HIKING MT. OLYMPUS in SALT LAKE CITY ~ A TRIBUTE to MY DAD
This week, my brother Brady and I hiked Mt. Olympus in Salt Lake City, Utah. My goal was to do it in my dad’s honor, and great timing since Father’s Day is on Sunday. The last time I climbed this mountain was in the year 2000, 26 years ago. I still remember getting to the saddle with my dad…. he said to me, “This will be the last time I will ever hike this mountain.” He was 69 years old then, and was definitely challenged on our way up. Twenty-six years later, I found myself standing in that same place, wondering if it would be mine.
ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS I’VE DONE
I’ve always been up for a challenge, and this hike definitely delivered. The round trip took us 7.5 hours, including about 30 minutes on top. Mt. Olympus is no joke. Its elevation is just over 9000 feet, and 4000 feet up from the trailhead. The section just before the saddle was intense. It was so rocky with big step-ups, and for these short legs of mine it was exhausting. It seemed like it went on and on and on, and there was no area where it let up until we got to the saddle. It definitely was the part where I was breathing the hardest.
Brady had told me that we could go as slow as I needed, and when we got to the scramble (the last part to the very top), I wondered how ANYONE could climb it. It seriously looked impossible. But I had to try, and he was the right one to do it with. On my way up, with all my body weight leaning into the mountain, I kept telling myself…… just don’t turn around and look! We climbed over jagged rocks and narrow crevasses, and my focus was just doing what Brady told me to….. hold here and step there.
When we finally reached the top, maybe 30-40 minutes later, the top was just boulders on top of boulders. I wondered how it could all stay there without tumbling down…. it was crazy! But truly INCREDIBLE to know I DID IT! I will never forget that feeling of accomplishment and joy!
THIS IS WHAT SAVED ME
One thing I didn’t fully appreciate before this hike was how many little things can make a big difference when you’re on the mountain for 7.5 hours! Of course, I knew I needed good HIKING SHOES (NOT workout shoes), plenty of water, and snacks, but it was the smaller items that really came through. I was so glad I packed some KLEENEX for nature breaks… which I almost forgot! And when I realized I’d left my BANDANA behind, Brady happened to have two. Between the SUNSCREEN, LIP SUNSCREEN, sunnies, double SOCKS, and a fantastic HAT, everything in my BACKPACK (this one has taken me many places) earned its place….. and it really did make a difference.
~ GOOD HIKING SHOES are absolutely essential, more linked below
~ SHORTS WITH LOTS OF POCKETS, a non-negotiable
~ PLENTY OF WATER
~ NUNN TABLETS for electrolytes
~ PROTEIN BARS these are tasty
~ BANDANA tied it on my wrist for sweat and wet for my neck
~ SUN HAT this is sold out unfortunately but you can join a waitlist and it’s worth it!
~ SUNSCREEN and LIP SUNSCREEN
~ SUNGLASSES that didn’t budge
~ LAYERS
~ KLEENEX for nature breaks
~ EXCELLENT GUIDE…. I couldn’t have done the hike without Brady
SHOP HIKING SHOES ~ HOVER & CLICK
SHOP HIKING ESSENTIALS ~ HOVER & CLICK
FOLLOWING IN MY DAD’S FOOTSTEPS
Along the way, we saw some beautiful things…. wildflowers, a stream, and green everywhere. The other hikers were mostly the younger type. But what I’ll really remember, was more about my dad. He was always willing to do hard things. He wasn’t a quitter. He endured to the end in such a powerful way.
As I pushed through my aching legs, the steep steps, and those really hard moments of “I can’t wait until this is over”, I realized how much of that determination came from him. This hike wasn’t just about reaching a summit. It was about honoring my dad who taught me that challenges are worth accepting and that perseverance matters.
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This Father’s Day, I’m so grateful for the memories, the lessons, and the example he left behind. And standing on top of Mt. Olympus once again, I was so energized and so proud to have made it. I felt such a connection to him and hoped he was aware of the two of us being 9000 feet up, in his honor!
