Hiking Salt Lake City's Mount Olympus

     I have a sister that is moving to the East Coast in a few months, and before she leaves she has a Utah Bucket List that she is trying to complete. One of the items on her list is climbing Mount Olympus. Having done so myself a few years ago, I would definitely agree that it is a worthy goal to include on her bucket list. The views of the Salt Lake Valley are breathtaking when you reach the top, really all along the trail, and cannot be beat. Summiting  the mountain was one of my greatest accomplishments. (Other items on her bucket list include visiting Arches National Park.)

     Most people would describe Mount Olympus as the most recognizable mountain peaks on the eastern side of Salt Lake City. It is not the tallest peak in the Salt Lake Valley, but it is definitely impressive at 9026 feet in elevation. The trail is very steep and involves a lot of switchbacks, many that are without shade. We climbed in the heat of July, and the blazing hot sun was one of the biggest challenges to our climb. When you get to the top of the trail, there is an area of boulders that you have to scramble for 15-20 minutes until you reach the top. While the rock scramble requires concentration (rocks have been known to tumble in this area and rattlesnakes are not uncommon), perhaps even more difficult is the trail leading to the saddle. This part of the trail is very steep, and required me to climb using both hands and feet. Because of the steepness of the trail, I almost preferred going up rather than down because it was really hard on the knees trying to slow my momentum on the way down. 

     In total the hike is 7 miles round-trip, and includes an elevation gain of 4,060 feet. In our favorite go-to guide for hiking in the area, 60 Miles Within 60 Miles: Salt Lake City by Greg Witt, the book states that "how you handle the trail's first 100 yards best predicts whether you'll make it to the summit." The hike took us eight hours (I'm not sure what the average is, but we tend to take breaks and hike slowly.) It is a difficult hike but if you are physically capable of taking this challenge and are in the area, I highly recommend it. The beautiful views of the Salt Lake Valley and mountain peaks of Big Cottonwood Canyon are rewards in and of themselves. 

     Here are a few tips I have learned to follow from this hiking experience as well as others. 

1. Take your time and enjoy it. The elevation gain is easier if you pace yourself. We brought lunch and had a picnic on the side of the trail. 
2. Be prepared for lots of switchbacks. If you are mentally prepared for this, it will make quitting harder.
3. Wear comfortable shoes and good socks. Blisters are not fun. 
4. Bring more water than you think you will need. I say this from experience because we ran out of water when we were only 1/3 of the way down the mountain. We climbed in July and while we started in the morning we were hiking down under the heat of the midday sun. 
5. Document. Sign the log book at the summit. Take pictures at the top and on the way up. One of the best parts about climbing the mountain are the "bragging" rights that come with being able to say that you summited Mount Olympus.

To get to the trailhead, take I-215 and the trail head is located on Wasatch Boulevard.