Duration
6 Days
Location
Washington, USA
Duration
6 Days
Location
Washington, USA
Duration
6 Days
Location
Washington, USA
Duration
6 Days
Location
Washington, USA
Duration
6 Days
Location
Washington, USA
Duration
6 Days
Location
Washington, USA
Duration
6 Days
Location
Washington, USA
Duration
6 Days
Location
Washington, USA
Duration
6 Days
Location
Washington, USA
Duration
6 Days
Location
Washington, USA
- Itinerary
- Dates and Costs
- Gear List
- Why Madison Mountaineering?
Day 1: Meet in Seattle in the evening, a brief orientation then check equipment, prepare for an early morning drive to Mt. Olympus.
Day 2: Early morning departure from Seattle to the Olympic peninsula where we arrive in Forks (famous for the Twilight series), then enter the Olympic National Park. We don our backpacks and hike half of the day to our camp at the Olympic Guard Station alongside the Hoh River. We make camp in this very scenic location for the night.
Day 3: After an early breakfast we hike onward through the ancient old-growth forest, where the Douglas fir and cedar trees can be 8’ in diameter. This is considered the densest forest on Earth. We cross the river gorge and arrive at our camp in Glacier Meadows.
Day 4: Today we review technical climbing skills such as ice axe arrest, cramponing, and rope travel. We go to bed early in preparation for an early start.
Day 5: Summit day! We begin in the pre-dawn hours and climb up the Blue glacier and the Snowdome, then arrive at the summit. The summit is the highest point on the Olympic Peninsula and we admire the many glaciated peaks surrounding us. The Pacific Ocean is to our west. After savoring our summit we descend to camp, pack our things and hike down to the Olympic Guard Station camp. We make camp for the night.
Day 6: We depart camp and arrive back at the trailhead to have a celebration lunch in Forks. We drive back to Seattle and conclude our program.
Mt. Olympus climb
- August 14 - 19, 2024
- September 11 - 16, 2024
Deposit: USD 450
Costs Include:
- All shared equipment such as tents, stoves, ropes, etc.
- Park entrance fees and permits
- All breakfast and dinners on the mountain
- All guide fees
Costs Do Not Include:
- Transportation from Seattle to the trail head
- Climbing snacks and lunches
- Wire transfer fee
- Parking pass at the trail head
- Hotels in Seattle
- Personal items (see equipment list)
Cancellation/Refund Policy
- There are no refunds for the deposit or balance payments for this expedition. This includes but is not limited to, expeditions that conclude without reaching or making progress towards expedition objective(s) (for example, the summit) due to route conditions, weather, insufficient manpower, or any other factor outside the control of Madison Mountaineering.
- Expedition leader has the final say on the expedition conclusion and will make all best efforts towards reaching expedition objective(s) within our margin of safety.
- Participants that choose to leave an active expedition for any reason are not entitled to any refunds
- Madison Mountaineering, LLC highly recommends trip cancellation insurance for all expeditions
- Due to the nature and heavy costs of government and operator permits, Madison Mountaineering must adhere to a stringent refund policy
- Deposit due with registration materials
- All balances are due 90 days prior to departure date unless otherwise specified
- Participants whose balances are not received by the 90-day deadline as stated above, risk forfeiture of their funds and their place on the expedition
Note: Madison Mountaineering, LLC reserves the right to waive any fees. As we offer personalized service, we will attempt to accommodate changes and cancellations when necessary, waiving certain fees when feasible. Deposits paid by participants acknowledge the above cancellation terms.
