TR: Mount Olympus and Olympic National Park

[Soups]

Just got back and had a very successful trip. I was going to just post the conditions for Big Steve in the original thread then figured why not post a full TR. This was one of the best, most fun, grueling climbs/approaches I've ever done. The climb itself was stellar. Took us 9.5 hours round-trip from Glacier Meadows with some hangout time on the summit. We were the only ones to summit all day, it was great! There were a bunch of Outward Bound type groups up there but for some reason they only went up to the false summit and turned around, fine by me as the summit isn't very large.

We started the trip off by driving up the coast through Astoria and hitting the Goonies landmarks, dreamed of this since I was 10.

Shoulda done the Truffle Shuffle but didn't, biggest regret of the trip...


I think I have a match, I'm sure of it. The lighthouse, the rock and the restaurant all fit the dabloon. That must mean the rich stuff is near the restaurant. Cannon Beach...


Even saw Chester Copperpot at the Fort George Brewery...


Camped at Kalaloch and tooled around for the day at Ruby Beach, Beach 4, and Kalaloch Beach. The tides at Kalaloch were awesome.








On to the main objective. Hike up the Hoh River to Lewis Meadow on the first day, then onto Glacier Meadows for base camp.


Hiking through a rainforest doesn't suck. Miller Falls...




Not a bad gravel bar campsite on the Hoh...


Day 2. Again the rainforest doesn't disappoint...


First real view of the Olympics at mile 16ish. Panic Peak...


Summit day. Suiting up on the Blue Glacier at 5am...


Crossed the Blue Glacier and starting up to the base of Snowdome...


Took a break and let the Outward Bounder's go ahead up Snowdome. Conditions were perfect, if not a tad on the soft side...


On top of Snowdome and a closer view of the summit block of West Peak of Mt. Olympus...


On top of the false summit and a really close up view of the summit block...


Not a bad view from the false summit looking to the SSW...


Crossing the moat onto the summit blocks 4th class ledges. Big Steve, not sure how much time is going to be left for the snow bridge. It was starting to get thin and sketchy. It was really warm when we were up there, but weather moved in on our hike out...


Success! The weather was as good as you can get anywhere, not to mention in the PNW. Looking south...


Rapping off the northside of the summit block. Big Steve, you can't tell from the pic but the moat around the summit block wasn't too bad yet at this location. You could kick off the wall at the bottom and make it to the snowfield. 2-30m ropes (or a 60) did it fine (you can see how much extra rope we had). There was also a rap station on the south side of the summit. Probably could just take a 30m rope and rap back down to the 4th class ledge on that one...


Why walk when you can slide. Would've loved to have had skis as conditions were perfect. However, no way would I have packed those fuckers on that approach, that's for men manlier than I. Glissading off the back side back down to Crystal Pass...


Heading back down and across the Blue Glacier we came across some sort of survey marker. Anyone know what this is? I thought maybe it's some research thing on glacial melt? It was a welded, triangle shape, twisted piece of aluminum that had "1963" and "U of W" marked on it...




Pano from the Blue Glacier moraine...


Cool burl on the hike out...


Wouldn't be the PNW without some rain on the hike. Of course it started 1 hour before we packed up in the morning, couldn't hike out of there dry of course. Last campsite at 5 mile Island on the Hoh...


All in all an awesome trip. The Olympics are rugged and beat you down for sure. Totally underestimated the 12 or so miles of flat hiking up the Hoh.

Couple things for Big Steve...The trail washout right before Glacier Meadows has been fixed so you don't need to use the rope and ladder anymore, thank god. Just be careful crossing the washout. I was almost taken out by a small rockslide from above and a fist size rock blew past me a couple feet in front of my face. Had to run back under a bush and let it pass. Also, conditions were stellar and the glaciers were totally straight forward, all crevases were obvious and the few snowbridges you had to cross were solid. The only thing you may have trouble with is the summit moat. The bridge may or may not be there when you go up. If not, it looked like the loose 4th class ledges below the snowbridge on the summit block might be an option.

One more thing. Bugs weren't bad at all, pretty standard. A little spray and they went away.

[seano732]

Awesome. Thanks for posting.

[GeezerSteve]

Thanks for the info, soups. Nice pics and writeup. Great looking conditions.

The snow bridge to the dirty ramp was sketchy when I first did the route in 1991(?) but easy when we did it again in 1993. Some people climb up the rap route, which is reported to be low-5th to low/mid-5th. Thanks for the heads up re the moat issue. We'll pack ample pickets and a shovel in case we need to engineer something there.

[NoPostholio]

Awesome looking trip - nice write up and pics.

[Soups]

Thanks for the info, soups. Nice pics and writeup. Great looking conditions.

The snow bridge to the dirty ramp was sketchy when I first did the route in 1991(?) but easy when we did it again in 1993. Some people climb up the rap route, which is reported to be low-5th to low/mid-5th. Thanks for the heads up re the moat issue. We'll pack ample pickets and a shovel in case we need to engineer something there.

