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Mount Olympus Hike

It rained all day yesterday, so when I woke up late in the morning today, I was pleased to see that it was clear. Although I hadn't planned on hiking today, I quickly decided to attempt Mount Olympus again.

Despite the much cooler temperatures, the sun was still very hot today because--like last weekend--I didn't start hiking until around 2:00 PM.

After I crossed the small stream in Tolcat Canyon, I headed up the steep switchbacks of what I believe is called Blister Hill. At the top of that section, the trail changes considerably. The trail becomes more wooded, and it takes on an almost Adirondack feel.

I was surprised to discover that the spot at which I turned around last week was nowhere near the saddle! In fact, that spot was only a little more than halfway to the saddle.

After quite an uphill slog that seemed endless, I was glad to finally reach the saddle because it afforded sweeping views of the peaks to the south and the east. After taking a few pictures, I followed a path to the bottom of the steep 600-vertical-foot scramble to the summit.

This guy I had talked to on the trail who was hiking at about the same pace as me eventually caught up to me as I was making my way up amongst the cliffs. It was nice to have a little company on this challenging section, and I think he enjoyed the company as well.

Most of the scrambling was very easy. It was steep, but it wasn't exposed. One section, however, posed quite a challenge. This particular section required a body length or two of dedicated climbing on a slick rock with few good handholds. A fall or a slip wouldn't have killed anyone, but it wouldn't have been fun at all.

(more coming soon)