Climbing the Mount Olympus: To the throne of god

in Pinmapple3 years ago

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Not one and not two, but twelve gods are said to have once lived up here, on the peaks of Olympus, a huge stone that jagged into the sky. Anyone who makes it up to the top will notice that the gods and gentlemen have moved out - there is only heaven and emptiness here, a broad view over the country and a look back into mythology.

But until this moment it's exhausting to get that far - because this is the climbing the highest mountain in Greece. And after all, from the summit of Mytikas you can look down almost 3000 meters down to the sea.

The sun is coming up
The sun is coming up

After our hike through the Enipeas Gorge (read here) we're now climbing Greeks giant.

But one must be warned. Anyone who tries to complete the ascent as a day tour will likely fail. With a height of 2,917 meters, Mount Olympus is not a giant on a global scale, but those who come from below have quite a distance to walk. On a day tour from Prionia, more than 1.900 meters of altitude have to be mastered.

The mythological mountain
The mythological mountain

So you should be prepared accordingly. Starting point, the small Greek town of Litóchoro not far from the Olympic Riviera, and later the "Refuge A". The managed hut with restaurant and sleeping facilities can also be found under this name on some hiking maps. Caution is advised: The weather here changes faster than anywhere else in the Greek mountainous country - god's will, here named Ο Ζευς in greek νεφελιγερέτας (sevs nefelijeretas), Zeus the cloud collector, takes care of that.

Into the fog
Into the fog

There is hardly any other mountain that is so firmly anchored in European cultural history as Mount Olympus in Greece. In ancient Greek mythology, it was the seat of the gods and its summit was considered a place filled with light. But if you make your way upstairs, you will soon wonder why the gods chose such a remote and inhospitable place to stay.

Through the fog
Through the fog

Nevertheless, the highest mountain in Greece still has a very special attraction for locals and tourists. It is accessible with well-marked hiking trails and its ascent is made easier by several mountain huts that are open in summer. The number of visitors from June to September is correspondingly large.

But the fog is a cloud
But the fog is a cloud

However, if you choose a season for the ascent in which the refuges are closed, then you will still be all alone with the gods on Mount Olympus in the 21st century, so to speak. Because of that autumn and spring are particularly suitable for this, although a winter ascent (with skis) should also be possible if the weather is suitable. But the difference in height from the very bottom to the top is always considerable, you shouldn't hope of a better season.

At the high the nature’s level is low
At the high the nature's level is low

The path to the summit, part of the European hiking trail E4, initially leads through high forest. Oak trees are at the beginning, then the black pine dominates, there are pleasant shadows on most of the route. A mountain hike without any major difficulties, they come a lot later.

Kakalos is on 2.648 meters high
Kakalos is on 2.648 meters high

But there is a flora that is worth seeing, which delights all flower lovers. The first specimens of the endemic cyclamen iankaea heldreichii, which was only found here on Mount Olympus and discovered by the botanist Theodor von Heldreich in the 19th century, soon appeared. At that time the gods were already gone, but they left behind blooming orchids, including dactylorhiza sambucina, wild roses and violets.

And every step needs power
And every step needs power

It takes more than nine hours to reach refuge Kakalos on over 2.600 meters, which emerges from the fog that suddenly blows in - the "cloud collector". A house on the bare mountain, like Modest Mussorgski played. The hut is surrounded by nothing and nobody, the hill is overgrown with lichen and at first glance as hospitable as the moon.

The hut
The hut

But anyone who has hiked to this place hardly has a look at it. Behind the summit opposite, the sun is slowly setting, the evening light colors the landscape on the rocks glowing red. Tomorrow the summit is waiting, the last but heaviest meters to the top of the roof of Greece.

  Thank you for reading and if you like my work please follow me           on HiveTravelfeed or Steem or visit my homepage koenau.de

A few more pictures for you: 

The mountains
The mountains

Hut refugee A
Hut refugee A

From down under
From down under

A meeting on the way
A meeting on the way

Nothing at the left, nothing to the rigth
Nothing at the left, nothing to the rigth

But a flag
But a flag

And a view
And a view

And two mountain trucks
And two mountain trucks

Sundown
Sundown

In wide angle
In wide angle

And orange
And orange


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Wow, what a nice trip!

This was just the beginning ;-)

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Wow! Beautiful place, even if there are no Gods now hehehe...

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Incredible trip!

2100m!! Wow! and i love meet dogs at trips! Best companies. Tks for sharing... Congrats

In wide angle my favorite!!! Tks for sharing...

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Amazing👍