HIKING
OLYMPUS
Ascent to the plateau of the Muses
O
lympus is for mountains what the Parthenon is for monuments. The ancient Greeks had placed the home of the almighty and temperamental gods, connecting their spirits and their moods to the extreme meteorological phenomena on the mountain. Beyond the myth, the variety of the habitats and the richness of the ecosystems make Olympus a monument of nature, a valuable biosphere reserve, as it was proclaimed by the U.N. 1,700 higher plant species have been recorded, while 22 of these (mainly alpine zone wild flowers) are met nowhere else in the world, which makes the mountain
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a valuable botanical garden with global exclusives. Its declaration as a National Park in 1938 (the first in Greece) helped to maintain these. Olympus is a difficult mountain. Covered with a lot of snow between October and June, it is beaten by incredible winds and unforeseen storms. The closest town is Litohoro. The ascent (16 km, 1,600 m difference in altitude) towards the plateau of the Muses (2,700 m) begins early in the morning from Diastavrosi (1,100 m). A beech forest, with a thick layer of leaves on the ground, makes footsteps quiet until Barba (1,350 m). Then, black pines and firs and wild flowers with in vivid colors appear in greater variety. After Barba, we walk along a ridge and get a first view of the tops that close off Olympus from the COOL HOTELS & VILLAS
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south. The dominating snow gives us an idea of what is to follow. The mythical Epineas flows below in the gorge. In 3 hours we reach Straggos (1,850 m). This is where one usually finds the last available water. We move on to Petrostrougka with the giant robola bushes and the new refuge (open all year round) on the northern side of the mountain. The trees thin out but the wild flowers are more. The white mountain pines are the only ones that can stand the cold and the lack of oxygen, so the tree line is extended above 2,500 m. COOL HOTELS & VILLAS
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The tough ascent in the alpine landscape leads to peak Skourta (2,495 m). The view of the higher peak complex is shocking. Clouds rest upon Mytikas and Stefani. We enjoy this splendor to the end of the route as we head towards their feet. Laimos, the narrow pass along an edge joining Skourta to the plateau of the Muses, leads to the Giossos pass. Here we use the fixed rope, and after ten steps we are on the plateau. The sun is bright, the oxygen less, the sight sublime. You think that Mytikas will scrape the sky and the view of the Stefani leaves no wonder why Zeus’ throne was positioned here. Duration of ascent: 7-8 hours Ideal period: July - September
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