipated (due to bad weather, injuries, blocked trails etc.) and to ensure that you don’t end up being stuck in nature in pitch-black darkness, it is crucial that you bring a headlamp in your backpack. A headlamp also gives you possibility for planning a trip in the dark, taking a run after sunset or simply getting an early before-sunrise start of your hiking trip.

In the market there are many different options and actually, sometimes is a bit tough to select the best possible headlamp. A mountaineering/hiking headlamp should work for a reasonable amount of time without having the batteries recharged/replaced. In addition, a headlamp for hiking, backpacking or mountaineering should provide good brightness and beam distance. Furthermore, as mountaineering/hiking is not limited to dry weather, a hiking headlamp should be waterproof or at least water-resistant. Water resistance is typically measured by the IEC standard 60529 which includes ratings from IPX1 to IPX8.

Petzl_e+Lite_eadlamp_Review_131342_576 — Petzl e+lite Headlamp carry case

Continue reading “Petzl e+Lite Headlamp Review” →

Climbing in Meteora – Pillar of Rain – Doupiani Rock

On November 4, 2019August 28, 2025 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Climbing, Mountaineering general3 Comments

In the past couple of days we have climbed twi different routes in Doupiani and we thought it would be great to climb a third one. Our first experience with Doupiani was really positive, and due to the fact the second route was rather demanding, we decided to go for an easier third route, the Pillar of Rain.

Doupiani Rock is for sure one of the most attended rock climbing destination of the Meteora (Μετέωρα) area, whose meaning is literally “hanging in the air“, a charming and suggestive climbing site located in the Thessaly region of Greece.

Meteora includes about 170 conglomerate summits of various shapes and types, as massive mountains, rocky pinnacles, minor peaks and spires, some of which are truly amazing and bizarre. The range overlooks the village of Kastràki and the town of Kalabàka and features about 850 multi-pitch and single pitch routes. Due to their singularity and a bit of mistery surrounding the place, in addition to the presence of various monasteries, the towers of Meteora are quite famous all over the world.