Olympus Mountain
Mountain Olympus is located at the North-East of Thessalia and at the South-West of central Macedonia, near the region borders of Larisa and Pieria. It is the highest mountain of Greece as well as the second of the Balcans. It covers a relatively small circular area that is pretty solid in shape, with a diameter of 25km. It has a pretty rocky terain with numerous peaks, long ridges and steep cliffs. Accoringly to its size, Olympus has many peaks.
(photo: Sunset as seen from the Kakalos refuge
at Olympus mountain. Far in the background is the shade of Athos mountain)
Mythology – History
(Source www.olympusfd.gr)
The morphology of Mount Olympus, the ever changing natural beauty, the almost permanent cloud cover over its peaks and the frequent thunderstorms, filled the people around the mountain with awe and admiration, which in turn gave birth to numerous thrills and myths since the ancient times. Archaeological artefacts dated since the Iron Age, have been discovered at the foot of the mountain.
Inspired by its mystery and the legends created by the prehistoric inhabitants, the twelve ancient Greek Gods were created. According to Homer, the twelve gods lived in ravines, “the mysterious folds of Olympus”, where they had their palaces. Pantheon (the summit of Mytikas) was their meeting place. Their tempestuous discussions were heard by the God of Gods, Zeus who was sitting on his imposing throne (the north east face of Stefani). From there he threw his thunders showing “his godly wrath”. In Iliad Olympus has been described as magnificent, long, glorious and full of trees.
At the foot of the mountain 5 km from the sea there lies Dion, a sacred Macedonian city dedicated to Zeus (Dias). It is estimated that it flourished between the 5th century B.C. and the 5th century A.D. Excavations, around the ancient city started in 1928 and are still going on, have revealed archaeological artefacts from the Macedonian, Greek and Roman Eras. The majority of these artefacts is exhibited in the museum of Dion. Piblia and Livithra are two other among the many ancient cities located at the foot of Mount Olympus and are closely related to the legend of Orpheus and the Orphic Secret ceremonies.
The history of Mount Olympus continued being unsteady during Roman and Byzantine times as well and even under the Ottoman occupation. The mountain was used as a hiding place for the famous “armatol” fighting the “yoke of the tyrant”. During the German invasion in 1941, the Greek army along with Australian and New Zealand units fought important battles. Later on the Greek Resistance found a nestling place there. Since the 1950’s the history of Mount Olympus has been dominated by mountaineering endeavours and tragedies.
Mount Olympus National Park
Mount Olympus is the highest mountain of Greece, its main summit of Mytikas (or Pantheon) rising to an altitude of 2918m. According to the Greek mythology Mount Olympus was the home of the 12 ancient Greek gods and goddesses, while in 1938 Mount Olympus was established as Greece’s first national park with ultimate goal the preservation of its natural and cultural wealth.
According to the Greek law, Mount Olympus National Park core covers an area of about 40,000 acres in which all kinds of exploitation are prohibited. Surrounding this core area there exists the core’s peripheral zone spanning approximately 239,000 acres, its specific coverage not clearly defined yet within which only certain actions are allowed. However, today there have been serious efforts from local organizations so that the area of the National Park to be increased, since the environmental pressure from human factors is alarmingly increased every year.
In 1981 Mount Olympus was declared by UNESCO as a “Biosphere Reserve”, whereas the EU has included Olympus National Park in its list of the most important bird habitat areas.
Mount Olympus Massif
Mount Olympus does not belong to any of the Greek ranges but comprises an independed massif. It very summit is spaced a mere 18km from the coastline, giving the impression that the mountain rose from the sea. The Mount Olympus comprises a circular massif covering an area of approximately 500 km2.
Hiking routes (greek names)
There is a rather large network of trails all over mount Olympus, so that one can approach the upper mountain from all the sides. Many of these trails exist since antiquity, like the one starting from the village of Dion and leads to the highest parts of the mountain. This trail was reestablished in 2004 when the inaugural Olympus Marathon took place. The construction of the majority of the existing trails took place over the ages and they were mainly being used by loggers and shepherds. The recreational use of Mount Olympus trails begun in the 1950’s.
