How to Climb Mt. Olympus
A Concise Travel Guide
’Twas Olympos mount and Kisavos hill that came to quarreling
The which should bear rain clouds and which the snow should bring.
And rain fell down from Kisavos, but Olympos bore the snow.
Then turned Olympos round about and Spoke to Kisavo:
“Kisavo, quarrel not with me, you Turk-infested mound,
Where Pashas proud from Larissa and infidels abound.
For I am old Olympos famed and sung the wide world through,
And two and forty are my peaks, and my springs are sixty-two,
On every peak a flag unfurled, and my trees with warriors rife:
And in the season of the year when the branches burst to life
It’s my hills are filled with free-born men, and slaves in my fields below.
And mine the gilded eagle with plumage aglow
Who sits high up on my topmost crag, and whispers to the sun
To make the day last longer and to burn the midday through,
That his claws may e’er be tempered and his talons ever true.
(Battle of the Mountains, Trypanis no. 89, Translated by D. Nicol)
While many tourists to Greece profess an interest in hiking to the top of Mt. Olympus, the mythical home of the Greek gods, few actually do. Mt. Olympus is consistently passed over by most groups visiting or working in Greece, on account of time constraints or in favor of archaeological sites in the area, such as Dion.
I had the good fortune of participating in the Summer Sessions at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens (ASCSA) this summer. I suspect that many who have an interest in climbing to the summit, or visiting the lower trails at the park, will be involved in a similar sort of summer program (e.g. the Paideia Institute or an active excavation site). If students have the opportunity to visit the mountain, even just the base, before or after such a program, the trip is well worth the time and effort.
I should also add that Mt. Olympus is just as awe inspiring from afar. For classics lovers not currently in Greece, or unable to reach the peak, the following is meant to provide a reference for what the natural beauty of Greece is like. To relate to the land in a different way than pictures of art, architecture, or archaeological sites.
This is by no means a comprehensive guide to the mountain or a strict itinerary. The resources posted here are just a framework for planning any trip to the region. (You could even participate in the Olympus Marathon, which starts at Dion every June. It is, in all likelihood, one of the most unpleasant and grueling races one can run.)
In the ancient world, Olympus was considered fraught with dangers. Pausanias notes the mountain’s abundance of lions, although I personally saw none. But in the mythic past, the dangers were more abstract, as Bellerophon discovered. Pindar’s telling of the story in Isthmian 7 is particularly concise:
If a man peers at distant
things, he is too little to reach the gods’ bronze-paved
dwelling. Indeed, winged Pegasus threwhis master, when Bellerophon desired to enter
the habitations of heaven and the company
of Zeus. A most bitter end awaits
that sweetness which is unjust.
(Isthmian 7.43–48, Translated by William Race)
In spite of these warnings, mountaineering was popular with previous generations of scholars and Mt. Olympus in particular has become a ubiquitous symbol of modern Greek identity. As a haven for klephts during Ottoman rule, Mt. Olympus is the subject of its own folk ballad (which I quoted at the beginning of this guide), and the town of Litochoro was the site of the failed uprising of 1878. The Monastery of St. Dionysios, located near Prionia, was destroyed twice, by both the Ottomans and the Germans (1828 and 1943 respectively). Greek nationalism has always thrived on Mt. Olympus.
If we are to believe the poets, much of Greece used to be full of rivers and greenery that has since dried up. The mountain, in this sense, is one of the few places that is still relatively pristine. The unique biodiversity on Mt. Olympus was a large factor in its establishment as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The trail system built there and maintained by the Greek Alpinist Club provides an interesting model for archaeological plans currently being developed in the field (e.g. the Axios Delta National Park where the excavations at Methone are currently underway with Sarah Morris and John Papadopoulos or the backcountry trail system proposed at Mt. Lykaion by David Romano and Mary Voyatzis.)
One of the most compelling themes that emerged from a number of sites I visited with the ASCSA was the need for community interaction with archaeological heritage. In America, the National Park System is largely taken for granted (although NPS certainly has its own issues, including a legacy of racism). A similar model for archaeological sites in Greece could help bring about greater community engagement and foster environmental tourism, as opposed to only academic excavations.
