"Thursday 20th September 2018. An ascent of Pachnes 2453m/2038m, Lefka Ori (White Mountains), Western Crete, Hellas, from the east. 9.2km, with 610m of ascent. 4 hours 30mins. On the White Mountains (Lefka Ori), see at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lefka_Ori, and my account of our ascent of Gingilos at https://peakery.com/gigilos-greece/summits/182422/ Pachnes (Πάχνες), at 2453m, is only three metres lower than Psiloritis (Ψηλορείτης), the highest mountain on Crete. Some years ago, rumours emerged that the Greek army’s latest maps showed Pachnes as marginally higher than Psiloritis (see at https://www.summitpost.org/pachnes/362115). However, there is good reason to believe these reports were bogus, coming as a result of the traditional rivalry between prefectures on the island. Our KE Adventure Travel trek in the White Mountains began at sea-level with a two-hour drive from our hotel at Finikas, in the open back of a pick-up truck, mainly on grit roads. We passed through the village of Anopouli, and then by a circuitous route via Amoutsera, to be dropped off near the end of the rocky grit road just west of an area of potholes called Tafkos tis Langonias. As the tru..." — marktrengove • Sep 20, 2018

"None of the known maps had any marked tracks. Anyway, I decided to reach peak off trail, and for my great surprise, I found quite good, not marked ~ 3 km trail ... Trail head at: 41.344757, 23.956518" — Deividas • Sep 16, 2018

"Sunday 16th September 2018. An ascent of Gingilos 1974m/138m, Lefka Ori (White Mountains), Western Crete, Hellas, from the Xiloskalo Restaurant, near Omalos. 9.5km, with 1000m of ascent. 7 hours 40mins. The White Mountains (Lefka Ori), so-called due to the dazzling white limestone visible in summer, and snow-caps in winter, form the most western of the three highest mountain massifs on Crete – see at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lefka_Ori. Like the Psiloritis massif to the east, they were formed in the same period as the Alpine Orogeny. They have similar geology to Psiloritis, in that they are composed of limestone and its metamorphic derivatives (such as marble). The highest peaks are in the eastern part of the range, forming characteristic cone shapes of boulders and scree, broken up by the action of rain, frost and snow to form unstable slopes at the optimum angle for these geological formations. However, the western part of the range presents mountains of a different aspect. Many are rugged, with soaring cliffs and pinnacles, with sweeps of scree beneath. The reason for this is that they are mainly composed of hard dolomitic limestone, and therefore resemble the pr..." — marktrengove • Sep 16, 2018

"Friday 14th September 2018. An ascent of Psiloritis (Ψηλορείτης) (Mount Ida) 2456m/2456m, Psiloritis Range, Central Crete, Hellas, from Lakkos Migerou Refuge, near Livadia. 10.3km, with 920m of ascent. 6 hours 55mins. Psiloritis, at 2456 metres, is the highest mountain on the island of Crete, and also the most prominent mountain in the country - see at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Ida_(Crete). Its summit is located along a ridge stretching west to east, of which over 6 kilometres is above the 2000 metre contour. A rough little church, with dry-stone walls, has been constructed on the summit plateau. It contains two rooms. The eastern chapel is dedicated to the Holy Cross (Τίμιος Σταυρός - Timios Stavros), while the eastern one to SS Peter and Paul. The high mountains of Crete are a unique environment in Europe. They are desert mountains, with many species of flora and fauna endemic to the place. They are young mountains, in geological terms, raised at the same time as the Alpine Orogeny, as the African tectonic plate is sub-ducted under the European one. They are mainly composed of hard sedimentary and metamorphic limestones. These landscapes have been fo..." — marktrengove • Sep 14, 2018

"That was my long term running goal for training for a big expedition in the Alps on August! Killed my legs but I am very satisfied with the outcome! 16km continuous uphill running with 863m elevation gain in 1h58m!" — Christos • Jun 24, 2018