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- Dec 23, 2013
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This weekend's hike took Katie and I to the north summit of Mount Olympus. We began at the Neff's Canyon Trailhead at around 6:45 in the morning. We made our way up the Neff's Canyon road until we reached Norths Fork, and at this point followed a trail along the west side of the fork, to reach the bottom of the coulior that would take us up the mountain. This time of year, the bottom half of the ascent has a lot of bushwhacking while the upper half is stair-stepping up rocks for the most part. At the top of the coulior, you have to work your way west until you reach a steep gully that leads to the western ridge of the north summit. Once on the ridge, we worked our way back east to the north summit, which includes some scrambling, downclimbing and rattlesnake alley. We ended up seeing six rattlesnakes on this hike. When all was said and done, I was pretty scratched up from the bushwhacking sections, but somehow Katie managed to avoid any scrapes and bruises.
Here is our hike:
![01.jpg 01.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99638-6134fe9e21c7f5ee50ba41688114ca40.jpg)
Hiking up Neff's Canyon Road with Olympus above
![02.jpg 02.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99639-a74a9de89e5e7315091d2c45498828df.jpg)
Crossing the Mount Olympus Wilderness Boundary, near the entrance to Norths Fork
![03.jpg 03.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99640-d80ebd44f3db03f0f904e95bb4514f4c.jpg)
Norths Fork
Here are some shots from the bottom to the top of the coulior
![04.jpg 04.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99641-667b9ef3c80739c23476c20bddf6edf1.jpg)
Near the entrance of the coulior
![05.jpg 05.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99642-8f99c3801f543cd28ae90989a0b7b5f2.jpg)
Rocky going amidst all the shrubs
![06.jpg 06.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99643-334a8f2c065feaf4ff9f841ed239bb67.jpg)
Stonecrop
![07.jpg 07.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99644-a79005843aaf7089501d3815fb57d348.jpg)
Buckwheat
![08.jpg 08.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99645-0e3f5dfd38683ea95ae305664ae42f5a.jpg)
Butterfly
![09.jpg 09.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99646-9c116e1a90e4161b17e844b5d840c8ff.jpg)
Back to the coulior
![10.jpg 10.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99647-2ac316246c3c4b94c51e92fefa2011cc.jpg)
Bushwhacking heaven.![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
![11.jpg 11.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99648-d029a44dbe5f958bf4dd5c19a0818f6d.jpg)
More rocks
![12.jpg 12.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99649-7f7c77ee114d249a8e714354d707114a.jpg)
More bushwhacking
![13.jpg 13.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99650-5fc42f8ac8c06238c2d920246f398c23.jpg)
Out of the bushwhacking portion
![14.jpg 14.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99651-d5eb3e0bf4ad26e2c396d285c21aed04.jpg)
Just rock stepping to the top
![15.jpg 15.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99652-3d6d83eec6ab02af470dacb1f6caf7cf.jpg)
Working my way up
![16.jpg 16.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99653-018516363eb9efb9370b7c90ff8850aa.jpg)
Getting close to the top of the coulior
![17.jpg 17.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99654-786e3901762d258f43a11fac40bbb34f.jpg)
Still some scrambling to be done to reach the top
![18.jpg 18.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99655-4cc625235471bfe9aef2d7a36ce27740.jpg)
Katie, on a scramble section
![19.jpg 19.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99656-c0a0d49e092d9db2f4ed10dbeecc7f58.jpg)
Fleabane
![20.jpg 20.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99657-17280a8bd81b782af954035a0a50c451.jpg)
Once at the top of the coulior, we made our way west towards the steep gulley - the way ahead
![20b.jpg 20b.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99658-9f0b6772dbc2adc94aaac179e0a3ff29.jpg)
Arriving at the gully
![21.jpg 21.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99659-7aeb9eacf790b8e5fc9ff3368f345e15.jpg)
Looking up the gully
![22.jpg 22.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99660-447c4cd2973767b0fe2042eb325300b4.jpg)
Working our way up the gully
![24.jpg 24.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99661-bb6de11fea0c09ff8d8e1db299c1f24f.jpg)
Views to the south from the ridge at the top of the gulley. (L-R) Broads Fork Twin Peaks, Pfeifferhorn, North and South Thunder
Mountains, and Lone Peak
![25.jpg 25.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99662-536a90becbbd550e80ed578d77b73497.jpg)
Snack time!
You better think (think)
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Think (think, think)
Let your mind go, let yourself be free
![26.jpg 26.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99663-cb514d5d05405c029d0d89a66583bbae.jpg)
Working our way east along the ridge
![27.jpg 27.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99664-22ee6127cdc7a7cc1171443639836804.jpg)
Rattlesnake #1
![28.jpg 28.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99665-a25dbbe33a14adbb05f77ccb06864d3d.jpg)
Rattlesnake #2
![29.jpg 29.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99666-1d97501a0ba37a67581b90f66428601c.jpg)
Some obstacles you just have to go under.