Base Layers
- Synthetic Short Underwear: non-cotton style underwear
- Lightweight Long Underwear: long sleeve shirt and long pants
- Heavyweight Long Underwear
- Short Sleeve Synthetic Shirt
Mid Layers
- Soft Shell Jacket: to be worn over other layers
- Soft Shell Pants: very breathable and water repellant
- Lightweight Nylon Pants (optional)
Windproof/Rain Layers
- Hard Shell Jacket with hood: waterproof and breathable shell jacket
- Hard Shell Pants: waterproof and breathable shell pants
Insulation Layers
- Insulated Down or Synthetic Jacket with hood
- Insulated Pants (optional)
Headwear
- Warm Hat: synthetic or wool hat (ski hat)
- Balaclava: to protect your neck and face in high winds
- Baseball Cap or other sun hat: to shade your face/neck from the sun on a hot day
- Bandana or Buff: to protect your neck/face from the sun
Eyewear
- Glacier Glasses: full protection with side covers or wrap around
- Ski Goggles: to be worn in the event of high winds
Gloves
- Lightweight Synthetic Liner Gloves: for wearing on warm days
- Soft Shell Gloves: to wear for moderate cold/wind
- Shell Glove with Insulated Liner: to wear for severe cold/strong wind
Footwear
- Liner Socks (3 pairs)
- Wool or Synthetic Socks (3 pairs)
- Mountaineering Boots
- Hiking Shoes/Boots: comfortable hiking boots
- Gaiters
Sleeping Equipment
- Sleeping Bag: rated to at least 20°F
- Self-inflating Sleeping Pad: full length is preferred
- Closed-cell Foam Pad: to be used in conjunction with the inflating pad for warmth and comfort when sleeping
- Earplugs
Mountaineering Gear
- Expedition Backpack: approximately 65L
- Compression Stuff Sacks: for reducing the volume of the sleeping bag, down parka, etc. in your pack
- Trash Compactor Bags: to line backpack and stuff sacks as well as for separating gear
- Backpack Rain Cover (optional)
- Trekking Poles with Snow Baskets: adjustable
- Ice Axe: general mountaineering tool (~60cm)
- Crampons: general mountaineering crampons
- Climbing Helmet: must be able to fit over your warm hat
- Alpine Climbing Harness: mountaineering harness, with adjustable leg loops. Not a rock-climbing “sport” harness
- Carabineers: 2 regular and 4 locking
- Belay/Rappel Device
- Headlamp: with 2 extra sets of new batteries
Travel Items
- Large Duffel Bag with Lock: for transporting gear and storing street clothes, etc. at hotel/car
- Travel Clothes: for days in cities and towns
- Lightweight journal, sketchbook, pencils, pen
Additional Food Items
- Snack Food: bring a few days’ supply of your favorite climbing snack food such as bars, gels, nuts, beef jerky, etc. variety of salty and sweet is good
Other Equipment
- Cup: plastic 16 oz. minimum cup or mug
- Bowl: large plastic bowl for eating dinner or breakfast
- Spoon: plastic spoon (Lexan)
- Water Bottles (2): wide mouth bottles with 1-liter capacity
- Water Bottle Parkas (2): fully insulated with zip opening
- Thermos (optional): 1-liter
- Water Treatment
- Sunscreen: SPF 40 or better
- Lip Screen (2 sticks): SPF 30 or better
- Toiletry Bag: include toothbrush, toothpaste, toilet paper, baby wipes and hand sanitizer (2 small bottles)
- Pee Bottle: 1-liter minimum bottle for convenience at night in the tent
- Female Urination Device (FUD)
- Knife or Multi-tool (optional)
- Small Personal First-aid Kit: include athletic tape, band-aids, Ibuprofen, blister care, etc.
- Medications and Prescriptions: bring antibiotics (Azithromycin, etc.), and altitude medicine such as Diamox, etc.
- Handkerchiefs/Bandanas (optional)
Optional Electronics
- Adventure Sports Watch: such as Garmin fēnix 6
- GPS/Personal Satellite Communicator: such as Garmin inReach Mini
- Personal Power System: such as Goal Zero Nomad 28 Plus Solar Panel and Sherpa 100AC Power Bank
- Digital Entertainment: movies, tv shows, music, books loaded on to smartphone, iPad, Kindle
- Camera: bring extra batteries, charger, and memory cards
Madison Mountaineering is recognized for well thought out strategy in leading high altitude climbing expeditions, as well as high-quality service throughout. We have two decades of experience in the planning and coordination of mountaineering expeditions, our reputation is excellent. We strive to make each expedition the best possible experience for our climbers and focus on our 3 primary goals of success in reaching the summit, returning safely, and having fun! Safety is always our number one priority.
Our guides are some of the best and most experienced in the industry, having a strong grasp of technical climbing, expedition, and high altitude experience, along with strong interpersonal skills. Our teams are small and equipped with the best support available to ensure the highest chance of success. We are renowned for our comfortable base camps, high-quality food, first-rate communications, and medical support services, all of which are overseen by a professional member of our team.
Most of our climbers have either climbed with us before, been referred by a friend who has climbed with us, or met one of our teams while attempting another peak and decided to join us for their next expedition. We work hard to facilitate safe, successful, and enjoyable expeditions for all of our climbers. Our track record and past climber testimonials prove we are highly competent experts in our field and love what we do!
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