Now I'm Zeus

Last week I went on my first significant hike since moving to SLC. I climbed Mt. Olympus. I can still hardly believe I live just five miles away from a trailhead that goes 5,000 feet straight up a mountain. This has got to be one of the better metropolitan area hikes around. I waffle back and forth between calling it a hike and a climb. When I read that it was just 3.5 miles each way I figured it was going to be a piece of cake, but it's nearly a 5,000 ft. jump in elevation to get to the top. Do the math: 5,000 ft./18,000 ft. = 28% average grade. Given some of the trail is almost flat that means some seriously steep hiking/climbing. The last half mile or so is a rock climb, especially when you can't find the trail and end up going up the north face of the moutain...oops. Somehow I did manage to make it to the top and I was greeted with a nearly perfect view. You can see the picture chronicles of my journey here.

For those of you not living in Utah, the hike kind of reminded me of the Mt. Wilson trail (see also mtwilson.edu) in Pasadena/Sierra Madre. Mt. Wilson is longer but this means the elevation gain is spread out more. The guel is still worth the wait...a nice city view from the top.

Five days after my hike the first snow came, but I'm hoping to sneak in another good hike before ski season begins.