belleelene

Don’t mock my efforts—this was the best pun I could come up with for Mt. Parnassus. Even ChatGPT was no help! The Ace of Fokida (lol), this towering peak rises right beside the center of the world. And why, you ask? Because at its foot stood the legendary Oracle of Delphi.

Mount Parnassus is a majestic peak in central Greece, standing proudly alongside other towering mountains like Giona and Vardousia. If you recall, the suffix -essus or -ettus, as seen in Lycabettus, has Proto-Greek origins, meaning “peak.” The highest summit of Parnassus, Liakouras, reaches an impressive 2,457 meters. Ancient mythology weaves an interesting connection between these place names. According to legend, Parnassus, a son of the sea god Poseidon, established a city on the mountain. When a great flood—the Greek equivalent of Noah’s flood—swept their settlement away, the surviving residents followed the howls of wolves leading them higher up the slopes. There, they founded a new city, Lykoria, its name derived from lykos, the Greek word for “wolf.” Over time, the name evolved into the modern “Liakouras.” Strangely enough, while on the mountain, I heard a lone wolf howling in the distance. His cry was haunting—he was wounded, perhaps, and filled with solitude.

Another legend tells the story of Deucalion, the son of Prometheus, who followed his father’s advice and built a ship, boarding it with his wife, Pyrrha. They managed to survive the flood but they wholeheartedly wished to restore human life to the earth. Seeking guidance, they consulted the oracle of Delphi, who instructed them to cover their faces and throw behind them the bones of their mother. Interpreting this as a metaphor, they cast stones—symbolizing the bones of Mother Earth—over their shoulders. Each stone thrown by Deucalion became a man, while those thrown by Pyrrha became a woman, thus restoring humankind to its former glory. Parnassus was also the site where Apollo slew the monstrous serpent Python, guardian of the sanctuary of the chthonic deities. In triumph, Apollo gained the gift of prophecy, which he later bestowed upon his priestess, the Pythia.

In terms of accommodation, one notable facility on its slopes is the “Michalis Defner” Refuge, a mountain hut managed by the Klaudatos skiing company. Established in 1923 as a modest stone shelter, the refuge has evolved over the years and now accommodates several dozen guests. When you venture inside, you can easily observer how the outer walls slowly turned into inner walls with every expansion, with the magnificent glass gallery being the most recent addition. It can host up to 33 people, and while a bit pricey compared to other mountain huts, it’s breathtaking view definitely worths the cost.

Just 500 meters away lies the Parnassos Ski Center, Greece’s largest and most modernized ski resort. A major overhaul in 2014 introduced detachable lifts, connecting the Kellaria and Fterolakka areas. The resort’s vistas include the rare spectacle of skiing with a sea view—while those less inclined toward the slopes revel in techno parties at the base. I won’t sugarcoat it—the typical crowd here isn’t exactly my type. Parnassos, along with the nearby town of Arahova, is essentially Mykonos in winter, drawing the same flamboyant crowd that migrates between the two.

On the southern slopes of Mount Parnassus, at 1,850 meters, lies a ghost ski resort, a symbol of the, now long gone, golden age of Pasok. Built in 1974 by the Athens Ski Club at Gerontovrachos, just 1.5 km from Kellaria, the resort was once a lively place with a restaurant, dormitories, and modern facilities. Now, it stands in ruins, with broken windows, stolen equipment, and damaged buildings. By the early 2000s, new members stopped joining, and the resort struggled with high costs. It had no electricity and relied on expensive fuel generators. Plans to connect it with nearby state-owned ski resorts never happened. By the early 2010s, the Athens Ski Club could no longer maintain it, and local authorities in Arachova took over. Without enough funds, the resort was abandoned and left to decay.

Since our main purpose for visiting was mountaineering training, we didn’t have time to reach the peak of Liakouras. However, Gerontovrahos is another main peak of Mount Parnassus, standing at approximately 2,400 meters. Gerontovrahos offers a unique perspective of the Corinthian Gulf and the surrounding mountains. With an unobstructed 360 view of peaks here and there, it’s relatively easy to get overwhelmed. And of course, to the north-east, you have the king himself, Mt Olympus in all its glory. The name “Gerontovrahos” translates to “Old Rock” in Greek, possibly hinting at its weathered and imposing appearance. Even in summer, it attracts hikers looking for panoramic views and a sense of solitude away from the more crowded areas of Parnassus.

I left a curious tidbit of info for the end. The connection between Mount Parnassus and the Muses inspired the 19th-century literary and artistic movement known as Parnassianism. Emerging in France between 1866 and 1876 as a reaction against Romanticism, this movement embraced classical influences and upheld the doctrine of “art for art’s sake”. Though the Parnassian poets were few—fewer than twenty—their meticulous attention to linguistic and metrical precision left a lasting impact on Parisian literary circles, influencing poets such as Charles Baudelaire. Parnassianism also shaped Greek poetry, particularly through figures like Kostis Palamas and Ioannis Gryparis. The mountain’s name later lent itself to Montparnasse, a district on the Left Bank of the Seine in Paris, which became a vibrant gathering place for poets and artists.

Here you’ll find the winter trail from Defner Refuge to Gerontovrahos peak. You can read more hiking posts under the tag hiking. If you liked this article, share it with your friends. You can also follow this blog, and follow me on Instagram or Facebook, to never miss a post. Until next time!