Some effort, a little perseverance, imagination and Hike-about leads a person through a life of daily adventure. We faced the ‘mountain of gods’ situate in the gorgeous Mount Olympus National Park this week. What would our fate be as we tempted Zeus and his whims? The result: We count it a tie as he sent howling winds across the mountains and freezing cold, near the top but thankfully, held back on the rain. While we smile at the myths, we have utmost respect for Mother Nature, she’s a tough but beautiful ‘old bird’.
(Continues after pictures below...)
A stop for a breather at relatively low altitude; still much elevation to acquire while jackets remain in backpacks.
After two-thirds of the climb in much forest, the air is too thin for plant life. Love the sweep of one
of the mountain tops.
The action was fierce as the clouds swirled, danced and delighted us.
The reality of the upper trail: Scree accompanied by high winds and cold and the peak nowhere in sight.
The contrast with the higher levels, approximately 3,500 feet.
Ari, a slightly nervous Maia, and Alex, three young Israelis we befriended, plus one old African-American seeking a shortcut
on the way down.
The true peaks of Olympus as viewed at dawn from refuge A, some 2,800 trail-feet below. The early rays turn the grey to bronze
The dense forests far below (telephoto), viewed from the latter third of the hike.
"Vasbyt" (steadfast) as she clung on without a murmur...I think she lost her voice. (Contrast with the earlier part
of the hike as shown above.)
The earlier sunrise was inspiring and overwhelming. (Picture at 7,000 feet.)
Meantime, 'back at the ranch', the struggle continues.
The following morning's sunrise, never ever the same, provided a different perspective.
We’d planned to climb Mount Olympus, Greece’s highest, some six months earlier, when making plans for the trip. Although the logistics through Greece were logical, we were concerned we’d left the hike too late to capture reasonable weather. When we arrived in the country during the middle of September, it was warm-to-hot. By mid-October, the weather was cooling quickly, a little snow at high altitude and heavy rain in the area surrounding the mountains. As they say, “You pays your money and you takes your chance” and so we did. We delayed the hike by a day because of a deluge and then put our heads down and headed up. The first stage was 3,300 feet to reach Refuge A Spilios Agapitos, good accommodation for the mountains. The second part included a steeper 2,800 feet, making a 6,100 elevation gain. The refuge did not have any hot water, something not unusual. With night temperatures below zero, we have to admit that we do not have the guts to stand under a shower in such circumstances. The toilets were okay but without commodes. It provided an extra challenge but still superior to jungle facilities—certainly, made us sharpen our aim and accuracy. It’s all a matter of perspective. As a person gets used to a certain discomfort, a former hardship becomes, in fact, a luxury. The army was a great teacher in that respect.
Maria, the operator of the refuge, a complete professional if we’ve ever seen one, reserved the two-bed (bunks) alcove off the main bunkhouse. Although tiny, it did allow for a modicum of privacy. It’s the first time we’ve enjoyed such benefit in a very public area. In addition, as a first, we had pillows. Does life get any better? A surprise for us was that over the nights we spent up in the mountains, at least 70% of the visitors were Israelis. Being a holiday period in Israel, many take to foreign lands for a change of scenery and pace. It’s not often that a large majority of people outside of Israel, including Williamsburg and on a mountain, will be Jews. We met most and got friendly with a few which added to the experience. Arik, Maia, Jenni and myself had an interesting time of discussions and physical exertion together although they were less than half the editor’s age. We also met fascinating people from England and Cypress, as well as many others who we did not get to know but did enjoy their company, albeit briefly.
Before the hike, we made our way to the town of Litochoro, a wonderful place. The buildings seem to have been refurbished and if anything like our apartment, are modern and comfortable. The roads are narrow and wind and wend around the structures, making driving interesting but fun. At times, one feels one could almost end up in someone’s bedroom, that is, car and all. The contrast with living in big cities and modern neighborhoods is obvious. Frankly, years ago we could not believe we would relate to small town living—today, our view is opposite. Another Maria and her husband were most hospitable, making us feel comfortable before the hike and for a day after. While away, they, like many other establishments, kept our valuables. We do not like to leave our belongings unattended in the car. This service is one that relieves us of much strain. We have enjoyed the privilege in all countries traveled.
We’ve mentioned the weather a few times. Unfortunately, the less bright member of our duo did not pack the correct clothes for a high altitude sojourn. So I was worried about rain and cold. Fortunately, we had no rain. At the higher altitudes above 7,500 feet, the wind gusted strongly and was bitter. The temperature dropped to below freezing which did not augur well for an enjoyable saunter to the top. Although the sights were blocked by fog, at and near the peak, we were blessed with remarkable views at lower elevations. This was fine with us and hopefully, the cameras were able to capture some of our experiences adequately. In fact, we saw some extraordinary sights including sunrises, cloud formations and autumn coloring, to name just a few.
There are an awful amount of myths in Greece as most of us are aware. Mount Olympus, ‘the mountain of the gods’, lends itself to superstitions, we’re sure. Clearly, it’s a dangerous place, especially in harsh conditions. However, it is a beautiful region, too—we loved it and would repeat the hikes including some of the other mountain tracks. We’ve said this before: The Europeans have a network across the mountains over which people hike, climb and live—it’s a different world, quite fascinating. Each day we crossed paths with the mules and their driver. The supplies are brought up to the refuge by pack-animals and the refuse and other discards are removed the same way, in the opposite direction. We got to know one of the dogs, a fluffy brute with two different colored eyes. The tough mule driver even gave us a nod on the third occasion we crossed paths. We call this breaking down barriers while undertaking back-breaking endeavors.
Each day, we learn something new. Female logic is always an interesting experience, particularly for a dumb male. In our ‘room’, its size allowed for two bunks, a turning space plus backpack accommodation. Each occupant was entitled to three blankets. I was fortunate that Jen made the beds while I’d like to believe I was involved in something useful. I considered talking with Maria very productive. When we got into bed, I noticed only two blankets covered me. “I thought we were allotted three blankets each,” I mentioned.
“We were,” she replied curtly.
“I notice you have three blankets covering you while I only have two,” the obvious observation.
“Your third blanket acts as our groundsheet,” she informed me, without batting an eye. Heck, I was only asking.
Part 2 to follow...
Cheers,
Jenni and Jeffrey
It may be a dog's life but she still remembers to pose as a lady.
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