Mount Olympus - Take 2

Neither rain nor snow nor heat nor gloom of night will keep me from hiking . . . . . but lightning will!  I have a horrible, paralyzing fear of lightning.  Yesterdays weather was a little suspect as far as thunderstorms go, but we went anyway. (There were patches of blue sky overhead)  As we were heading up the Mount Olympus trail we met a hiker who shared some very important information with us about lightning safety.  And now I will share what I know.

 Lightning Safety Tips

• Always check the weather forecast before hiking and cancel plans if necessary, but if you do get caught in a storm get off the ridges and peaks as soon as you see the black clouds, hear rolling thunder or notice the wind whipping up.
• Stay out of open areas; take cover in wooded areas, but NOT under the tallest trees.
• Do NOT take shelter in a rocky alcove or shallow caves because lightning streamers can follow wet rock surfaces, you will not be protected as you might think.
• Best to squat down with feet planted close together, do NOT lie flat on the ground. 
• Avoid areas with evidence of previous lightning strikes like split or burned trees.  The old saying "lightning never strikes the same place twice" is FALSE!

Here is another interesting little tidbit.  The sound of thunder travels about 1 mile per 5 seconds.  After you see a flash of lightning start counting seconds until you hear the thunder, divide by 5 and that tells you how many miles the lightning strike was from you.  Learned this from Wasatch Hiker.
                                     ##################


Okay, now back to hiking! I tried to climb Mt. Olympus again yesterday.  We were soooo close (big frowny face), but didn't make it.  Not enough daylight, water, energy, legs, etc., etc., etc.  Mt. Olympus is an elevation gain of a whoppin' 4050 feet and 7 miles roundtrip.  Of that we probably hike 3000 feet for about 5.5 miles  . . . . . we were soooooo close!  We hiked for 5 hours!  And didn't make it (very sad face)!

The Rock at the beginning of Mt Olympus trail.

 Our hike started off so pleasant even with a little rain.  In fact you want cooler temps and cloud cover when hiking Mount Olympus because you are hiking southwest exposure for the majority of this hike.  The heat of the sun can be brutal!  Tip #2 when hiking Mount Olympus take more water than you think you need and plenty of snacks.  Tip #3 take a lot of rest breaks so you don't run out of gas.
 

Looking down on Old Mill golf course.

There are some spectacular views of the Salt Lake Valley from way up high!

I wish I could say that this was the top  . . . . but that would be a lie.
 

This is looking up at the top.  We climbed about 15 minutes more before giving up and turning around to head back down.

 Will I try Mount Olympus again??  Maybe, but not in the near future.

 Wildflower of the Week

 

 

 This pretty flower is called Longleaf Phlox.  I love the wild version!

*********************************

CraZy Hiker Chicks Top 10 Reasons to Hike

#10 Hiking is an excellent cure for boredom.

#9 Hiking will strengthen your legs.  You may even notice calf muscles.

#8 On hiking trails you meet the most friendly people.  And even friendlier dogs. 

#7 Winter hiking allows you to escape the inversion in the valley and breathe CLEAN, FRESH AIR! 

#6 Hiking relieves stress, worry and anxiety - GUARANTEED!

#5 If you are lucky you will see a variety of wildlife on your hike.  Keep your eyes open!  And look around!

#4 Hiking will improve balance, coordination and bone density because you are walking on very uneven surfaces.

******Miles hiked tally     

beginning March 22, 2013

33.6