Considering the density and popularity of the existing trails, Mount Olympus can be pided in two major parts; the eastern and the northern ones. This of course does not mean that there are not any trails on the other sides of the mountain as well, but these are not that many and less popular. However, in this website there is an effort so that all the existing hiking routes of Mount Olympus to be described in the near future.
On the eastern part of the mountain, the most popular hiking route includes the European trail E4; starting from the village of Litochoro, through Ennipeas Gorge reaches Prionia (1060m) where there is a restaurant. From there the trail continues to “Spilios Agapitos” refuge, to further continue to the summit of Skala (2866m). From Skala one can reach Mytikas (2918), but the E4 trail continues to Skolio (2912m), then descending to Megali Gourna (Xristaki Bivouac) and from there following mainly the gravel road used by shepherds, further descents to the village of Kokkinopilos. This route is the most popular route, but only to Skala and Mytikas. Another equally popular route is this one starting from the parking lot of Gortsia (4km before Prionia, along the road from Litochoro to Prionia). It a scenic route as most of the time someone is hiking on a broad ridge. The trail is a roller coaster going through Petrostrouga (Petrostrouga Refuge) and then to Skourta to reach finally the Plateau of Muses.
There are many other trails both on the east, north and south west sides of the mountain. The trails on the southwest side of the mountain are not well maintained, but trails from the east and north sides are well maintained.
Litohoro - Prionia - Refuge A
Refuge A - Zinaria - Oropedio Mouson
Refuge A - Kofto - Oropedio Mouson
Litohoro - Petrostrougka - Kakalos & Apostolidis refuges
Oropedio Mouson - Mitikas & Stefani peaks
KEOAH - Agios Antonios peak - Skolio
Kserolaki - Kazania - Oropedio Mouson
Katafugio Krebatia - Kopsi Mparmpala - Oropedio Mouson
Refuges
Mount Olympus is an attraction both for tourists as well as mountaineers from all over the world. It is the most popular destination among the Greek mountains with more than 150,000 visitors entering the National Park only from the east side. The National Park Service has only one checkpoint along the road that leads from Litochoro to Prionia, so the exact number of visitors is not well documented since many people enter the National Park year round and from other sides of the mountain as well. The increasing popularity of the mountain is evident from the large number of international visitors (about 70% of the total number) resulting in the construction of totally 9 refuges since the 1950’s. In additions to those refuges there are also 6 bivouac rooms located along the least popular routes.
Refuge “Spilios Agapitos”
It belongs to the Greek Mountaineering & Climbing Association (EOOA, www.eooa.gr) and is located in 2060m of elevation along the European trail E4. Today it is the second largest and one of the most luxurious mountain huts of Greece, a result of more than 50 years of efforts put up by the Greek Mountaineering and Climbing Federation members, namely Mr Kostas Zolotas, the hut guardian for more than 50 years. The initial building was constructed as a logging cabin in 1930. It capacity is 120 people, services provided include lodging, dinning, toilettes, rescue sevices. It provides easy access to the summits of Skolio (2912m) and Mytikas (2918m) through the E4 trail, the most popular route on the mountain. The refuge is open from mid May to end of October.
Contact number: (+30-23520) 81-800 or 81-329
Website: www.mountolympus.gr
Refuge SEO “ Giosos Apostolidis”.
Named after the prolific mountaineer Giosos Apostolidis who during the 1950’s had established numerous new routes and maintained many of the trails that lead today to the upper mountain. The refuge is located on the Plateau of Muses between the summits of Toumba and Profitis Ilias at an altitude of 2700m. The refuge belongs to the Mountaineering Club of Thessaloniki (SEO) and has a capacity of 100 people. Facilities include a well organized restaurant, toilettes and lodging. It is open from June to the beginning of October.
Contact number: +302310-224 710 or +30 6932 367998. Website: www.seooreivaton.gr
Refuge at Petrostrouga location.
Still under construction. It is located at an altitude of 1950m along the trail from Gortsia to the Plateau of Muses. There is a bivouc room in the base floor with 8 beds and very few blankets that is open year round. (More information: National Park Service. telephone: +30 – 23520-83000).
Refuge Christos Kakkalos.