Assuming you’re coming from Athens, it takes 2.5 days to properly climb to the peaks of Olympus, whether you choose Skala, Stephani (The Throne of Zeus), or Mytikas (The Needle). There are so many peaks on the mountain that each hiker can choose exactly what is appropriate for herself (or just hang out by the waterfall below Prionia, a perfectly valid and reasonable investment of one’s time). Ideally, you should plan to go between the months of June and August, though you certainly can climb earlier or later depending on the season (and provided you pack the right gear). If you want to make it a day trip, skip to the Prionia section and plan your hike from there.
My initial reaction on the way to up to Prionia was, “is this what ancient Greece was like?” The land of the ancients sometimes felt closer in relative isolation and off the beaten path than it did at excavation sites. You won’t see a family of wild boars in Athens or Thessaloniki, but if you’re lucky, you might catch them in the early morning hiking through the valley below Delphi as I did. And since the chamois eluded me this time around, I have a good reason to return to Mt. Olympus in the future.
Day 0
Transportation/Arriving:
Ideally you should arrive in Litochoro the night before you plan to begin hiking. That will avoid wasting a morning getting to town. There are a number of small beach towns near Litochoro where you can stay, like Plaka. If you rent a car from Athens, the drive is a little over four hours on the E 75 highway. Tolls are a bit pricey. You can also take public transit, from Athens to Katerini by rail and then a bus from Katerini to Litochoro. If your party is larger than two people, you’re probably better off just renting a car.
Day 1
Litochoro to Prionia:
There are three ways to approach Prionia from Litochoro. The most direct is the E4 Long Distance Path (one of twelve European hiking paths; this one traverses eleven countries from Portugal to Cyprus). The E4 has a well-marked access point at Litochoro, and you can park a car for a few days while hiking the mountain at this access point.
The hike to Prionia takes at least five hours. The route rises and falls past the jutting outcrops on the south side of the Enipeas ravine and then crisscrosses the river multiple times. By the time hikers arrive in Prionia they will have have ascended 650 meters from Litochoro.
Alternatively, you can begin on a less well-maintained trail from the Church of the Holy Apostles (Aghii Apostoli). This trail takes you up to Mt. Golna, whence you can view the entire valley and the approach to Mt. Olympus. The trail eventually joins with the E4 in the Enipeas River valley. Another trail runs up the opposite side of the ravine by the Zilnia Crag (one of the most famous rock climbing crags in Greece) and joins the E4 right before the Church of St. Dionysios (Agios Dionisios). Regardless of which path you take, you will be able to enjoy crossing the river multiple times over wooden bridges.
On the way to Prionia, the E4 also passes the larger Monastery of St. Dionysios. You can camp with a tent slightly below the trail head at Prionia which runs up to Refuge A on the E4. The water from the waterfall (a short spur off the trail below Prionia) is clean, so you can drink it without a purification system. Prionia has a taverna, bathrooms, trash cans, and another spring where hikers congregate. You can get a warm meal there, but they do not sell supplies.
You can park a car at the Prionia trail head as well and begin your hike from there (or take a cab from Litochoro to Prionia). The taverna at Prionia will also call cabs if you need to return to Litochoro by car on the descent. Throw away any trash you have before continuing up to Refuge A, to avoid extra weight. Once in the national park, you must hike out your own refuse.
Prionia to Refuge A:
The hike from Prionia to Refuge A is significantly steeper than the approach from Litochoro to Prionia. To reach Refuge A, hikers must gain significant elevation on the E4 trail (1000 meters). The hike takes around three hours to complete. There is one spring you can stop at early on during this segment of the hike along side a small shelter, but after that there are no sources of water until you reach Refuge A.
Refuge A:
Refuge A is a traditional alpine-style lodge that sits at 2060 meters. It is essentially a clean, well managed hostel run by a no-nonsense woman, two thirds of the way up the mountain (it is safe if you are traveling alone). Some important things to know:
· A bunk is €13 a night. They provide fantastic blankets to keep you warm.
· You can pitch a tent on the plateau for €4 a night.
· You can purchase disposable sheets for €7 if you did not pack your own.
· Email or call in advance to guarantee reservations (see below).
· During the summer, the spring (fed by melting mountain ice) that supplies the refuge with water runs dry. Toilets have running water only from 6–10 AM and 6–10 PM. There is a dry toilet for the rest of the day.
· There are no showers.
· You cannot leave your own trash at the refuge. You must hike it out. They keep refuse they sell to you, i.e. empty water bottles you purchased at the refuge to refill your own, but you cannot leave your personal trash there.
