Mount Olympus South Summit: 9,026'
Mount Olympus North Summit 8,960'
Six Peaks Total Elevation Gain: ~5,000 ft.
Wasatch Mountains
Salt Lake City, Utah
This is a combination of West Ridge Route and the classic
South Summit Route.
This route hits all six peaks among the twin massifs of Mount
Olympus.
There are five subpeaks on the Northern Massif : N1, N2, N3,
N4, N5, and one peak on the Southern Massif : Olympus South
Peak.
This route isn't for the faint of heart. This route
will require about 1/2 a mile of bramble bushwhacking,
tons of routefinding, rock climbing and down climbing.
Also it is in the sun for the entire time. The entire
route is about 8 miles total. Although not necessary for
everyone, I would recommend some climbing rope, and maybe
some climbing shoes.
Like all off-trail routes, always be ready to back up if you
get in a difficult situation. Pay close attention to the route
well before you get there.
You'll be much better able to navigate if you are continually
looking far ahead and formulating a gameplan well in advance.
Note:
As you go up the actual West Ridge, try to slowly
trend all the way to the far left (north) edge of the
giant northern slab. Go diagonal northeast climbing up
and over minor slabs along the way. Wait for the right
time to cross over.
Note:
Near the end of the hike, after you pass the North Face
Trail, which comes up steeply on the left, there is a
break in the ridge. You will need to decend. There are
many opportunities to get hurt through here. Go slow and
be ready to back up.
I went in a straight line from the northernmost
peak of the Northern Summit (Subpeak N1) up and down to
the South Summit. This isn't recommended, as it can be
serious if you make even a little mistake. The crux is
near the southern base of Subpeak N5. You can either down-traverse
a 5.7 or do what I did, jump 10-15 feet down.
South Summit from Subpeak N4
To safely get down from Subpeak N5 into Tolcat
Canyon you can traverse right or to the east.
You can hike down Tolcat Canyon, I've never done
it, but I would guess that it would be steep, with
broken trees all over the place, lots of bushwhacking
with some downclimbing.
Tolcat Waterfall
After enjoying the silence of Tolcat Canyon (Neffs Norths
Fork on the other side), I climbed up the broken, but
stable face on the north face of the South Summit, the
holds were excellent all the way up, the angle was between
70 degrees in places to mostly about 50 degrees. I unwisely
went up without a rope, in my street shoes.
North Summit
South Summit
Tolcat Canyon
South Summit North Face
There are usually thousands of biting flies and mosquitos this
time of year, but on this day their numbers were biblical. They
left me alone for most of the hike, but they came in swarms
as soon as I got to the South Summit (The popular peak) and
from then on, they tormented me down the trail. It was ridiculous
how many were coming at me, climbing under my sunglasses and
under my shirt, I must have smashed 2,000 of them into my face
and head. I slipped on the rocks dozens of times as I swatted
at them.They were unrelenting until I passed an unfortunate
couple sitting along the trail in the forest. Apparently, parasites
prefer nonmoving hosts. I kind of felt bad later as I could
hear them far behind, trying to outrun the files.
I encountered a kid with an old dog, stuck on the trail about
half way down Blister Hill. The dog was of the 150+ pounds variety,
with a thick fur coat. The dog's feet were hammered, and it
seemed to be dehydrated and hyperthermic. The dog simply refused
to budge. Everytime I've brought an old dog up this trail (Mount
Olympus South Summit) in the summer, I've had to carry it down.
If you have an old dog, be sure it is small enough to carry.
Watch out for Rattlesnakes.
Use a walking stick to thump on the ground every so often.
They will hear you before you get there, usually they'll
just slither off, if not, at least they'll be rattling
to give you a warning.
June 20, 2008
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Mount Olympus Trail
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Bumble Bee
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
West Ridge Route
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Looking East toward the switchbacks up Blister H
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
A waterfall along the Tolcat Canyon Stream.
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Olympus North Peak
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Tolcat Canyon
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Nearing the base of the Northern Massif.Looking
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Inching up the steep quartzite in the sweltering
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Rattlesnake
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Olympus North
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Mount Olympus North Route
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Huge Raptor
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
North Peak
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Looking east from the top of Subpeak N1 down Wi
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
From Subpeak N1 looking west over the southern S
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
A telephoto shot of Triangle Peak, the first obs
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
From Subpeak N1 looking north over the Northern
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
From Subpeak N1 looking south toward Subpeak N2.
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
From Subpeak N2 (Highest on the northern group o
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
The tippy top of Subpeak N2 looking north. Grand
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
From the base of Subpeak N3. Looking north towar
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Looking east across the traverse across Subpeak
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
From the top of Subpeak N3 looking west.The rock
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Between Subpeak N3 and Subpeak N4 looking west o
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
From the top of Subpeak N4 looking west.
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
From Subpeak N4 looking south over the southernm
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Views of interest rock fracturing on the walls o
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Looking south from the top of Sub Peak N5 toward
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
From Subpeak N5 looking east.Notice the angle of
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Looking straight down Subpeak N5 toward the gull
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
This chute goes down into North's Fork to the ea
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
I was planning on climbing up this section which
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
I decided the safest way would be straight up th
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Halfway up the Southern Face of the South Summit
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
After a day of solace and natural beauty, it was
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Looking south from the summit of Mount Olympus S
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Twin Peaks
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
Superior Peak
Mount Olympus Six Peaks Route
And then it got dark about an hour before I got
Message Board
Page Posts: 2
NAME
CITY
DATE
Kyle New
Phoenix
2009-05-29
Had to body ski down about
100ft.Love the Wasatch-Cache forest
chris juhl
tulsa
2009-05-26
Probably the most fun I ever had was hiking up this
mountain. January2006 without crampons
