First off, I would like to start with our activity coordinator and all-around study abroad poppa, Stepan, and his pre-Mt. Olympus meeting on Wednesday. It went something like this: "this is what you will need...this is where you're going...here are some pictures that show you how steep and high your hike is so you can freak out...your first mistake may be your last." Thanks, Stepan.
So while it is around 70-something degrees in Thessaloniki on the day of our departure, I put on five layers of tank tops, t-shirts, a long sleeved shirt, and my sweatshirt, as well as two layers of pants, and pray that I didn't underpack, as the weather conditions on the mountain will be extremely cold, dropping to below 0 degrees Celsius.
We get picked up and sent off by Stepan, and introduced to two of our guides: Kostas, and Stella. A second Kostas and another guide who's name I didn't catch are waiting for us at the drop off location. It is around a 2 hour drive to Pironia, where our trail begins, which is already on the mountain, at an altitude of 1100 meters. From there we gear up and begin our 3 1/2 hour trek.
While the beginning of the hike wasn't very chilly and I had discarded a few of my layers within the first hour, it definitely got colder the higher we went. The hike began as a simple nature walk through the woods, it was hard to imagine that we were already on the mountain (the treacherous bus ride, however, made sure that we knew how high we already were). The biggest reason why the hike was so hard for me, was the unforgiving speed with which our unnamed guide was going at. At one point, Kostas (not sure which), yelled for a break, and he-who-shall-not-be-named turned to us and said, "If you are tired, walk slower. But we keep going."
We finally made it to our refuge, called Spilios Agapitos, at 2100 meters. We had climbed 1000 meters in 3 1/2 hours!! The steep steps, slippery slopes, and relentless rainfall, did not stop us. Once we got inside we huddled in by the fire and tried to warm ourselves and our clothes. That night we discover that our sleeping arrangements would be on cots lined up one next to the other along two walls. That was fine with us, we all grabbed as many blankets and pillows as we could, and snuggled together for warmth. That night we played some exciting games of Mafia (with over 20 people), and when the electricity was turned off at 10pm, we shared some ghost stories and jokes.
The next day was our planned trip to the summit, the highest point called Mytikas, at 2918m. Unfortunately it was snowing that morning (snow, in May!) and our scheduled time of departure was pushed back. The guides decided we wouldn't be going to Mytikas at all that day, because the weather was apparently really bad at the top. It would be debated if we were going to Skala, the second highest point, at 2866m. We finally leave around 9:30am, and there were a smaller number of us, as some people decided to stay behind at the lodge. This hike wasn't as hard as the day before, however, it was more dangerous. We had to cross 3-4 snow banks, which were on a pretty steep slope, and required gear set-up by the guides. We started going across them one-by-one, but as we got the hang of it, we were able to move a little quicker. However, our biggest obstacle was time. If there had been fewer of us, we probably could have made it to Mytikas. But it took us 30 minutes to cross each snow bank, and a simple 25-minute hike ended up taking us a couple of hours. We finished at a crossroads before Skala, which the guides said were at around 2200-2300m.
By 1:30pm we were back at the lodge and grabbed our bags and began our trek down the mountain. It took a lot quicker than our hike up, but the steps were so steep, I tweaked my ankle a couple of times and every time I stopped I could feel my knees buckling. Even though I was disappointed that we couldn't get as far as we wanted to, I was so glad that I went. Battling weather conditions, time, and my own body, I was able to push myself, and probably would have been able to make it all the way to the top. Stepan had mentioned before the trip, that everyone was capable of making it, and the only thing stopping most people was fear (I definitely understood this, as I was afraid of heights and forced myself to look down once in a while. Thank god it was mostly foggy and I couldn't see all the way down).
P.S. I know I haven't put up spring break pictures yet. Some are on facebook, but I need to do some more collecting before I can put them on google. So keep your eyes peeled for them.
2 comments:
haha, hope you feel better kat, i bet you would do it again if you have the chance!
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