benmurphy Posted July 3, 2008 Posted July 3, 2008 (edited) Trip: Mt Olympus - Blue Glacier Date: 6/28/2008 Trip Report: Left trailhead at 9:30pm Friday night (June 27)... Glacier Meadows by 9am... Conditions were great...snow was a bit soft and got softer as the day progressed...never roped up or used crampons... snow dome... view of summit (note tracks going straight up from snow dome)...we had to traverse around middle summit and up from behind... hit the summit about 2pm and re-energized... and the rappel... looking up at "scramble" route after rappeling... view of steep snow to gain summit rocks... back to car by 7:30am sunday morn where warm beer awaited! Gear Notes: rope for rappel from summit Approach Notes: lose trail periodically between elk lake and glacier meadows... after snow dome, traverse under middle peak and go up from south side Edited July 3, 2008 by benmurphy Quote
benmurphy Posted July 3, 2008 Author Posted July 3, 2008 yeah, man, weather was perfect and we only passed one other group as we were headed up snow dome area...and we saw a group of 2 on skis while we were on the summit. I don't think I'd try starting again after a full day of work and travel out to the trailhead...i think we were hallucinating from tiredness on the hike out...that last 12 miles killed... Quote
merganzer Posted July 3, 2008 Posted July 3, 2008 Thx, Last question is there a walkoff from the top or is a rappel a necessity? Nice pictures and thanks for the TR. Quote
benmurphy Posted July 3, 2008 Author Posted July 3, 2008 I didn't see anywhere that wouldn't require somewhat sketchy downclimbing...although there was a nice rap station and we had the rope, so we weren't looking too hard for anything else... Quote
Rad Posted July 4, 2008 Posted July 4, 2008 You could down lead the easy 5th class bit. It would take longer but then you could go with a 30m rope. My partner and I took 2 30m 8mm ropes. They were light and did the trick - easy to split between two packs too. Quote
Jimmy James Posted July 4, 2008 Posted July 4, 2008 Quick question-- is there water to be had at Glacier Meadows? Quote
Layback Posted July 9, 2008 Posted July 9, 2008 Nice job. I think you guys were the one breaking camp on Saturday when we were coming up. We got hosed on the weather: http://alpinetarn.com/mtolympus.aspx Quote
bak74 Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 (edited) I summited Mt Olympus on Monday June 30 with a group of 10 people from Vancouver. I think we met the two skiers on their way down and asked them what the situation was higher up. We were actually very surprised that they went through the pain of carrying their skis for such a long way (before being able to use them ) and we didn't see their tracks in the snow. Our leader got from the rangers very dramatic information on the trail conditions but we didn't give up and we did go anyway. It is always good to check the conditions for yourself and make your own opinion. The only sketchy spot was a scree slope right before getting to the Glacier Meadows campsite. On the day we climbed Mt Olympus, we also saw the footprints going up the direct route but our leader decided to take us onto the indirect Crystal Pass route. It was a great call, since the bergshrund is impassible from the direct route. Excellent trip with gorgeous weather. http://www.flickr.com/photos/silviabak/sets/72157605966676618/ Edited July 10, 2008 by bak74 Quote
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