Mt olympus via Blue Glacier

Lately i've been researching the route to summit mount olympus in the olympic range. The trail to reach the glacier looks amazing and the peak also has two major glaciers. I was looking at the route and was wondering if it is possible to climb the summit pyramid unassisted. I plan on summiting it in a day as i am an avid runner if not what gear and know should i know to climb it? 

If you are confident that you can free solo somewhat loose 5.5 alpine rock, up and down, you can climb the summit pyramid unassisted.  Otherwise, I wouldn't do it without a rope and partner.  There are also crevasses that could unexpectedly swallow a solo climber.  

Given that you are trying to run it in a day, I assume that you would be going light and even a minor injury could have major consequences.  It's remote.  Even with a PLB, I wouldn't expect help to arrive particularly quickly.

Is there an easier route up mount olympus?

Nathan Winters wrote: Is there an easier route up mount olympus?

Hey Nathan, it may be easier for folks to help you out here if you post a little brief about your climbing history. 

Alright yeah that would be a good idea! I don't have alot of very technical experience ive summited mount baker, eldorado peak, and mount rainer

Nathan Winters wrote: Is there an easier route up mount olympus?

Nathan,

The standard blue glacier route is the easiest way up the peak. People do climb it solo, but there are some serious big crevasses up there and in my mind I would not do it without a partner and a rope.  As mentioned, if you are comfortable down climbing loose, 5.4ish rock, then go for it.

You can see this route is a GPX file in Caltopo and download the track file and print a map for free at alpinesavvy.com:
https://www.alpinesavvy.com/gps-tracks

From what i've seen the route up mt olympus is a class 3 im pretty new to mountaineering so does a class 3 route include class 5 features?

If you can assess up-climbing and down-climbing chossy Rock before you actually do it, I wouldn’t let the summit block dissuade you.

While it is always nice to summit on a big day, you could turn around if you don’t like the looks of it.  The rock climbing is only 1% of your round trip.

Still, I would be mentally prepared to turn around at obvious snow bridges which could cut off much more of your round trip.

And pray  that you don’t fall through any hidden crevasses, especially on Snow Dome.

Also, crossing Blue Glacier can be like walking on hard block ice.  For that kind terrain, some crampons would be nice.

What time of year is in your mind right now?

Thanks for the feedback and i would like to do it in mid summer and i do plan on bringing crampons and is there a way to use ropes solo to make it safer

Nathan Winters wrote: Thanks for the feedback and i would like to do it in mid summer and i do plan on bringing crampons and is there a way to use ropes solo to make it safer

If you mean for the summit block and not for the glaciers ...

My default answer about a rope is you should have a strong background in lead rope soloing trad. And for most mortals that means also first having a strong background in leading trad.

That said, almost exactly four decades ago, I solo’d the summit block trailing a rope and then hip belayed a large group up and down the summit block. And then I solo’d back down the short steep section.  It was my second time up in about as many years - on the first time I was belayed. So the second time I had some advantage over you: a bit of familiarity.

I had none of the experience I just mentioned. But I did have a ton of experience scrambling the choss-y “3rd” class rock of the Olympics. And had great endurance so was not exhausted while at the summit block.

Do you think the snow pack will be melted enough to expose the crevasses a bit? ... still no guarantee though.

Bill Lawry wrote: Do you think the snow pack will be melted enough to expose the crevasses a bit? ... still no guarantee though.

Nathan, I have done this route, and also Mt Rainier, Eldorado, and Baker like you.  Here is some info to share with you from my brother and my summit trip:

We approached this via the Hoh River.  We did this late in the Summer in July.  Crevasses were mostly obvious; HOWEVER, the later you do it, the more likely the moat between glacier and the rocky summit will be.  It was a very large stemming step from the glacier to the rock (broken shale) with crampons on.  I would not want to do that move without a rope as the moat is quite large the further the summer goes and I could not see the bottom... it went quite a ways down.

The climb on the rocky summit is fine, easy 5.0, but it will be heightened by climbing it in crampons: there is no great place to take them off unless you do that in the snow before you step across.  The rock is broken shale, like much of the olympics making many of the cracks loose because of flexing pieces of rock.  There really is no great pro with nuts or cams, IMO.  There was one place to sling a loose horn about 30 feet up or so if you have a belay, but really the climb is easy enough you should be able to solo it ok in mountaineering boots.  

Rapping off the summit is required, IMO.  

Hope this helps.  If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

Ok thanks for the feedback ill think ill start climbing indoors a bit to feel more comfortable with the climb is there any mountains in the olympics you think i should start on before

Nathan Winters wrote: Ok thanks for the feedback ill think ill start climbing indoors a bit to feel more comfortable with the climb is there any mountains in the olympics you think i should start on before

That is the only one I've done in the Olympics.  I personally think you want a partner for that one.  I'd say go for it, just hunt a partner down.  It isn't a hard climb, you just want a partner for the glacier travel and the summit.  

Nathan Winters wrote: Is there an easier route up mount olympus?

Helicopter..... yeah, go with a helicopter if you want to do it in a day.

It's about 44 miles round trip with about 7500' elevation gain/loss, not a day hike. There's two good sized crevasses between the top of the snow dome and the base of the pinnacle (even if they're covered by a snow bridge), so you'll likely want to go around the back side of the small peak on the left which puts you on a very sketchy path (loose rock with LOTS of exposure)  back around to the base of the pinnacle. Then 120' to the top, even though it's 5.5/6, it's severe consequences risk if you fell. Then there's Billy Goat Gruff up there. He didn't look pleased.

Yeah, you go with someone that knows what they're doing so we don't have to read *about* you instead of a trip report you wrote.

Every time we went, we only ever climbed the NW class 4 way - class 3 in the old guide.

My Angeles was where I did most of my scrambling in the Olympics. There are different ways to the top. Mt Angeles is also rated class 3 in the old guide. But back then, I thought Olympus was harder.

Nathan, If you are thinking trailhead to summit and back in one day, that seems a lot given that you have not been up it before. Lots of decision making to be done while short on time and perhaps energy.

Nathan Winters wrote:
Ok thanks for the feedback ill think ill start climbing indoors a bit to feel more comfortable with the climb is there any mountains in the olympics you think i should start on before

While the gym is not a bad idea, gym climbing is notoriously unlike much outdoor climbing in many ways. Not represented are many climbing techniques, dealing with poor rock, route finding, etc.  And don’t forget downclimbing unfamiliar terrain.

By the way, going the fourth class way, we always took off our crampons and did the steeper climbing in our mountaineering boots