Seintani (2313m) is the highest peak of Velouchi which can be seen rising steeply above both Karpenisi and Diavolotopos, where the ski center is located. The easy access makes it a popular objective for hiking and ski-mountaineering, while the southern orientation of the face, and the poor rock quality have not supported further development of alpines routes.
The southwest headwall of the peak offers exclusively winter mixed-climbing routes of a wide range of difficulties from PD up to M2+, and a height of up to 800m. The routes are characterized by the objective dangers of the “Central couloir” and its exits, which varies wildly based on the snow-cover and is exposed to frequent rock-fall and avalanches.
Access
Access to Seintani is possible from Karpenisi, following the provincial road towards Agia Triada which ascends to the ski center.
To reach the base of the routes on the southwest face we continue uphill from the ski center to the top-station of the K. Chouliaras lift, and then we must traverse the exposed amphitheater of the summit up to the rockface. Alternatively, the traverse can be done lower, around the paragliding take-off, about 400m before the ski center.
To approach the base of the “Central couloir” (PD, 800m) we head north towards the valley of the south aspect, starting from the turn at Kolokotronis street in downtown Karpenisi.
Climbing history
Seintani once won the interest of mountaineers with its beautiful natural line, the “Central colouir” (PD, 800m), whose first complete climb is unknown. Due to the route’s objective dangers, today it is a much more popular ski-mountaineering objective of great difficulty named “Imagine couloir”.
Since the “Central couloir” (PD, 800m) is not well suited for modern mixed climbing, there were some individual and undated new routes such as the “Wrong ramp” (40°- 60°, 450m) and “Unknown” (IV 60°, 520m).
The completion of the first shorter but tougher modern routes came in 2005 with the effort of “Manoloukou - Linter” (PD+ 75°, 250m) and in 2009 a route by “Nika - Koutsoumpi” (II PD+ M2+ 40°, 200m) was also established.