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Psiloritis from Nida

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Photo ofPsiloritis from Nida Photo ofPsiloritis from Nida Photo ofPsiloritis from Nida

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Trail stats

Distance
18.09 mi
Elevation gain
7,477 ft
Technical difficulty
Moderate
Elevation loss
7,477 ft
Max elevation
8,125 ft
TrailRank 
75
Min elevation
4,507 ft
Trail type
Loop
Time
14 hours 25 minutes
Coordinates
6587
Uploaded
September 9, 2014
Recorded
August 2014
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near Kamáres, Crete (Greece)

Viewed 12060 times, downloaded 180 times

Trail photos

Photo ofPsiloritis from Nida Photo ofPsiloritis from Nida Photo ofPsiloritis from Nida

Itinerary description

I started from the taverna at the end of the asphalt, on the Nida plateau. First I did the classical visit to the Ideo Antro, passing through the church of Analipsi. Then, from the first hairpin below the Antro, I took the E4 path, decently marked, which goes up a hidden valley in direction WNW. On the saddle at the end of the valley one finds a little stone shelter. From here, heading N and then NW, it would be possible to go on following the ridge. I was more interested in the lower way. Hence, I went down short in direction SW to reach the end of one of the several branches of the dirt road coming up from Lochria, on the south side of the mountain. From here, I followed again the path heading now NW, until at a saddle one gains sight on the wide north side of the mountain. The path traverses the N flank of the Agathias, second summit of the Psiloritis, reaching the saddle between the latter and the main summit, Timios Stavros, with its characteristic stone chapel.
I traversed then to Agathias, from which I descended south following ridges where one does not find any path. Where you see the track suddenly turning W, I met a path which I did not know to exist, and traversing the SW flank of Agathias, to reach the "normal" ascent route to Timios Stavros, namely, the one coming up from Tomboutos Prinos, above Kouroutes. Now that I was there... I decided to ascend the main summit once more, coming down the same way, in order to see where this path on the SW flank started. As I had expected, I found out that it starts right when the steep road from Lochria reaches the flat high plateau: this is the place where in 2008 I left my bicycle in order to walk to Agathias and Timios Stavros (but that time I had not discovered the path, or may be at the time it was not marked). I followed the road all the way W, taking then a branch pointing north, in order to join the E4 path from Nida.
The last photo associated with the track is a 360° panorama from the summit, in a fairly windswept day, endowed with a clear view. Following the link in the comment you can find the version with label and description.

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Waypoints

PictographMountain hut Altitude 4,507 ft
Photo ofTaverna at Nida Photo ofTaverna at Nida

Taverna at Nida

End of the asphalt road.

PictographSummit Altitude 7,910 ft
Photo ofAgathias Photo ofAgathias Photo ofAgathias

Agathias

Second highest summit of Psiloritis.

PictographSummit Altitude 8,028 ft
Photo ofTimios Stavros Photo ofTimios Stavros Photo ofTimios Stavros

Timios Stavros

Main summit of the Psiloritis and of the island of Crete, with chapel on top.

PictographMountain pass Altitude 6,266 ft
Photo ofSaddle Photo ofSaddle Photo ofSaddle

Saddle

There is also a very basic shelter, made of stones

PictographCave Altitude 4,887 ft
Photo ofIdeo Antro Photo ofIdeo Antro Photo ofIdeo Antro

Ideo Antro

The cave where Zeus found protection...

PictographReligious site Altitude 4,652 ft
Photo ofAnalypsi Photo ofAnalypsi Photo ofAnalypsi

Analypsi

Little church that can be reached in a few minutes from the taverna at Nida

PictographDead-end street Altitude 5,949 ft
Photo ofRoad term Photo ofRoad term Photo ofRoad term

Road term

Farthest end of the gravel road coming up from Lochria.

PictographWilderness hut Altitude 5,842 ft
Photo ofShepherd huts Photo ofShepherd huts Photo ofShepherd huts

Shepherd huts

In the E portion of the high plateau there are different shepherd settlements, and old "mitatoi". No road access from Nida, only from south.

PictographCar park Altitude 6,109 ft
Photo of2008 parking Photo of2008 parking

2008 parking

The shepherd hut where I left the bicycle in 2008. Coming from Lochria, is short after road enters the high plateau, such that the steep gradient suddenly gives up.

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