Pachnes, is the highest peak of Lefka Ori and second highest point of Crete.
Only Psiloritis (Timios Stavros) is higher, but only
by 3 metres with its 2456 meters.
Pachnes is not a difficult peak from the
mountaineering point of view, it is just very remote and distant from
civilisation, at least in European standards.
The nearest villages are in the distance of about 10
km straight line, or 25-30 km of any sort of beaten track.
The quickest way of getting to its top is to drive a
4x4 car until the road ends, and hiking the remaining 1.5-2 hours to the summit.
Otherwise, hiking all the way from the bottom to the
top and back in one day, from whichever side, is very strenuous.
Pachnes is sometimes visited as a part of multi-day
trekking across Lefka Ori.
Even in the middle of the summer season you won’t meet
crowds in this part of the massif and you’re quite likely to enjoy the summit
on your own.
(For more details see summitpost)