Hiking at Mount Olympus - from Pigadouli to S. Agapitos
- Written by Portal Editor
After a short break at the shelter Pigadouli which we also used to fill up our water bottles, we went along the now steeper ascent, continued towards Spilios Agapitos and the summits of Olympus.
The river bed here is completely dry as the snowmelt is already completely finished on this side of Mount Olympus.
Here the views of the neighboring peak of Mount Olympus, rising up to 2,600 meters. Behind this summit chain you will find the road Liptokaria - Kallipefki - Rapsani, which we had used for our journey to Olympus from Camperstop Rapsani.
On the further way we met this group of horses and mules, which ase used for supply and disposal of the mountain stations. In this way the resulting waste is removed from the National Park, which is why every walker is asked to take care of his private rubbish to bring it down again.
Slowly, the views of the peaks areas of Olympus opens. The picture shows a few of the shallower passages during the further ascent.
The amount has been increasingly evident since the tree line is reached. Always lights, sometimes there is only bare rock, .....
.... with the change in direction along the path then suddenly trees again.
Again some really colorful flowers at the trail.
Bushes and blossoms where the trees getting thinner, .....
and another view of the summit group ........
....... and back to the sea.
Powerful rise of the rock formations up to 2,900 meters.
We had reached the refuge Spilios Agapitos at 2100 meters, which requires an increase of 1,020 meters from the parking at Prionis to 2,100 meters, a trail which we managed in about 3.5 hours of steadily ascent.
On the terrace of the mountain hut, which can accommodate about 200 guests with numerous tables and benches, this lizard, which despite the operation on the terrace, is not feeling disturbed.
Clearly visible in the image are the switchbacks of the trail up to the mountain refuge, now it is really clear how large the difference in height actually is.
View from the terrace to the sea. The refuge offers the possibility of over night, for up to 110 people, so that hiker to the top can rest before the last 800 meters to the top.
Another view of the summit. After all, there are 110 beds available, which were fully booked at the time we arrived here. Some guests had registered already for the living room as a place for the night. Registrations are considered during high season.
Please read as well:
Hiking at Mount Olymp - from Priona to Pigadouli
Sycamore Trees on Pinios - an idyll at the ancient Salambria