North America, United States, Washington, Olympic Mountains

Publication Year: 1956.

Olympic Mountains, Washington. I spent a month in the Olympic Mountains of Washington this summer, fortunately during the driest August on record, and enjoyed a whole month of sunshine. While surveying we ascended several of the peaks surrounding the Mt. Olympus massiff. We were surprised to find that some of these bore no record of ascent, although they are within easy reach of campsites used for the ascent of Mt. Olympus, annually climbed by scores of climbers. Names of Greek gods and goddesses seem appropriate for these 6,000- to 7,000-foot peaks. None of them is technically difficult, but their alpine setting around the glaciers of Mt. Olympus makes them delightful ascents. The most striking of these minor peaks is “Mt. Hermes,” a sharp rock summit located east of the Hoh Glacier.

Edward LaChappelle