![30.jpg 30.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99667-3ec4f65d4913cecaf6f4178e55e63214.jpg)
Rattlesnake #3
![30b.jpg 30b.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99668-bf3489ea31eac3c496719443e6d11236.jpg)
Scat blood - a little bit out of focus, but the valley looks nice.![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
![31.jpg 31.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99669-82c5183b9ebe0e22a4e1697e287ba15d.jpg)
Making our way up the chute that leads directly to the north summit
![32.jpg 32.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99670-183c0b602a7b60e272c8f2f86f52527e.jpg)
Giving me some photography lessons - an orange-legged drone fly
![33.jpg 33.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99671-533f3da891725ff1099058b8f6bdc582.jpg)
Views from the summit - Wildcat Ridge to the east
![34.jpg 34.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99672-218eb926caad2c0552159f775074e8bb.jpg)
Views from the summit - Grandeur Peak, Church Fork Peak, and Mount Aire to the north along the Millcreek Ridgeline
![35.jpg 35.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99673-333253799b0403e5f13799a538fed029.jpg)
South Summit of Mount Olympus - the popular one
![36.jpg 36.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99674-c06b83e0d3a371daf996eea1124bb1d4.jpg)
Summit shot
![37.jpg 37.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99675-2db6a0456a557b485bdaa367a37d94ab.jpg)
Zoomed in and looking down on the Jeep in the parking lot
![38.jpg 38.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99676-97d0eca9e472d81c5bcd4abd4dc7e99e.jpg)
Beginning the scramble back up to rattlesnake alley
![39.jpg 39.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99677-bc0e885bebc5ed43bf558572d1aa0e67.jpg)
Wasatch Beardtongue
![40.jpg 40.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99678-3c3cec4ce42675f471f3ad1c37a4a307.jpg)
Sego Lilly in rattlesnake alley
![41.jpg 41.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99679-08be0e08be2a3f0df3fad18044213ee4.jpg)
Rattlesnake #4
![42.jpg 42.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99680-4abdcebfc6b4515a336298e87eeca42e.jpg)
And #5 - I didn't get a chance to take a shot of #6, by the time I got my camera out, it had slithered under a rock.
![43.jpg 43.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99681-c66896c080904227d9d2506ff6092dbb.jpg)
Scrambling back up to the ridge
![44.jpg 44.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99682-20ec16e8aedadc550f021883e9659382.jpg)
Mount Olympus spring water
![45.jpg 45.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99683-73ee615f97008c1d0fed816dc580e0a2.jpg)
Jeep and Olympus - like a hand in glove.
Back at the Neff's Canyon Trailhead
The End
Here is our hike:
![01.jpg 01.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99638-6134fe9e21c7f5ee50ba41688114ca40.jpg)
Hiking up Neff's Canyon Road with Olympus above
![02.jpg 02.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99639-a74a9de89e5e7315091d2c45498828df.jpg)
Crossing the Mount Olympus Wilderness Boundary, near the entrance to Norths Fork
![03.jpg 03.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99640-d80ebd44f3db03f0f904e95bb4514f4c.jpg)
Norths Fork
Here are some shots from the bottom to the top of the coulior
![04.jpg 04.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99641-667b9ef3c80739c23476c20bddf6edf1.jpg)
Near the entrance of the coulior
![05.jpg 05.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99642-8f99c3801f543cd28ae90989a0b7b5f2.jpg)
Rocky going amidst all the shrubs
![06.jpg 06.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99643-334a8f2c065feaf4ff9f841ed239bb67.jpg)
Stonecrop
![07.jpg 07.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99644-a79005843aaf7089501d3815fb57d348.jpg)
Buckwheat
![08.jpg 08.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99645-0e3f5dfd38683ea95ae305664ae42f5a.jpg)
Butterfly
![09.jpg 09.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99646-9c116e1a90e4161b17e844b5d840c8ff.jpg)
Back to the coulior
![10.jpg 10.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99647-2ac316246c3c4b94c51e92fefa2011cc.jpg)
Bushwhacking heaven.