Going up the rap route would be no problem. Lowish 5th class with lots of opportunity for protection on great rock, should be a breeze. Although going a little off route to the end of the 4th class ramp and up around the back of the summit block gives you some spectacular exposure that you don't get on the rap route. It has one, very low 5th class move probably 750 feet off the deck. Butthole puckering but fun.

[GeezerSteve]

Oh yeah, I remember that spot of exposure. I think the old timers call that The Crow's Nest or maybe The Raven's Nest. In '93 I led that pitch free, dragging a rope which I fixed for my buds. Ah, the good ol' days. Next week we'll have a rock climbing legend in the party, so he or one of the young bucks will lead. Just got word that our Mounties leader bud endorses climbing the rap route.

[Hugh Conway]

1963 was the geophysical year; bunch of glaciology projects, including something on the blue

[GeezerSteve]

Lots of glacial study up there through the years. The first time I climbed Oly in 1991(?), on the descent we took a side trip to the glacial study hut on the Snow Dome close to the summit of Panic Peak where the crew brewed us some tea. Per a thread over on NWHikers, the operations have ceased and the hut will be dismantled and removed, a project led by Dave Skinner, who headed the glacier studies for a couple decades (and was likely one of the guys who brewed us the tea).

The Blue Glacier is amazing and awe-inspiring. Get there if you can. In 2002 we ascended to its head at Glacier Pass then down to the Hoh and to Camp Pan and points beyond on a fantastic 9-day traverse.

I'm looking forward to getting back there, this time to celebrate Anita's 50th b-day. Thanks again for the conditions report, soaps.

[Hugh Conway]

a ski plane landed near it when I was up there, but thanks for the dickswinging stevie.

[Soups]

So this is pretty rad. Yesterday I contacted the park to let them know about that metal strip and someone from U of W just contacted me about it. Got this email and attachment today...

Dear all,
Joe, glad that you had a good trip.
You have found one of the mobius strips that Ed La Chapelle from U. Washington ("U of W") placed either in the Cirque or SnowDome in September 1963 to track long-term velocities (see attached letter he sent to J. of Glaciology, 1964, vol 5, No.37). Several years ago someone found #21 on the glacier below Caltec moraine.

Did you happen to see a number on it? I would love to know where you found it and see your pictures.

cheers,

Howard

-----------------------------
Howard Conway
Research Professor,
Earth and Space Sciences





The one I found was #32

[abraham]

Cool. Could you place where you found it on that map?

[Soups]

The approximate area where I found it is the red circle. According to that sketch it looks like it was originally placed where the green arrow is...

[GeezerSteve]

Very cool! Very schematic map, but maybe it puts #32 below the Middle Peak on the upper Blue, maybe a bit left of your arrow?

[KQ]

Beautiful! My family vacationed at Kalaloch every summer when I was a kid. Love that beach.

Did you go on an owling while you were in the Hoh?

[Soups]

Beautiful! My family vacationed at Kalaloch every summer when I was a kid. Love that beach.

Did you go on an owling while you were in the Hoh?

Didnt see any but heard a couple on the way out!

[Norseman]

Great trip, man! How cool to find the glacial marker, too.

[BaNosser]

Awesome soups.. looks like you nailed it.. glad the weather held..

[ISL]

Thanks for the TR, and for helping to keep LaChapelle's vigil. Long-duration experiments have a prescience and benevolence that makes them extra special.

[DasBlunt]

Rapid Glacial receding proving global warming?

Flow rate looks suddenly massive in relation to time/distance traveled from the map.

[Tippster]

Did you go on an owling while you were in the Hoh?

Is that something from Harry Potter?

[406]

The approximate area where I found it is the red circle. According to that sketch it looks like it was originally placed where the green arrow is...

Very cool and nice TR. Make sure they list you as a co author on the paper they publish

[KQ]

Is that something from Harry Potter?

LOL!! No, no.... it's when you go out at night to owl watch.

[GeezerSteve]

Back in civilization after successfully putting 6 on the summit Sunday to celebrate Anita's 50th birthday. Great classic route and a good crew! Don B the Legend scampered up the rap route and did a yeoman's job belaying each of the summiteers. Great views of the Bailey Range -- gotta get back there soon, next time with Anita. Crossing the lower Blue and jumping over numerous englacial streams was surreal. Get over there while you can cuz the lower Blue is wasting fast, will require higher crossings in the future.

soup's info checked out 100%. Thanks!

[Soups]

Awesome it worked out for you guys! Any pics? Would love to see how much of a difference a few weeks made, it was warm when we were up there. Not much in the way of englacial streams when we did it. How was the weather? Sounded decent enough if you had views of the area.

[GeezerSteve]

Wow, surprised to hear about the lack of englacial streams. Maybe we crossed in a spot different than you. Pics in progress. Weather was perfect. The only thing that looked like a cloud were the distant forest fire smoke plumes over the Cascades.