Day 2
Refuge A to Skala:
Hikers wanting to summit Mytikas (2918 meters) should summit Skala (2880 meters) as quickly as possible in the morning. The hike from Refuge A to Skala/Mytikas is 850 meters and takes around 3 hours. If you wake up at Refuge A around 6:00 AM, you can be on your way up the mountain at 6:45 AM after eating a quick breakfast consisting of bread, jam, and fresh coffee while watching the sun rise. Refuge A also has cubbies to leave gear in while climbing to the peaks. If you’re hiking with a group, leave the packs at Refuge A, and bring water and food in a single communal bag. Skala is marked with a flag and a couple of stone cairns. There are guides at the peak of Skala to take groups to Mytikas for €5.
Skala to Mytikas:
Later in the day, there tends to be a bottleneck of climbers who want to summit Mytikas from Skala. I cannot stress this enough: you want to avoid the crowds so no one is scrambling over rocks above or below you on your way to Mytikas. Long lines play a major role in why people die on Everest. You will pass a number of memorial plaques for people who were killed by falling rocks along the way. When I was returning from Mytikas, there was a line of fifteen people, preparing to scramble as a group, with their packs on.
It takes about 30 minutes to climb from the one peak to the other. If you have a pack, leave it at Skala against a stone cairn and climb over to Mytikas with just a camera.
The traverse is clearly marked with red spray paint, and there are occasional sport bolts in the rock face for a safety line placement. The traverse never becomes a sheer rock face, but you should try to keep three points of contact on the wall and keep a low center of gravity. There is a permanent steel cable that has been bolted into the rock face about two thirds of the way into the scramble at a particularly exposed section.
Descent:
If you hike back down the way you came, it takes (conservatively) two thirds the amount of time to come down the mountain as it does to go up. Try to be on your way back down from Refuge A by noon. You can then stop in Prionia for a late lunch and return to Litochoro by sundown. (Of course, then you have to drive back to Athens, so it might be worth staying in a beach town again after the descent, and driving back the next morning.)
Additional Peaks and Treks (possibly longer than 2.5 days)
Stefani: Also known as The Throne of Zeus (Thronos Dios), Stefani sits on the other side of the the peak formation. You can summit Stefani before descending back to Prionia.
Skolio: You can summit Skolio (sitting at 2912 meters) instead of Mytikas, if you like — or summit all three peaks.
Plateau of the Muses: The plateau sits on the north side of the mountain between Stefani and the lower peak of Profitis Ilias. It looks up on to the summit formation of Mytikas and Stefani.
Refuge C: Refuge C is located on the Plateau of the Muses. Hikers can stay multiple days on the mountain if they book with different lodges scattered across the national park. Locals seem to regularly go trail running from refuge to refuge.
Packing
boots/trail shoes, 20–40 liter backpack, camera: self-explanatory.
map: can be acquired at the boy scout store in Athens, located in Plateia Proskopon. The store is a fantastic resource for any outdoor trip you may want to plan in Greece.
two liters of water: essentially guarantees hikers will not run out of water between the springs.
food/snacks: pack as much as you want to eat. You can buy meals at Prionia and Refuge A, so you do not have to pack your own meals if you rather keep your backpack light. (But snacks are good for morale; I personally recommend granola bars and a jar of peanut butter).
warm weather outfit; cold weather outfit; fleece, rain shell: Choose clothing according to when in the season you are going and personal preferences. During the summer, you want at least a light fleece on the summit (unless you are running). I did not change into pants until we reached Refuge A. Remember to layer!
flashlight, sandals: required at Refuge A, since the operators do not want boots in the lodge and they shut down the power at 10:00 PM.
optional: first aid kit for blisters; hiking poles; toilet paper bed sheet for Refuge A (they also sell single-use disposable sheets); traversing gear (can be obtained from guides); climbing helmet (to avoid falling rocks). Cellphone reception can be a bit spotty on the mountain once you go past Prionia, but there is WiFi at Refuge A if needed. A GPS device would likely function fine on the mountain as well.
Resources Regarding Mt. Olympus
Scout Store in Athens
Official National Park Website
Olympus Alpinist Website
Weather Forecasts
Booking Information for Refuge A
Luke Madson is a former fishmonger and current PhD student in Ancient History at Rutgers University. You can find more of his writing here.
