Archive For August 29, 2023

We had been worried about the snow cover for our planned traverse but with some slight changes and a little walking it was fine.  There was enough snow, but it wasn’t snow or skiing as one imagines.  Old, crusty, bumpy, and rutted, it was at least consistent in its teeth chattering challenge.

On 16 March we awoke to an ominous, orange sky with the brightness turned to low.  Large plumes of sand rising over the deserts of Algeria were being blown to Europe by strong northerly winds.  The eerie light stayed with us as this exceptional dust episode lasted the whole week.

Whilst we didn’t have the best of conditions, we were all so happy to be back in the mountains, hut to hut touring on skis after Covid.

The old shepherd wasn’t happy.  A torrent of Greek.  ‘What was Giorgos trying to do?  Kill us all?’  Pointing up at the cloud covered summits of Psiloritis, then turning, gesticulating down the valley he didn’t approve of our ski plans!

Giorgos said the right things so the shepherd finally stepped aside allowing us to drive on up to the snow line.  Skinning, the clouds parted and we had a brilliant day on Crete’s highest mountain.

Sleeping on the way home I was woken by a horrible bumping, shaking motion.  The minibus was careering down a muddy dirt track, bouncing off the sides of the ruts with Martin fighting to hold the wheel.  ‘Stop Martin, stop!’ I cried.  ‘I’ve tried that’ he replied calmly.

We bounced on down certain that at best we were going to wreck the vans and be stuck for hours.  The rental agreements clearly stated no off-road driving so this was going to be very expensive.

Thankfully the track flattened out and we came to a halt with the other mud-splattered van just ahead.  Ouf.  Be very, very careful following Google Maps in places such as Crete!