It belongs to the Greek Mountaineering & Climbing Federation (www.eooa.gr) and is located at the eastern margin of the Plateau of Muses at an elevation of 2650m. It was named after Christos Kakkalos the Olympus hunter and guide who together with the Swiss climbers Fred Boissonnas and Daniel Baud Bovy made the first recorded ascent to Olympus highest peak Mytikas on the 2nd of August in 1913. It has a capacity of 25 people and offers lodging, food and toilettes. It is open from mid May to end of October and from December to mid April.
Contact number: +30 6937 – 361689. Website: www.olympus-climbing.gr
Email: mstyllas@gmail.com
Refuge “Dimitris Bountolas”
Named after one of the Greece’s best alpinists, who died during an avalanche accident on Annapurna South in October 1985. It belongs to Thessaloniki Alpine & Ski Club (EOS). It is located along the main road from Litochoro to Prionia. Even though a relatively big building it has a capacity of only 30 people, mostly working as a restaurant. It is open year round, but during the winter season (November – April) it is open only during weekends and holidays (Christmas, Easter). The area near the refuge is been excessively used as a pragliding take off spot.
Contact number: +30 – 23520 – 84100. Website: www.eosthessalinikis.gr
Refuge Vrysopoules.
The refuge of Vrysopoules is located on the south side of the mountain at an elevation of 1800m. Its capacity is about 25 people and has no permanent stuff. The special thing with this refuge is that it’s location being within the Special Forces military camp so prior to any planned trip there should be a contact with the military camp (telephone: +3024930-62163 or contact the Alpine Club of Elassona at +3024930-23467). The particular refuge (together with the bivouac rooms of Kostas Migotzidis and Agios Antonios) is an identical spot for ski mountaineering excursions to the summits of Skolio (and then to Mytikas), Kalogeros and to Megali Gourna.
Refuge “Krevatia” near the village of Vrontou
This refuge is located in the end of the gravel road starting from the village of Vrontou. Its capacity is 20 people and is located at an altitude of 950m, having spectacular views to the north face of the mountain. There is a very scenic network of trails starting from the particular refuge, trails that lead also to the Plateau of Muses (Route Barbalas Ridge, www.dion.gr Network of paths of North Olympus). In additions there are many ountain bike routes as well as sport climbing routes, making the refuge an identical destination for many different activities. It is open during all weekends of the year.
More information Mount Olympus National Park Service (www.olympusfd.gr, www.dion.gr , Guards cell phone: +30 – 6978 – 278548)
Refuge in Koromilies site (Leptokarya side)
A new refuge not yet in operation located on the south east side of the mountain. Its elevation is approximately 950m. (More information: Municipality of Mount Olympus, Contact number: +3023520 – 31242).
Refuge in Koromilia, Dion.
A new constructed refuge on the north side of the mountain. Not in operation yet. It can be reached either by the gravel road starting from the city of Dion (through Agios Konstantinos) and ending at the refuge. Its elevation is about 1000m. Alternatively it can be reached from the trail starting from Agios Konstantinos through the Orlias stream, one of the best places of the mountain for canyoning (www.canyoning.gr). In addition from this refuge there is a nice trail reaching Petrostrouga and from there to the Plateau of Muses. (More information: Mount Olympus National Park Service, www.olympusfd.gr, Telephone: 23520-83000 and also Municipality of Dion, www.dion.gr, Telephone: 23513-51000).
BIVOUAC ROOMS
|
NAME |
ELEVATION |
CAPACITY |
|
Agios Antonios. (Information Hellenic Rescue Team (HRT) www.hrt.gr) |
2817m |
12 people |
|
Ano Pigadi |
1400m |
18 people |
|
Xristaki (always open) |
2550m |
10 people |
|
Kostas Migotzidis (Hellenic Rescue Team, www.hrt.gr) |
2450m |
6 people |
|
Livadaki (Information Alpine Club of Litochoro) |
2100m |
5 people |
|
Salatoura – Fire Department Observatory |
1850m |
6 people |
All the described locations can be found in the topographic map provided by
Anavasi (www.anavasi.gr)
Contact: Mike Styllas, Tel +306937361689, mstyllas @ olympus-climbing.gr