Winter climbing routes
Unfortunately the global warm effect hit Crete too! I was abroad for several years and when I came back for climbing in Dikti the snow conditions was really bad. On the 1st year even during the February there was no snow at all on the mountain! This year (2011) there been lot of snow but not enough time to visit the area. However, you must be really luck to repeat any of the routes mentioned below from now on. There is always a good opportunity to repeat some of the rock climbing routes in the middle of the winter. If you feel fit go on!
Route name: Louki upochorisis
(1)
Grade: IV
Length: 450 meters
Protection: None
Return: From the summit all way down to the E4 path (around two and a half hours until the Limnakaro plateau)
Route name: Mad (trelos)
(2)
Grade: V+ , 60
o
Length: 350 meters
Protection: One piton on the second pitch. This is a really hard route mainly because there are almost always bad conditions.
Return: From the E4 if you move on until the summit (1 and a half hour to the summit and 2+ more for Limnakaro plateau).
Route name: Diagonio (Diagonal)
(3)
Grade: IV- , 50
o
Length: 400 meters
Protection: None. This is the easiest gully to climb with superb view to the area.
Return: Catch the summit and return from there.
Route name: Rataplan
(4)
Grade: V+ , 85
o
Length: 500 meters
Protection: One piton on the waterfall. This is a must route. I was very lucky as the 1st time that I've climbed the route the conditions were excellent and we managed to climb the waterfall. What a route!
Return: Very dangerous for avalanches if you try to make a traverse all way down to meet the E4. Be carefull. It is better to abseil down from the Diagonal gully or climb up to the summit and get the usual path to Limnakaro plateau.
Route name: Eksodos Kindinou
(5)
Grade: III, 80
o
Length: 150 meters
Protection: None. Usually good conditions due to been quiet high, around 1900 meters.
Return: From the E4 path.
Route name: Krustalinos Anemos
(6)
Grade: 60/85
o
Length: 150 meters
Protection: None. 1st pitch around 50-65
o ,second a little bit higher and the most wonderful is the third one which leads direct to the path on its exit. A must route if you are lucky to find snow in good condition.
Return: From the E4 path.
Route name: Summit direct
(7)
Grade: 40/55
o
Length: 150 meters
Protection: None. Be careful the wind, if it blows it make it really hard and sometimes impossible to climb it with safety.
Return: From the summit by following the E4 path.
In the next page you can see a few more topos of each route along with a new one not showing on the above topo.
Sponsored Links: Best Buy Flyer, Giant Tiger Flyer, Sears Catalogue
Summit direct (Number 1) and Krustallinos Anemos (Number 2) as seen a few meters before the starting point.
An overview of the route "Mad / Trelos"
There is one more route not showing to the previous images and topos. That is a little bit on the right side of the mountain as you see it from Limnakaro plateau. The name of the route is "Greek girls don't like Czech boys" (II 3 M3+, 315μ) and opened at 5/2/2010 from M.Armoutaki and F. Tesar.
A detailed topo of the route can be found below:
