Ski Touring

Ski mountaineering in Crete – Ski between the seas!

The island of Crete is the largest in Greece and 65% of its area has mountains. High and huge mountains!

So huge that they have their own alpine climate and attract like a magnet the snowfall every winter, even though they are just a breath away from the sea. So the combination of high peaks that exceed 2000 meters and the countless options they give you, create the ultimate
destination for alpine skiing in Europe! Put on your seals and get ready for an amazing ski tour in Crete, always with a view of the sea!

The experience of skiing with the sea below you is unique. In 7 days, you can get a very good idea of Psiloritis and the White Mountains that we recommend in our seven-day excursions. Psiloritis offers great thrills being the highest mountain in Crete. Psilotitis with an altitude of 2456 meters, while the White Mountains are even more interesting as they have 54 peaks above 2,000 meters and another 38 up to 1,800. The highest peak is also at 2,454 meters. In general skiing in the White Mountains is a unique experience as they are huge in the area and offer unique thrills on every side of them.

Another great advantage of Crete is the quality of the snow it offers. Snow in Crete falls when cold masses descend from the north and west. The clouds are enriched with moisture from the Aegean Sea or the Adriatic Sea, and meeting the cold ground of the high mountains of Crete, they are filled with snow. A lot of snow is wet and has the property of each layer of each snowfall instantly welding together with almost never any avalanche danger.

Many times the snow in Crete lasts until late spring as the many days of sunshine and the thermal inversion at night create a layer of protection with thin ice on their surface that melts very hard but at the same time gives an excellent quality of snow all winter long period. Ski mountaineering in Crete can satisfy all levels of skiers. The inexperienced will be able to enjoy the gentler sides of Psiloritis and enjoy its wide slopes, while also in the White Mountains, there are very smooth sides with easy access and a gentle slope. The experience in Psiloritis will be fully satisfied with the conquest of the high-peak
that offers a descent on large slopes but also with a different orientation, while the mountain has a very large development that can offer a descent greater than 1200 meters in altitude!! In the White Mountains, it is possible to cross from West to East (40km) but also from any other direction, offering a real feeling of alpine scenery and isolation.

There are 4 mountain refuges (one on each side of the horizon) and in general, the options in the White Mountains are endless. Difficult traverses with exposed edges, vertical narrow gullies, and icy passages will make you wonder if you are in the Alps or on an island near Africa! Explore here our amazing days with snow in Crete.

Pierra Creta
On the mountain of Psiloritis every two years we organize a ski mountaineering race called Pierra Creta with more than 200 entries. The race is not competitive and is a celebration of alpine skiing in Crete, https://pierracreta.gr/

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