THE MOUNTAINEER 65 



The Ascent of Mount Olympus 



By L. A. NELSON 



THE first ascent of the west peak of Blount Olympus made by the ]\Ioun- 

 taineers, and probably the first made by any one, was accomplished 

 by a party of eleven on August 13, 1907. Although hampered by 

 storms the party reached the summit without great difficulty and were re- 

 warded by one of the grandest views to be had in the American mountains. 



At 4:30 on the morning of August 13th, the most despised call of the 

 day was sounded through camp and with a reluctant sigh the company rolled 

 out of their Avarm l)lankets only to encounter a cold wet fog that lay like 

 a pall over the valley. With hopes of better weather after sun-up, breakfast 

 preparations were begun and rushed to a finish and at 5 o'clock breakfast 

 was served. In the meantime it was discovered that two of the party had 

 not reported, and a short search revealed them tucked snuglj^ away in their 

 blankets. A vigorous bombardment with tin cans soon drove them out, 

 with the remark that they had no desire to be canned. Visions of at least 

 fourteen hours between breakfast and dinner seemed to be a wonderful 

 appetizer, judging by the way food disappeared. 



The call, "Fall in" came at 5:10 and five minutes later the march Avas 

 begun. The clouds hung low, with every indication of rain and with many 

 an anxious look and comment on the weather the conquerors of Olympus 

 moved onward. 



After traveling across the morain of the Humes glacier we turned to the 

 northwest up a snow-slope, which we followed a short distance. Leaving 

 the snoAv we crossed a talus of rock-slope and descended a precipitous rock 

 cliff to the Humes glacier. A few minutes for adjusting packs and the party 

 started for the head of the glacier. The weather was growing colder and 

 in a short time it began to snow. Nothing daunted we pushed on, and to 

 a question as to the weather, an optimist of the party said, "The sun will be 

 out soon," and sure enough in a few minutes the snow stopped falling and 

 the sun came out in all its splendor. 



After traveling two miles up an easy slide, winding in and out among 

 crevasses, that yawned on every side, v/e climbed a 35 degrees slope to the 

 summit of Blizzard pass. From this point Ave had our first clear view of 

 Mount Olympus, East peak Avith its clear-cut profile of a sphinx head being 

 the nearest ; to the left of it and a mile further aAvay INliddle peak, a 

 massiA'e bulk ; and still further aAvay and directly Avest of East peak Avas 

 West peak, the main and highest of all. Woi-king our Avay doAvn a steep 

 snow-slope and a ridge of rock to the Hoh glacier Avitli a loss of elevation 

 of 700 feet Ave turn to the south toAvard the head of the glacier on a 

 gradually increasing grade. On reaching the steeper slopes Ave turn to the 

 AvestAvard a trifle and Avith short rests keep plugging aAvay. 



About this time the question arose as to Avhether Ave Avould see IMount 

 Rainier, and. during one of our rests one of the party called out, "There 

 it is," followed l)y a chorus of. "Where?" and sure enough, there in all its 

 matchless' beauty Avas the greatest of all our mountains. A fcAv stages 

 further, and, "There is Adams!" is heard. On a short distance and as Ave 

 pause to look again at Rainier and Adams, St. Helens is also seen. By this 



