We’re almost through with summer, and there hasn’t been much snow talk on WildSnow. Here’s a brief trip report from a mid-summer glacier expedition, just to get your feet thinking cold.
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Mt. Olympus, Day 2: July 11, 2008
We are camped on the blue glacier tonight. 8:29 and its bedtime for our 2 a.m. summit attempt. We hiked 10.5 miles yesterday and probably about 10 today. The weather is ideal — blue skies and temps in the 70s. Seems we hit it perfect as last years trip this same weekend got rained out. It’s just Lane and I and our guide, Craig, owner of Go Trek Expeditions.
The Olympics are beautiful. Lower elevation is all temperate rainforest until just short of tree line. Tree line was about 6000ft. Then all rocks and snow. Hard to sleep when in a yellow tent as its like the sun is still out.
So I wrote in my backpacking journal on a four-day backpack trip this July in Olympic National Park in Washington (not Greece despite popular belief). The trip was with Summit for Someone, a fundraising climb series benefiting Big City Mountaineers. I had convinced my good friend Lane Keough to take on this adventure with me. After months of fundraising and training, we were finally undertaking what would be my hardest, but most enjoyable, expedition to date.
We started at the Hoh River Trail — elevation 600 ft — and hiked in 10.5 miles to Lewis Meadows the first night. Day two found us gaining significant elevation over 10 miles to Glacier Meadows at 4300 ft. Then up the glacier about another 1,000 vertical feet to high camp.
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| Mt. Olympus is a mass of glaciers and rocks. There are three prominent rock peaks – East, Middle and West, with the West Peak being the pyramid that is the tallest, the one we were going to climb. Foreground of the picture is the Snow Dome. West Peak of Olympus is peaking out in the back. (Click here to see it BIG.. |
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We started our summit bid at 2 a.m. Strapped on the crampons, and with a pole in one hand and the ice axe in another, hiked up the Snow Dome in the dark. As we crested to the base of the Mt. Olympus pyramid, the sun came up over Mt. Baker to the northeast. It was quite a sight and was only 4:30 a.m. We could also see the lights of Victoria on Vancouver Island. We dropped the crampons and axe and started the 5.4 scramble up the pyramid, with a short 5.7 pitch mixed in. We were all short-roped together, and Craig set up a belay for Lane and I to safely get up the pitch. Had I been wearing my climbing shoes, it would have been a cinch, but with mountaineering boots and a pack, it was a bit of a challenge.
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| Sunrise over Mt. Baker. I think a winter ski trip is in order. Eh, Lou? |
We finished the scramble to the top at 6:30 a.m. and the sun was already way above the horizon. With a summit elevation of 7980ft, the views spread from the Straight of Juan De Fuca looking into Canada to the chain of volcanoes –Baker, Rainier, Adams and St. Helens. We could also see the group that was camped near us on the glacier just coming over the Snow Dome (slackers!), and the tiny speck of our yellow tent way below.
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| Sweet Victory. I’m kissing the US Coast & Geodectic Survey mark. We just gained an elevation of 7380 ft in two days and 23 miles. |
Down we went back to camp with a lot of glissading on the snow fields, visions of skiing in my mind. Quick stop at camp to dry off, pack up and lunch before making the haul back to our first night’s camp in Lewis Meadows. Logged about 14 miles this day. Collapsed into our tents even earlier.
The final day was a flat 10.5-mile hike out. I’m glad I took all my pictures heading in as I could barely lift my head to keep from tripping (and no Dave, I didn’t fall once!) As the three of us trekked the 40+ miles on the Hoh River trail to and from Mt. Olympus, we got quite a few looks and questions from our matching Jansport backpacks, Mammut pants and La Sportiva boots (thanks to the gear sponsors). It was great being able to share our story on why we were out. “we’re raising money for inner-city youth to go on adventures similar to this one!” (More info can be found at www.summitforsomeone.org.)
(Guest blogger profile: Jessica Downing supports her husband, Dave, in Carbondale, CO. She is a super hero in her downtime, skis with boys and is a constant threat to Dave’s Nintendo Wii Ski record.)
Jessica Downing supports her husband, Dave, in Whitefish, Montana, skis with boys and is a constant threat to Dave’s Nintendo Wii backcountry skiing record.