Climb Mount Olympus With Alpine Ascents
If that be not the home where dwell the Gods, it is beautiful enough to be, and I therefore call it Mount Olympus. – John Meares, 1788
The undisputed crown jewel of the Olympic Mountain Range, Mount Olympus beckons mountaineers to her remote summit. Though the peak is relatively diminutive in stature when compared to the Cascade volcanoes, glory on Olympus comes only after trekking 17.5 miles through a primeval temperate rainforest, crossing the crevassed Blue Glacier, and scrambling an exposed summit ridge. For any Northwest climber this peak is considered a rite of passage; for everyone this is an adventure through the beautiful and diverse terrain of Olympic National Park, which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Alpine Ascents’ five-day climb of Mount Olympus is an excellent choice for climbers who appreciate the journey as well as the destination. This instructional course/summit climb teaches the basics of glacier mountaineering, including proper ice axe use and self-arrest skills, glacier travel, and basic rope techniques while aiming to summit a remote peak at the very center of Olympic National Park. With a 3:1 climber-to-guide ratio, we offer personal and hands-on training with an experienced guide team. Successful completion of this program gives you the required skills for some of our more advanced expeditions as well as serious bragging rights.
Tents Equipment & Meals
Provided: Transportation. All group climbing equipment, including climbing ropes and technical hardware; meals (except lunch); and tents.
Not Provided: Personal equipment and lunches. You are responsible for all items on the Gear List.
Note: If you are a beginning climber, we strongly advise renting as much gear as possible. Alpine Ascents and other local retailers provide quality rental equipment at reasonable prices. We also offer a 10% discount at the Alpine Ascents Gear Shop located at our offices. We conduct a mandatory gear check the day before your climb. A confirmation package with all details will be sent upon registration.
Reading List
This is a highly recommended shortlist and we would be happy to pass on a longer reading list for those interested. These links will bounce to Amazon.com with reviews.
Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills
Don Graydon (Ed.), Kurt Hanson (Ed.), Mountaineers Society, Mountaineers Books
The Illustrated Guide to Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue
Andy Tyson, Mike Clelland, Climbing Magazine
Mount Olympus Frequently Asked Questions
Please note we will mail specific information to you about your climb upon registration. The following Frequently Asked Questions are meant to serve as helpful guidelines.
The best way to reserve space on a climb is to call our offices and place the deposit on a VISA/MC/AMEX. Our climbs fill quickly on a first-come, first-served basis, and registering over the phone is the best way to ensure reserving the climb dates you want. You may also submit an application by mail with a check, money order, or credit card number.
Summit climbs: Mt. Olympus has a mandatory gear check the day before at 2:00 p.m.
Finishes: Between 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. on the last day of the course.
Location: Alpine Ascents Office. 109 West Mercer Street, Seattle.
Please note: Our recommended hotel, The MarQueen Hotel is located two blocks from our office.
MarQueen Hotel
206-282-7407
http://www.marqueen.com/
This climb is open to any physically fit enthusiastic novice or beginner. Though we provide one day of training during the climb, we recommend participants have prior experience with backpacking and camping. This trip is extremely rigorous and excellent physical condition is mandatory. Please note the guide retains the right, at any point, to determine whether a climber is sufficiently fit to continue the climb.
A mandatory gear check will take place the day before your climb. You are required to attend this meeting so we can do a thorough gear check, provide packing suggestions, review the route we will be taking, discuss Leave No Trace practices, and answer any questions you may have regarding the climb.
Location: Alpine Ascents office @ 109 West Mercer St., Seattle, WA
What to bring: Please bring your pack fully loaded with all gear listed on the Gear List. Climbers can pick up rental Gear at the gear check.
Arrive in time to attend the gear check (preferably the night before the gear check in case of travel delays) and plan to depart at least one day after your climb ends. There are variables, such as the weather, that make it difficult to guarantee the exact time each climb will end. You will need to be ready to go at 6:00 a.m. on the morning your climb begins.
Street parking is limited to two-hour meters. There are numerous pay lots located adjacent to and across from our offices. Please be advised, overnight parking may be difficult to secure during the summer season. Please note: Free long-term parking is generally difficult in the vicinity of Alpine Ascents. If you plan to stay in Seattle and have a car, try to arrange a taxi or ride to our offices on the morning of the climb. You may store extra gear in our offices until your return from the climb. Please give us a call if you have any problems.
