We had been planning and discussing it for quite some time, months in advance. Any sense of disregard or superficiality needs to be avoided when dealing with mountains, especially Mount Olympus, Greece’s tallest mountain.
[My fellow climber] Dimitris, in fact, insisted that we should spend two to three years trekking on other Greek mountains before attempting to climb the mountain of the gods, Mount Olympus. The time had come, and, naturally, we would not take the climb for granted. We exercised, went jogging, practice-climbed at Mount Parnitha – the tallest mountain of the wider Athens area, north of the capital – studied maps and trails, bought required equipment, familiarised ourselves with locations and routes, reserved beds at the mountain refuge, took advice from friends and acquaintances who had succeeded with the climb, all the way to the top of Greece’s tallest summit, at 2,918 metres. During the final few days of preparations, we also got the very necessary weather forecast update and also purchased our food supplies.
Route selection
A second point of disagreement for us was the route we should take to the top. Would it be the classic route or something more challenging that would, however, offer us unique views and images – and less of the world below? There are many ways to reach the summit. The most common route, and probably the easiest, begins from Prionia, a location above Litohoro, passes by the Agapitos refuge, also known as refuge A or Zolota, and reaches the peak via Kakoskala or Louki. This is the best route to take if climbing Mount Olympus for the first time. Its first section, from Prionia to the refuge, is a relatively easy trail that passes through dense beech and pine forests and often intersects with the Enipeos River. You will walk 5.8 kilometres, but don’t be deceived by this modest figure as this is Mount Athos, Greece’s tallest mountain. This first section is quite steep and will take you from an altitude of 1,019 metres to 2,052 metres. Depending on your level of fitness, you will need between 2 ½ and 4 hours to cover this section. Every time I ran out of breath, I stopped, but the advice from more experienced climbers was clear: you need to establish a steady rhythm that can be maintained for a long time, even if its pace is slow. Any breaks taken need to be brief and limited to as few as possible. You stop for 5 minutes, eat something that will give you energy – some raisins, nuts or a cereal bar – drink some water, and take off again.
Refuges
The moment you spot the refuge, a stone construction, following hours of trekking, is unbelievable. Satisfaction, relief and pride are the overriding feelings and the mind immediately begins to make plans for food, a drink and rest. Of course, don’t expect to find luxury or many choices. Refuges offer the essentials, but, once you are there, these basics will seem precious. The restaurant serves four to five different meals every day, including bean soup, a staple. The fulfilling serving of spaghetti Bolognese we had, feeling exhausted, will remain unforgettable. For sleeping, bunk beds are arranged in large rooms, while the three blankets allotted to each bed are not at all excessive. We were there in the early-summer month of June, and it got chillier as the night progressed. The lights go out at 10pm at the refuge, which did not trouble us. We were already feeling tired by eight, after having woken up very early that day.
Alpine meadows and peaks
The alpine landscape begins from the refuge upwards. This is the section that is visible to all when moving along the Athens-Thessaloniki highway – enormous naked rocks lost in a veil of clouds. From this point upwards, the cold weather is intense, even in June, when sunny. As we reached higher, through scattered Bosnian pines, we observed the edges of the rocks, sculpted by the wind, rain and snow. As the altitude increased, we took from our backpacks whatever clothing we had and wore it for protection against the chilly weather.
At 2,480 metres, we reached an intersection, which, to the right, leads to Louki, and straight ahead, to Kakoskala. From this point upwards, mistakes are not forgiven. If not equipped with helmet and gear, and not accompanied by an experienced guide or mountaineering club members, you may choose to take a simpler route all the way to the Skolio peak, at 2,911 metres. Or you can opt to go no further and simply enjoy the rock formations and view. On days with few clouds, nearly half of mainland Greece is visible from Mount Olympus, a view taking in Thessaloniki, Halkidiki, even Larissa and the Thessalian plain. Even when there are clouds, this position hovers above them, a unique feeling. Visible to the right of Mytikas, the highest peak, is Stefani, a peak also known as the Thrown of Zeus, as a result of its shape. From the Agapitos refuge, it will take you roughly 3 hours to reach the summit, either via Kakoskala or Louki.
The descent
As we made our way back, the people along the trail grew thicker. On mountains, all trekkers exchange greetings as well as information on what is going on further up – crowd and weather updates. In recent years, Mount Olympus has developed into a leading tourist destination, attracting over 150,000 people from all over the world, annually, well over the 350 visitors recorded in 1955. The numbers have risen sharply over the past decade. If possible, it is best to avoid visiting on weekends. Also, when there, early starts are recommended. The way down will seem like a piece of cake following the ascent and altitude gains. The descent will clearly take far less time and your legs will feel light. We did not start to feel the strain on our legs, as we headed down, until the next morning. We continued to feel this strain for the next seven days, feeling a burning sensation on the soles of our feet, as well as stiff knees and thighs. A good piece of advice for the descent is to keep your legs slightly bent and step sideways to increase the grip and slide less. But, no matter what, some sort of pain in the legs will most likely not be avoided after descending 2,200 metres from the 2,918-metre summit, all the way down to Prionia, where you will have parked your vehicle at 770 metres.
Summit not everything
Besides being tall, Mount Olympus is also immense in terms of land mass, occupying an enormous land area at the Macedonia-Thessaly border, its perimeter measuring approximately 150 km. Mount Olympus is not just about conquering its summit, Mytikas, but also the trek along its extended network of trails, both at low and higher altitudes. The many intersecting paths enable climbers to take one route and return via another, while many of its locations make for fascinating expeditions and treks. The choices comprise 52 lower peaks, the Plateau of the Muses, and the Enipea gorge. The Mount Olympus National Park, the first to be established in Greece, along with the Parnassos National Park – both were founded in 1938 – possesses boundless natural beauty and is ideal trekking territory for nature lovers. The conquest of the summit is clearly an incentive for most, but, as was noted by New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary, the first person to reach the top of Mount Everest, in 1953, along with Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay, “it is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”
First person to reach the Mount Olympus summit
Hristos Kakkalos, a resident of Litohoro, hunter of wild goats and lumberjack, was the first person to reach the Mount Olympus summit, on August 2, 1913, along with Swiss explorer and photographer Frédéric Boissonnas and his assistant Daniel Baud-Bovy. Boissonnas wrote that Kakkalos climbed barefoot, noting, on the experience: “Mount Olympus had been calling us for so long. Its beauty is not just in the nature. Its beauty is a spiritual beauty. It express the divine.”
