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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:
Hiking up Neff's Canyon Road with Olympus above
Crossing the Mount Olympus Wilderness Boundary, near the entrance to Norths Fork
Norths Fork
Here are some shots from the bottom to the top of the coulior
Near the entrance of the coulior
Rocky going amidst all the shrubs
Stonecrop
Buckwheat
Butterfly
Back to the coulior
Bushwhacking heaven.
More rocks
More bushwhacking
Out of the bushwhacking portion
Just rock stepping to the top
Working my way up
Getting close to the top of the coulior
Still some scrambling to be done to reach the top
Katie, on a scramble section
Fleabane
Once at the top of the coulior, we made our way west towards the steep gulley - the way ahead
Arriving at the gully
Looking up the gully
Working our way up the gully
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
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
Working our way east along the ridge
Rattlesnake #1
Rattlesnake #2
Some obstacles you just have to go under.
Rattlesnake #3
Scat blood - a little bit out of focus, but the valley looks nice.
Making our way up the chute that leads directly to the north summit
Giving me some photography lessons - an orange-legged drone fly
Views from the summit - Wildcat Ridge to the east
Views from the summit - Grandeur Peak, Church Fork Peak, and Mount Aire to the north along the Millcreek Ridgeline
South Summit of Mount Olympus - the popular one
Summit shot
Zoomed in and looking down on the Jeep in the parking lot
Beginning the scramble back up to rattlesnake alley
Wasatch Beardtongue
Sego Lilly in rattlesnake alley
Rattlesnake #4
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.
Scrambling back up to the ridge
Mount Olympus spring water
Jeep and Olympus - like a hand in glove. Back at the Neff's Canyon Trailhead
The End
Here is our hike:
Hiking up Neff's Canyon Road with Olympus above
Crossing the Mount Olympus Wilderness Boundary, near the entrance to Norths Fork
Norths Fork
Here are some shots from the bottom to the top of the coulior
Near the entrance of the coulior
Rocky going amidst all the shrubs
Stonecrop
Buckwheat
Butterfly
Back to the coulior
Bushwhacking heaven.
More rocks
More bushwhacking
Out of the bushwhacking portion
Just rock stepping to the top
Working my way up
Getting close to the top of the coulior
Still some scrambling to be done to reach the top
Katie, on a scramble section
Fleabane
Once at the top of the coulior, we made our way west towards the steep gulley - the way ahead
Arriving at the gully
Looking up the gully
Working our way up the gully
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
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
Working our way east along the ridge
Rattlesnake #1
Rattlesnake #2
Some obstacles you just have to go under.
Rattlesnake #3
Scat blood - a little bit out of focus, but the valley looks nice.
Making our way up the chute that leads directly to the north summit
Giving me some photography lessons - an orange-legged drone fly
Views from the summit - Wildcat Ridge to the east
Views from the summit - Grandeur Peak, Church Fork Peak, and Mount Aire to the north along the Millcreek Ridgeline
South Summit of Mount Olympus - the popular one
Summit shot
Zoomed in and looking down on the Jeep in the parking lot
Beginning the scramble back up to rattlesnake alley
Wasatch Beardtongue
Sego Lilly in rattlesnake alley
Rattlesnake #4
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.
Scrambling back up to the ridge
Mount Olympus spring water
Jeep and Olympus - like a hand in glove. Back at the Neff's Canyon Trailhead
The End
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