There are several lodging options for our climbs. We meet at our office on the day of the climb at 7:00 a.m. Alpine Ascents has partnered with our neighbors, the MarQueen Hotel, located two blocks from our office. Reservations for your room should be made as soon as possible.
MarQueen Hotel
Phone: 206-282-7407
www.marqueen.com
Rates: Reasonable by Seattle standards, however they vary by season.
If you wish to share a room with another climb participant, the MarQueen can help with those arrangements. You will need a room for the night prior to the start of your climb and for the last night of your climb. The hotels are two blocks from the Alpine Ascents office. You may store extra gear at the Mediterranean or at our office until your return.
Staying elsewhere in downtown Seattle is another option. During the climbing season, hotels in the Seattle metropolis are difficult to reserve and are a bit more expensive. You may elect to stay in any one of the numerous hotels in the area, but you will be responsible for getting to our offices by 6:00 a.m. the morning of your climb. We are a short taxi cab ride away from most of the downtown hotels and local equipment shops. After the climb, we will return to our offices and you can return to your hotel by taxi at that point. You will need a room for the night prior to the start of your climb and for the last night of your climb. Please note: Free long-term parking is generally difficult in the vicinity of Alpine Ascents. If you plan to stay in Seattle and have a car, try to arrange a taxi or ride to our offices on the morning of the climb. You may store extra gear in our office until your return.
Alpine Ascents provides breakfast and dinners (as well as stoves and tents) on the climb. Please bring a cup, bowl, and spoon. You are required to bring your own lunches (Please review the Sample Menu Plan in your confirmation package). If you have any food allergies or requirements, please let us know in advance. There is a place on the application to do this. If you have a particular favorite snack/lunch food or beverage mix, please feel free to bring it along. We advise climbers to purchase most bulk foods before we meet. If you are staying in Seattle, there are numerous supermarkets as well as the flagship REI, North Face, and Patagonia gear shops for fresh and prepackaged foods.
The weight of your pack will generally be about 55 lbs.
The ratio is 3:1 on our Mount Olympus 5-Day climb.
When you sign up for a climb, we will send you a confirmation package that includes a Gear List detailing each piece of equipment you will need. Please read your equipment list very carefully. You are required to bring every item on the list, so be as precise as possible when packing. Alpine Ascents rents quality technical equipment at reasonable rates. If you have any equipment-related questions please call us (206-378-1927). You can also email us at: [email protected] We have a full-time gear expert on staff.
You will pick up your rental gear at our offices during the gear check.
The mountains of the Northwest and north coast are heavily glaciated temperate mountains. This means they are subject to highly variable weather conditions.
- Pack everything in two layers of sturdy plastic. (trash compactor bags work the best) Bring one large trash bag to completely and easily cover your pack. You should bring at least three bags.
- It is likely that you will be asked to help carry some of the group equipment, so make sure there is some additional room in and on your backpack.
You will get far more out of your climb by reading “Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 6th ed.,” by The Mountaineers. This book provides an excellent overview of the elements involved in alpine mountaineering. Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 6 review many of the aspects we will be covering during your training, and familiarity with these aspects will greatly enhance your experience.
We run our own retail climbing shop and online Gear Shop, where all Alpine Ascents climbers receive a discount and can receive personalized advice from our gear experts.
At Alpine Ascents, we clean and check our rental boots, packs, crampons, ice axes, tents, and other items on a daily basis. Gear is sized at the gear check, and changes can be made at that time. All of our gear is of the highest quality. Please note that double plastic boots do not break in.
Yes. See the training tips above. But keeping in mind that you are climbing a mountain and it is not easy, if you follow our physical fitness tips and do some training on your own, you should complete the climb with no problems.
For climbers who need to be escorted from the climb, there is an evacuation fee.
This was a fantastic program that offered me a lot more than I was expecting. This is a mandatory AAI trip for the range of experiences and climbing options. I was completely satisfied and would recommend this to everyone regardless of their past climbing achievements. There were no weaknesses that I could see.