![11.jpg 11.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99648-d029a44dbe5f958bf4dd5c19a0818f6d.jpg)
More rocks
![12.jpg 12.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99649-7f7c77ee114d249a8e714354d707114a.jpg)
More bushwhacking
![13.jpg 13.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99650-5fc42f8ac8c06238c2d920246f398c23.jpg)
Out of the bushwhacking portion
![14.jpg 14.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99651-d5eb3e0bf4ad26e2c396d285c21aed04.jpg)
Just rock stepping to the top
![15.jpg 15.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99652-3d6d83eec6ab02af470dacb1f6caf7cf.jpg)
Working my way up
![16.jpg 16.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99653-018516363eb9efb9370b7c90ff8850aa.jpg)
Getting close to the top of the coulior
![17.jpg 17.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99654-786e3901762d258f43a11fac40bbb34f.jpg)
Still some scrambling to be done to reach the top
![18.jpg 18.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99655-4cc625235471bfe9aef2d7a36ce27740.jpg)
Katie, on a scramble section
![19.jpg 19.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99656-c0a0d49e092d9db2f4ed10dbeecc7f58.jpg)
Fleabane
![20.jpg 20.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99657-17280a8bd81b782af954035a0a50c451.jpg)
Once at the top of the coulior, we made our way west towards the steep gulley - the way ahead
![20b.jpg 20b.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99658-9f0b6772dbc2adc94aaac179e0a3ff29.jpg)
Arriving at the gully
![21.jpg 21.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99659-7aeb9eacf790b8e5fc9ff3368f345e15.jpg)
Looking up the gully
![22.jpg 22.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99660-447c4cd2973767b0fe2042eb325300b4.jpg)
Working our way up the gully
![24.jpg 24.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99661-bb6de11fea0c09ff8d8e1db299c1f24f.jpg)
Views to the south from the ridge at the top of the gulley. (L-R) Broads Fork Twin Peaks, Pfeifferhorn, North and South Thunder
Mountains, and Lone Peak
![25.jpg 25.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99662-536a90becbbd550e80ed578d77b73497.jpg)
Snack time!
You better think (think)
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Think (think, think)
Let your mind go, let yourself be free
![26.jpg 26.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99663-cb514d5d05405c029d0d89a66583bbae.jpg)
Working our way east along the ridge
![27.jpg 27.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99664-22ee6127cdc7a7cc1171443639836804.jpg)
Rattlesnake #1
![28.jpg 28.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99665-a25dbbe33a14adbb05f77ccb06864d3d.jpg)
Rattlesnake #2
![29.jpg 29.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99666-1d97501a0ba37a67581b90f66428601c.jpg)
Some obstacles you just have to go under.
![30.jpg 30.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99667-3ec4f65d4913cecaf6f4178e55e63214.jpg)
Rattlesnake #3
![30b.jpg 30b.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99668-bf3489ea31eac3c496719443e6d11236.jpg)
Scat blood - a little bit out of focus, but the valley looks nice.
![31.jpg 31.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99669-82c5183b9ebe0e22a4e1697e287ba15d.jpg)
Making our way up the chute that leads directly to the north summit
![32.jpg 32.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99670-183c0b602a7b60e272c8f2f86f52527e.jpg)
Giving me some photography lessons - an orange-legged drone fly
![33.jpg 33.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99671-533f3da891725ff1099058b8f6bdc582.jpg)
Views from the summit - Wildcat Ridge to the east
![34.jpg 34.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99672-218eb926caad2c0552159f775074e8bb.jpg)
Views from the summit - Grandeur Peak, Church Fork Peak, and Mount Aire to the north along the Millcreek Ridgeline
![35.jpg 35.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99673-333253799b0403e5f13799a538fed029.jpg)
South Summit of Mount Olympus - the popular one
![36.jpg 36.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99674-c06b83e0d3a371daf996eea1124bb1d4.jpg)
Summit shot
![37.jpg 37.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99675-2db6a0456a557b485bdaa367a37d94ab.jpg)
Zoomed in and looking down on the Jeep in the parking lot
![38.jpg 38.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99676-97d0eca9e472d81c5bcd4abd4dc7e99e.jpg)
Beginning the scramble back up to rattlesnake alley
![39.jpg 39.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99677-bc0e885bebc5ed43bf558572d1aa0e67.jpg)
Wasatch Beardtongue
![40.jpg 40.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99678-3c3cec4ce42675f471f3ad1c37a4a307.jpg)
Sego Lilly in rattlesnake alley
![41.jpg 41.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99679-08be0e08be2a3f0df3fad18044213ee4.jpg)
Rattlesnake #4
![42.jpg 42.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99680-4abdcebfc6b4515a336298e87eeca42e.jpg)
And #5 - I didn't get a chance to take a shot of #6, by the time I got my camera out, it had slithered under a rock.
![43.jpg 43.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99681-c66896c080904227d9d2506ff6092dbb.jpg)
Scrambling back up to the ridge
![44.jpg 44.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99682-20ec16e8aedadc550f021883e9659382.jpg)
Mount Olympus spring water
![45.jpg 45.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/99/99683-73ee615f97008c1d0fed816dc580e0a2.jpg)
Jeep and Olympus - like a hand in glove.
The End
Last edited: