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Mount Olympus

What is it and why visit?

Mount Olympus is the highest peak in the Olympic Mountains.

Photo by Dan Coe WGS/DNR

When English explorer Captain John Meares saw majestic Mount Olympus for the first time he felt sure this was a home fit for gods. He therefore named it after Mount Olympus in Greece. This king of the Olympics is the tallest mountain on the peninsula, stretching 7,980 feet into the sky.

Mount Olympus is the most glaciated peak in the Olympics.

Although the mountain is not directly accessible by car, it can be glimpsed on a clear day from sites such as the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center. Determined backpackers can hike about 20 miles into the Olympic Mountains from the Hoh Rain Forest on the western side of the mountain range. The trail climbs the mountain’s glacial moraines, and near its peak provides stunning views as a reward for reaching the wild and isolated heart of the Olympic Peninsula.

Geologic story

Mount Olympus and Blue Glacier

Photo by Dan Coe WGS/DNR

Why is Mount Olympus the highest mountain in the Olympics? Why are the Olympics so much higher than the Coast Range in Oregon despite having a similar geologic history? The answer to these questions lies in the geologic forces that created the Olympics.

To begin with, Mount Olympus sits at the center of the dome of uplift that pushed it to great heights. And that uplift has been much greater in the Olympics than in the Coast Range due to tectonics. As subduction happens along Washington’s Pacific coast, material is being accreted onto the North American plate. This process is pushing the rocks of the Olympics northeastward into the stable North American continent, bending and breaking the rock layers and forcing them ever higher into the grand snow-capped peaks we see today.

Mount Olympus is the most glaciated peak in the Olympics. It captures a lot of the moisture delivered by winds coming from the Pacific Ocean. The clouds collide with the Olympic Range, dropping precipitation on the mountains in the form of rain and snow. This leaves a rain shadow on the eastern side and rain forests on the western side of the range.

Olympic Peninsula precipitation map and profile.

The glaciers on Mount Olympus used to be much bigger than they are now. Just decades ago, they stretched much farther down into the valley. As temperatures have warmed, they have melted away, receding up into the high mountains. Since 1800, Blue Glacier on Mount Olympus has retreated almost 3 miles. Geologically speaking, that is a tremendous change.

Mount Olympus, Wild Heart of the Olympic Mountains.

Download this map from here

LEARN MORE ABOUT:

See the Nick on the Rocks video below to learn more about Mount Olympus and the Olympic Mountains!

Fun Fact

Both Mount Olympus in Washington and Mount Olympus in Greece are part of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.

What to see and do

Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center

Hoh Rain Forest

Hoh River Trail

Access passes you may need:

America the Beautiful

An Olympic National Park pass or America The Beautiful pass is required for the Hoh Rainforest. A wilderness camping permit is needed for camping in the backcountry.

How to be a good visitor

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Most of Olympic National Park is in the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness, part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. With the opportunity for solitude, personal challenge, and self discovery, Wilderness recreation comes with the expectation and responsibility for developing the outdoor skills required in a remote, rugged, and primitive setting. In return, spending time in Wilderness reminds us of our deep connection with nature and helps keep our lives and perspectives in balance. Because the National Wilderness Preservation system is an area where natural forces dominate and human activity is limited, motorized uses are prohibited, group sizes should be small, and visitors should be prepared to take care of themselves and assess risks before their trip.

Getting there

Mount Olympus can only be accessed by backpacking into the wilderness. The trip from the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center to Blue Glacier at the base of Mount Olympus is about 37 miles roundtrip. Those seeking to climb to the summit should have mountaineering experience, including glacier travel skills, and gear for dealing with ice, snow, and rock.

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Nearby amenities

Photo gallery

Lush temperate rainforest along the Hoh River Trail

Blue Glacier (lateral moraine in the foreground)

View of the Blue Glacier from the lateral moraine

Snowfields and glaciers from Mount Olympus

Bibliography

Koutnik, Michelle, 2005, University of Washington research on Blue Glacier [webpage]: University of Washington. [accessed Aug. 29, 2018 at http://earthweb.ess.washington.edu/Glaciology/projects/blue_glac/blue.html]

National Park Service, 2015, Exploration of the Olympic Peninsula [webpage]: National Park Service. [accessed Jan. 26, 2019 at https://www.nps.gov/olym/learn/historyculture/exploration-of-the-olympic-peninsula.htm]

National Park Service, 2017, Climbing Mount Olympus [webpage]: National Park Service. [accessed Jan. 23, 2018 https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/climbing-mount-olympus.htm]

National Park Service, 2018, Glaciers and climate change [webpage]: National Park Service. [accessed Aug. 29, 2018 at https://www.nps.gov/olym/learn/nature/glaciers.htm]

Washington Trails Association, 2018, Hoh River Trail to Blue Glacier [webpage]: Washington Trails Association. [accessed Jan. 23, 2018 at http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/hoh-river-blue-glacier]