Mountain: Parnassos

Parnassos Ski Center is located at an altitude of 1600 m to 2300 m. The center has 21 slopes, 7 Lang Lauf slopes, 5 connecting paths and 4 mini beginner slopes with a baby lift, total length of 36 km, starting from 1640m and reach up to 2260 m altitude. The individual length of slopes ranges from 300 m to 4 km, offering a variety of degrees of difficulty for all ski levels and for the adventure lovers there are many off-slope "black" runs with much of snow and a lot of adrenaline. Four of the runs, the Iniohos (No 6), Iraklis (No 8), Odysseas (No 9) & Vakhos (No 2) are certified by the International Ski Federation (FIS) for international competitions.

Kellaria site altitude: 1750 m up to 2260 m.

Slopes

In Kellaria operate 13 downhill slopes of a total length 9370 m, 7 roads - paths of a total length 5675 m & 4 cross country runs (Lang Lauf) of a total length 8000 m, out of which:

• 4 red slopes
• Afrodite A (No 1A) 800 m in length.
• Vakhos (No 2), 500 m in length.
• Iraklis (No 8), 700 m in length.
• Odysseas (No 9), 800 m in length.
• 7 blue slopes
• Vakhos A (No 2A), 800 m in length.
• Vakhos B (No 2B), 700 m in length.
• Tilemahos (No 3), 1200 m in length.
• Aiolos (No 4), 800 m in length.
• Periklis (No 5), 600 m in length.
• Ermis (No 11), 700 m in length.
• Deianira (No 12), 1600 m in length.
• 2 green slopes
• Baby 1 (No B1), 120 m in length.
• Baby 2 (No B2), 50 m in length.
• 7 blue ski paths/trails
• Afrodite (No 1), 1550 m in length.
• Deianira - Periklis (No 15), 400 m in length.
• From Vakhos towards Periklis 2210 (No 15A), 325 m in length.
• From Dias towards Kellaria 1950 (No 16), 1400 m in length.
• From Odysseas towards Fterolakka 2100 (No 17), 300 m in length.
• From S.C. Gerontovrachos 2150 towards Kellaria 1950 (No 23A), 700 m in length.
• From Kellaria 1800 towards Gerontovrachos S.C. 1770 (No 23C), 1000 m in length.
• 4 cross country ski runs (Lang Lauf)
• Tyrias (No 20), 1500 m in length.
• Tyrias A (No 20A), 1300 m in length.
• From Kellaria 1950 towards Gerontovrachos S.C. 1770 (No 23B), 2000 m in length.
• Peripheral (No 24), 4000 m in length.

Informational boards are installed next to the slopes for the safety of skiers. Slopes’ signalling has been made with boards, which are placed peripherally of the slopes, where is noted the number, the name, the direction and the difficulty level by the suitable colour sign.

Lifts

In Kellaria site 10 lifts operate with a total capacity of 5820 persons/hour. Specifically:

• 1 detachable airlift – telecabin, Afrodite (No 1), the first of this type installed in Ski Center in Greece, carrying skiers from the plateau of 1750 m to the natural loft located at an altitude of 1950 m, where there are other aerial & sliding lifts.  It has a length of 821 m and a capacity of 1440 persons per hour.
• 1 detachable airlift, Iraklis (No 8), 1125 m in length, with a capacity of 2500 persons/hour.
• 2 non-detachable airlifts of three seats
• Vakhos (No 2), 1324 m in length, with a capacity of 900 persons/hour.
• Ermis (No 11 - linking lift), 2000 m in length, with a capacity of 900/persons/hour.
• 1 non-detachable airlift of two seats, Aiolos (No 4), 755 m in length, with a capacity of 820 persons/hour.
• 3 sliding lifts
• Tilemahos (No 3), 585 m in length, with a capacity of 900 persons/hour.
• Periklis (No 5), 620 m in length, with a capacity of 900 persons/hour.
• Odysseas (No 9), 835 m in length, with a capacity of 900 persons/hour.
• 2 Baby-lifts (No B1 & B2)

