The shelter A 'or' Spilios Agapitos "is set to" Balcony" at an altitude of 2.060m and belongs to the Greek Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (E.O.O.A). Founded in 1930 and was the first Greek refuge (Refuge A). It was named "Spilios Agapitos" in honour of the first president of EOS (today E.O.O.A), architect and engineer Spilios Agapitos who designed the first building of the shelter. The construction was completed in 1931 and could accommodate 25 people.
Gradually the sanctuary was expanded and improved. Now has 110 sleeping positions divided into three wards: Central, exterior and new wing "Kostas Zolotas."
To 1959-1960 Improvements were made to the original building and added several new hall and utility room leading to an increase in sleep positions 52.
In 1964 he raised the water tank and built a small house, while the range 1975-1979eginan renovations and added other rooms. 1984-1985 were the outdoor configurations.
In 1999-2001 with funding from the second CSF (CSF) and the E.O.O.A. new wing was constructed, there were significant improvements in facilities and equipment are all creatures of the shelter and the surrounding area was formed. Today the resort offers 110 sleeping positions.
The shelter manager was from 1954 (officially since 1960) until 2001 the official Olympus mountain guide Kostas Zolotas that worked flawlessly the shelter so the Board of E.O.O.A. to name the new building of the shelter that opened on 06.29.2002 "Wing Costas Zolotas" Also with the same decision of the Board The rooms in the new wing took the names Presidents of the Federation: F. Theodoridis, A. Tzartzanos S. Vasilopoulos, M. Deffner, D. Hatzidi D. Georgoulis and the great mountaineer and educator G. Michailidis killed in Olympus as did I. Hasiotis, president of EOS Katerini, making it bears his name.
Manager between 2001 and today is the daughter of Kostas Zolotas and Maria Zolota.
The year 2013 marked the centennial anniversary of the first successful ascent of Mytikas, the highest peak on Mount Olympus. It was achieved by Christos Kakalos on 2nd August 1913, and has been recorded here by Nikos Nesi, in his book entitled "Olympus".
In July 1913, the Swiss Frederic Boissonnas, photographer and publisher and Daniel Baud-Bovy author decided to explore Olympus, thus fulfilling an old dream. On July 28 arriving in Litochoro, coming by boat from Thessaloniki (as was customary at the time) and after they get their mountain guide Christos Kakalos Hunter wild goats begin the next day for the Monastery of St. Dionysios is arriving at noon. After a while the old path uphill and evening camp site in Petrostougka (1980 m).
On July 30, pass from the dark and after crossing the "neck", arrive at the Plateau of the Muses today, they call "Meadow of the Gods" (2600 m.) On the same day climb to the tops Prophet Elias (2803 m) and Tuba (2801 m), explore the base of the wreath and crest is called "Throne of Zeus".
Descend from the plateau steep screes something and reach close to the "Cabin" (1962 m), the current shelter near Paliokaliva Dear Sp. Camping Where to realize who the "road" to the highest peak. Shortly afterwards descend the glen of Mafrolongou and then end the night at the Monastery of St. Dionysius. On July 31 decided to attempt the climb to the highest peak. They turn back and camp Prionia where all night suffering from a terrible storm. The next day the Mafrolongo uphill and reach the hut, where they stay overnight. On August 2 even before dawn, start with fog, hail, windstorm and climb, rather than directly Zonaria and reach a narrow ridge. Then climbed into the mist, with Chris Kakalos barefoot in front and two Swiss and bound with rope, climb a peak, thinking they are the tallest, it is called "Top of Victory." The Swiss left there under a pile of stones, a card with a few words in a bottle. The bottle found after 14 years, was sent to Switzerland and is currently the offices of the Greek Mountaineering and Climbing Federation. Eventually the heavy mist opens and see a higher peak and understand their mistake. Frustrated descend the steep peak now called "Tarpiia Stone" and again descend vertically and slippery rocks. Chris Kakalos with lowered head, silent, down the steep ridge. In front of the "vertical runway" leading to the highest peak. Upper? Asks. Swiss to beckon yes. No other reason leaves Kakalos photographic paraphernalia and stubbornly climbing in smooth and dangerous rocks followed by two Swiss and a little at the top.
So, on Aug. 2, 2013, at 10.25 am Mytikas conquered the highest peak in Greece!
From the book "Olympus" by Nikos Nesi
Christos Kakalos was born in 1879* and died in Litochoro 1976. He was married had four children, George, Yiannis, Irene and Mary. My relationship with Uncle Chris was neighbour-except, the house of my grandfather, where I grew up, it was the opposite of his own at the beginning of the Enipea canyon, was family. From my Macedonian grandfather, Constantine Skyfalida, I learned, apart from logging and the lute, in those endless winter evenings, the secrets of the mountain. Uncle Chris was a regular visitor to our house, whenever he had a new story to tell me, ... for the hut that he had made with my grandfather and with Reppaious the current location "Paliokaliva" for the huge bushes they'd cut the spring and how they did it on snow, the famous "koutsourostrates" to convey the "Saws" where he worked from 1920 the "Neropriono" (jigsaw).
In 1913 he reached the top. "The maelstrom one day when we were opposite "Mytika", with the Swiss Vaud-Bovy and Voissonas. They hoisted the flag, Zeus took pity on us, pulled the clouds and so we saw that we were in a lower top and we continued on our way..." Although many years have passed since then, the grave of Uncle Chris always alive when he ascent. After reaching "Mytika", and the liberation of Macedonia from the Turks, began to come all sorts of scientists from all over the world to "explore" Olympus and Uncle Chris was the driver on every climb. In 1937 he was officially named, "Guide of Olympus" by the Greek Mountaineering Association (ERA).
In 1930 he founded the first mountain refuge on Olympus, in "Balcony" at the suggestion of Uncle Chris. The committee wanted to Athens built in "Paliokaliva", but Uncle Chris disagreed saying "you are a fan of Rogan (avalanches)". Since then vindicated many times for such a remark.
Years pass and move on, and Olympus increases. The shelter can not meet most needs, so the 1959 is the first expansion adding another 30 beds. The 1971 arrives and the forestry road at "Prionia". It was then that I asked Uncle Chris, and a decrease in the path if you wanted to revisit his old haunts. He agreed and summer with a group of EOS Litochoro went to the shelter, where he stayed for two months.
In the evenings he played his beloved lute and singing...
"Awake my neighbour,
wake up and not sleep
golden ribbon you have cited
to tie in your hair,
joy in your beauty.
I came there and opened my
from the small portoula...
bad neighbour.
The day he walks little and told us stories, like the Giankoula, who was very dear to Litochoro... "and you say Costas, one evening came Giankoulas in our hut and offered the money because my grandfather had four girls to marry and wanted to help him. But he declined the offer and told him to give it to another family"... September came quickly and the family had to go down to send my greatest daughter in school. So they left together. I stayed at the shelter until the end of October. In winter, every time you go through the house with rotage "would get up in the summer?" Anxious to find himself in favourite places.
The summer came and Uncle Chris, accompanied again by climbers, went to the shelter, where he stayed again over two months. In September, the traffic thinned out, I asked him if he was ready to rise to the top. He replied, "go to Costa..." So the next day, September 14, 1972, the team began to the peak. The team consisted of, apart from my wife and my daughters Christina 3, Paraskavi 5 and Maria 10 years old, the forgiven Lefteris Tyropoulos from Athens, a friendly German couple and our George Lambrou member of EOS Litochoro. That is, the largest of the group was 93 years old and the youngest just 3! Something perhaps unique in the World of climbing times. The team started slowly climbs...His grandfather had been bothering him the shoes, which did not suit him. At some point, he turns to me and says: "Am not blaming 'shoes Costas my fault' many years". So slowly - slowly with many stops and we reached the top stories. The joy of all was indescribable. Uncle Chris began to narrate: "On top" Christakis' told the armatolos Christakis, who was killed by the Turks. In a cleft of the rock there are still bones..."and went on to say about the "Wreath", the "Prophet Elijah" and other peaks. At one point he says: "Listen to me tell you, my child Kostas, with one foot in the grave I'm..." and later "Kostas, my years and my guts' have!" Me, my turn, I promised that we will create a new generation of guides and climbers like real eagles. Uncle Chris gave me his diploma "to have it as a souvenir."
In winter barba Chris watched him regularly and always say. "It was the spring of '76 and I had some time to see him. Asking the bride learns that it is very good. Someday painstakingly Uncle Chris came to my house. But he did not see nor hear now well and had lapses. We were trying to say any word but not understand us. In a moment he said: "Ah you're Bob? Glad to see you one last time. Leave Olympus in good hands...my wish to have! "
It was the last exit of Uncle Chris. On 13 April 1976 the Olympian gods took him to heaven for it anyway for all the company MYTIKA and wreaths ... Uncle Chris, thank you for the way we opened for the tops.
*Uncle Christos, according to the testimony of Athanasius Kartsiounis, then secretary of the Community, before the war, was born in 1879 and not in 1882.
