KBHR Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 I was wondering if anyone had any good information on how the route is looking right now? I'm thinking about trying late next week (June 24-28) timeframe and I was wondering how the snow has been holding up. Will it be time for the midsummer route or will we be able to head up more directly. Thanks - any info would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllYouCanEat Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 This was a week and a half ago or so. Route looked great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaoleung Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Moats are getting bigger quick. You could try direct, but make sure you have the Crystal route figured out too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBHR Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 Thanks folks, appreciate the update. Planning on heading out late this week. I've noticed the snow has been going really quick this year so I figured the direct wouldn't be good for much longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBHR Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 Made it up on Friday during a nice little weather window. Went via Crystal Pass. The direct looked pretty iffy so we took the sure thing. The entire route was in absolutely great shape. Thanks to everyone who replied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaoleung Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billclimbs Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 Is Crystal Pass do-able thru July. Hoping to climb late July Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeletor Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 Heading up there for the first time in two weeks. Can somebody tell me a bit more about the summit pinnacle? Just a scramble or pro needed? Rap off or downclimb? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBHR Posted July 2, 2009 Author Share Posted July 2, 2009 I will try to post a trip report this week that might be helpful to someone who hasn't done it with a couple of pictures. I'm one of those mere mortals and fairly conservative, but in my opinion, the low 5th class variation on the N side of the summit block looked far safer than the kind of traversing 4th class route so that is what we did. We had one person lead climb it with pro (he put in one cam and one big hex) and then we brought everyone else up on a top rope. There are a couple of slings and a place to belay that route about 75 feet up (not quite at the top, this spot is not the normal rap spot). The N side is fairly vertical but has lots of holds and the rock is surprising solid for the Olympics. Maybe one or two 5th class moves, not hard technical climbing but don't kid yourself, you are exposed and quite aways off the deck, a fall would mess you up pretty good. I would not consider downclimbing it, but thats me. We rapped off the West side, one 60 m got us to a ledge just off the snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rad Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 (edited) Of course you can solo, but I wouldn't. The route we did was around toward the West and pretty straightforward though exposed. Bring a few stoppers and/or cams in the .5-2" range and you should be fine. Maybe a couple of long slongs. Lots of pro options up there. Edited July 2, 2009 by Rad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaskadskyjKozak Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Is Glacier Meadows snow free this time of year? Don't want to carry a shovel in there unless I'll need it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBHR Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 You didn't need a shovel for camping at Glacier Meadows when we were out there last week. Snow has been going pretty fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaoleung Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Heading up there for the first time in two weeks. Can somebody tell me a bit more about the summit pinnacle? Just a scramble or pro needed? Rap off or downclimb? From the false summit you can reach the top via a very short section of low 5th/4th class rock. I do a lot of rock climbing and consider myself very conservative in terms of safety. I rope up but don't place any pro. From the top, I belay my partner. For the decent, we down-climb, belayed from the top, then the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iluka Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 We did it this past weekend (7/2-7/5) and here's an update: - Trail is snowfree all the way to the Blue Glacier morraine - We found some nice snow free camp spots with running water on the Cal Tech Morraine - Minimal to no crevasse issues on the Snow Dome - The direct route to the summit block was still passable as of our summit day (we descended this way) but a large crevasse is opening up and it will likely not be passable in a week or so - The route through Skyline Pass has a crevasse opening up as well but it was small and easily surmounted - The moat that opened up last year, preventing access from the last snow slope to the summit block has not opened up yet and it is still easy to get from the snow to the summit scramble and climb. - We had one person lead up to the summit then set a line for the rest of us. Some used it as a hand line while others were belayed up the final bit. We then did a short rappel off the east side of the summit block. Some photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/iluka1968/MountOlympus727509# Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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