Other facilities/services

• Chalet 1950. A nursery school operates in the chalet on holidays and in weekends for children's babysitting (who are pleasantly and creatively occupied).
• Restaurant and canteen fully renovated, with a view towards the ski center's slopes.
• Ski School.
• Ski equipment rental store, at the Kellaria 1950 site (tel. 22340 29021).
• At Kellaria 1950 site operates the new service ski & snowboard store, well equipped with new technology machines, where skiers could maintain or repair their equipment.
• Fully equipped first aid station. The medical coverage for visitors includes:
• First aid services in case of an accident or a sudden illness.
• In case of emergency, when the incident requires further investigation, on doctor’s belief, and if the patient is unable to travel with his own means, will be transferred by an ambulance to the nearest public hospital.
• Parnassos Ski Center has 6 grooming machines (out of which one is new for rough slopes) and 3 assistants, which operate according to a daily schedule, in order to prepare the slopes. Usually the grooming machines operate after the closing of the lifts and the evacuating of the slopes. In some cases such as in a continuous snowfall, in a mechanical failure of lifts or in an emergency rescue, the snow formation machines could, by exception, move carefully in the slopes within operating hours.
• Rescue service team, which is consisted by expert pisters, who they ensure, on a daily basis, that, the slopes are operated safely, the slopes’ circulation regulations are observed and generally any rescue calls anywhere at the ski centre are attended to. The pisters check only the ski runs that are open, whereas the Sahara and the Peripheral runs (when these are open) are patrolled every one-hour. The last check of the ski slopes takes place after lifts closure. The rescue team is responsible for the transportation of injured skiers, but it is also trained and equipped to perform rescue operations regarding avalanches, cliff falls, disorientation and release from airlifts.
• Establishment of warning signs, which prevent the access to locations that there is the danger of an avalanche. Avalanches forms only in parts outside the controlled ski runs, mainly on the steep northern slopes over the Peripheral run going to Fterolakka. Special signs prohibiting entry have been placed at these locations, while, when there is maximum danger, depending on the conditions, appropriate action is taken (such as blocking off of the dangerous areas or inducing an artificial release of the snow) in order to minimize the hazard. Furthermore, snow profiles are conducted regularly and reports on the degree of avalanche danger are provided according to the international scale E.I. Davos, which should be taken seriously into consideration by everyone. In order to locate avalanche victims, are used tracking devices (electronic transceivers - avalanche beacons) at 457KHz. Please note that the off-slope skiing is done solely under your own responsibility.
• Parking lot.

Accessibility/Road network

A decision has been taken for the repair of the road network that leads to Parnassos Ski Center on the spots where there is a problem and new information boards will be installed. Parnassos Ski Center possesses three UNOMOC and two ROLBA snowploughs for the clearance of the roads that link the municipalities and the villages of the surrounding areas to the ski center.

Operation Period

Kellaria facilities operate from December till April. The operating hours are:

• Weekdays: from 9:00 to 16:00 (last lift for uploading skiers).
• Weekends & Holidays: from 8:00 to 16:00 (last lift for uploading skiers).
• Night ski from 17:00 to 20:00 (depending on weather).
• Returning of RFID cards, with a fee of 3 euro, could be till 16:30 at the Parnassos Ski Center cash desk.
• After the March 1st the operating hours could be different, depending on the temperature.

Useful notes

Parnassos Ski Center construction started in 1975 and was completed in 1976, when Fterolakka facilities began operating. In 1981 the construction of Kellaria facilities were also completed, whereas in 1987-1988, the Ermis lift, which links Fterolakka to Kellaria, began its operation.
Parnassos mountain is a leading ski center preferred by Athenians - since it is only 180 km away from the city of Athens. At the same time, its infrastructure allows a comfortable service for a very high number of skiers but also visitors too.
The replacement of the electronic boards in aerial lifts No 6, No 7 and in Aiolos lift reassures the highest degree of security for the skiers, as the new PLC technology guarantees a lift's inspection in more spots than before and continuously.
An on-line wind counting and recording system has been obtained and installed. This is a system that is recording at every moment the wind's speed via two counting stations and transferring the data on-line, so both the skiers and the control station of the ski center be informed for dangerous weather conditions.

Facilities/services in the surrounding area

Parnassos Ski Center has been created for the development of the neighbouring communities and municipalities; that is why it does not supply any accommodation. The surrounding areas, villages or municipalities, which are around 20 km away from the ski center can service the visitors. To the surroundings, it’s worth to visit:

• The Archeological Site of Delphi. At the foot of Parnassos mountain, within landscape, formed between the two giant rocks of Phaedriades, is the Panhellenic sanctuary of Delphi and the most famous oracle of ancient Greece. There you can visit the Temple of Apollo, the place where located the Pythia’s oracle, the theatre of the sanctuary and also visit the Archaeological Museum of Delphi, which is full of regional archaeological finds. 
• The picturesque town of Arachova, with stone houses, narrow streets, which in our days offers numerous options of accommodation, dinning & entertainment.
• Consisting villages of the Municipality of Parnassos, Polydrossos, Lilea and Eptalofos, which mostly are retained the traditional architecture and you can find accommodation services & entertainment.
• The Galaxidi, a beautiful traditional small town, with many restaurants & coffee shops by the sea, overlook the Corinthian gulf.
• The Monastery of Osios Loukas, the most important Byzantine monument (11th century a. C.), consisting of the church of Virgin Mary, the Katholiko temple, the cells and the rest of buildings, is truly a remarkable place to visit. It’s located 3 km far away from Stiri village and about 40 km from Parnassos Ski Center.