Hoh River #15,Mt. Olympus

Sixty years ago I climbed Mt. Olympus with the Seattle Mountaineers. I was 19 at the time. This July I returned to the mountain with four friends to try the summit again. We left Seattle on July 11 and were on the Hoh River Trail by 2pm. In 90 degree temperature. We hiked five miles to Five Mile Island where camp was made for the night. The next morning was cooler and our group headed for Elk Lake some ten miles distant. The trail was in good shape with only one thigh deep ford.

LIttle elevation is gained in the first 12 miles from the trail head, but upon reaching the high bridge the trail starts up in earnest with no respite. Elk Lake was reached in late afternoon, and it was early to bed as we were all bushed. The next morning our hike continued to Glacier Meadows some 2.5 miles and 1700 feet in elevation gain. Near the Meadows, the trail crosses a slide area where there is little tread left. It was a dicey crossing with each step being measured. We rested most of the day in preparation for the summit assault and were up a 3:30 the next mroning. We left camp at 4:30 and were on the lateral moraine by 5:30. Dropping down from the moraine onto the relatively flat Blue Glacier, we crossed it with ease. It was at this point that the climb starts in earnest. The snow was in good shape for kicking steps, but where possible we chose to scramble up rock that was free of snow. The snow dome was reached by late morning where two of our party chose not to go on. They would remain at the research building until we returned from the summit. (The research building is nothing more that a big prefab box.)

Just ahead of our party was a well equipped group of five climbers. They had helmets, harnesses, carabiners and other assorted climbing gear. We, on the other hand, had only ice axes. Following their footsteps, we skirted a massive bergschrund and proceeded around to the backside of the mountain and up some very steep slpes to the middle or false summit. This summit is slightly lower than the real summit. It was here we chose to end our climb, as going on without a rope was not prudent. After the requisite photos and a bit of lunch, we headed down reaching camp after more than 12 hours on the mountain. The next day we hiked 12 miles to Five Mile Island and the following day reach the car by noon. In six days we had hiked more than 40 miles and climbed over 7000 feet.