Dry Tooling in Parnassos (Parnassus) Mountain

On February 23, 2020July 6, 2020 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Climbing, Winter Mountaineering1 Comment

Few weeks ago, I have been on Mount Parnassos in order to ascent one of the couloirs that is located on the North Face of Gerontovrachos. Due to the fact we climbed fast and finished the route early, instead of leaving the mountain and returning home, we decided to spend some time on a Dry Tooling crag that is located nearby the Ski centre of Parnassos.

This Dry tooling crag is in close proximity of the Kelaria parking lot and it’s very easy to access it.

Alpine_Climb_Parnassos_Gerontovrachos_084521_787 — Dry Tooling crag on Mount Parnassos

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Cassin Alpinist Tech Crampon – First Thoughts Review

On February 17, 2020July 11, 2020 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Gear Review, Mountaineering Gear Review7 Comments

I have been wandering in the mountains for several years now and I have been evolving my mountaineering skills step by step. From simple hiking to rock climbing, alpine climbing up to demanding mix climbing techniques.

While evolving and acquiring new knowledge, it has been necessary to update my mountaineering gear too. My first pair of crampons were the Rock Empire Mackhi, and my second pair the Grivel G12. While my general mountaineering skills got more advanced, I felt the need to update my crampons too. The Grivel G12 are exceptional, though I was feeling that the G12 were limiting me on the mixed climbing and Dry Tooling fields.

Cassin_Alpinist_Tech_Crampon_Review_150408_292 — Cassin Alpinist Tech Crampon & carrying case

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Dry Tooling in Athens – Rizos’ Cave

On February 12, 2020February 20, 2022 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Climbing, Winter Mountaineering9 Comments

Mountaineering is the set of activities that involves ascending mountains.

Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Sport climbing and Bouldering and even Dry Tooling are also considered mountaineering by some.

Unlike most sports, mountaineering lacks widely-applied formal rules, regulations, and governance; mountaineers adhere to a large variety of techniques and philosophies when climbing mountains. One of the various techniques is Dry Tooling too.

DryTooling_Athens_Epos_Fylis_Rizos_Cave_092853_401 — Petzl Quark for Dry Tooling

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Alpine Climb in Gerontovrachos – Parnassos

On February 10, 2020July 6, 2020 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Winter Mountaineering5 Comments

This winter in Greece, is rather dry so far and therefore we did not have many chances to enjoy winter mountaineering activities like the previous years. Nevertheless, last week there was some snowfall and in combination with low temperatures, we decided to go and climb one of the many couloirs in Gerontovrachos – Parnassos.

Located at the center of Greece, Parnassus (Parnassos) is one of the biggest and most beautiful mountains of the country. Its highest part is Liakoura peak at 2.457 m. and Tsarkos (2.415 m.) and Gerontovrahos (2.389 m.) peaks follow.

Alpine_Climb_Parnassos_Gerontovrachos_080759_634 — View from Gerontovrachos peak

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Traverse of Arête of Chelmos/Aroania Mountain Pt. 02 | Gardiki – Arête – Neraidalono – Kalavryta Ski Centre

On June 30, 2019July 6, 2020 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Hiking & Trekking, Mountaineering general1 Comment

It was around 5.30 in the morning when I woke up in this beautiful landscape, right bellow Madero and Gardiki peaks. As soon I opened my eyes I enjoyed the stunning rock that was just above us. It was from there we abseiled the night before. The moon was just above that rocky face and from the east I could see the first sun beams of this new day.

See Part 01 of Traverse of Arête of Chelmos here

It was very silent with a lovely morning breeze and while I was enjoying the views, I was thinking our wonderful moments of the previous day.

Traverse_Chelmos_Helmos_Arete_080646_219 — Early morning moon

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Traverse of Arête of Chelmos/Aroania Mountain Pt. 01 | Lake Doxa – Karavi – Nisi – Madero

On June 24, 2019July 6, 2020 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Hiking & Trekking, Mountaineering general6 Comments

The previous couple of months I was extremely busy and therefore, besides some rock climbing I was not able to dedicate enough time to new mountaineering adventures.

Though, in my calendar, I had booked a specific date that the Mountaineering Club of Athens (EOS Athinon) would organise the famous long Traverse Arête of Chelmos (Aroania)

Aroania, also known as Helmos or Chelmos, is a mountain range in Achaea, Peloponnese, Greece. At 2,355 m elevation, Aroania is the third highest mountain of the Peloponnese, after Taygetus and Kyllini, and the highest in Achaea. The largest town near the mountain is Kalavryta. The municipal unit Aroania took its name from the mountain.

Lake_Doxa_03 — Lake Doxa and Mount Penteleia (Dourdouvana)

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Alpine Climb on Parnassos Mountain – Gerontovrachos and Touborachi

On March 12, 2019July 6, 2020 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Winter Mountaineering2 Comments

Greece, besides picturesque islands and beautiful shores, is a mountainous country with plenty of different mountains and hundreds of peaks above 2.000 meters. One of the greatest mountains of central Greece, is Parnassos (Parnassus) mountain.

Mount Parnassus is a great area which extends to the municipalities of Boeotia, Phthiotis and Phocis.

Since 1938 a big part of the forest area of the mountain, has been declared as a National Park, which along with the one on Olympus were the first ones that were established in Greece. The Mountain of Apollo, as it also called, is known from the ancient times, as there are many myths connected to it.

Parnassos_Mountain_Parnassus_Winter_Climb_Gerontovrachos_20190309_205638_021 — Trail Sign

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Winter Hike and Climb on Dirfi Mountain

On February 11, 2019July 6, 2020 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Winter Mountaineering9 Comments

One more weekend was approaching and the initial plan was to go and climb one of the famous gullies of Gerontovrachos, on Mount Parnassos. Though, last minute unforeseen changes, forced me to change my plans and join the -excellent- company of other two experienced mountaineering guys, and all together to go and climb the central couloir of Mount Dirfi.

Dirfi is the highest mountain of Evia. Although Evia is technically an island, it is considered part of mainland Greece because it is only separated by a narrow channel. It stretches from NW to SE, with Dirfi rising in the middle.

Dirfi_Dirfy_Mountain_Winter_Hike_Climb_20190210_145907_457 — Evening sun between the fog

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Verliga alpine lake – Wild camping on Greece’s secret paradise

On June 11, 2018June 11, 2018 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Hiking & Trekking14 Comments

The word paradise develops in Western languages from the Greek word paradeisos. In the western culture the concept of paradise developed in two related levels. The first was scriptural and thus a part of religious belief: paradise is either a place for life after death—often serving as a more tangible and concrete substitute for the vaguer term heaven —or the setting for a primal, idealized epoch in human history: the Garden of Eden.

The second way in which the concept developed was through the actual physical depiction or recreation of the religious image of paradise on earth, either in the form of actual gardens or through the use of certain types of garden imagery, and this is exactly what the alpine lake of Verliga is about.

Lakmos_Peristeri_Verliga_9251 — Approaching Verliga lake

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Winter Mountaineering Activities | Season 2017 – 2018 Summary

On April 1, 2018July 6, 2020 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Winter Mountaineering2 Comments

Winter is gone, spring has come. One more season of winter mountaineering activities have been concluded in Greece and this is a short summary post with the highlights of this year’s Winter Mountaineering activities. If you wish to see the individual posts which contain detailed information and more photos, you can click to the following links: