Mount Olympus North Face

Mount Olympus is one of the most picturesque points along the east side of the Salt Lake Valley.  People often hike its slopes as a quick, convenient escape from the quick-paced life in the city below.  The most common approach is from the west side up Tolcats Canyon, yet a lesser-known route exists on the northern face of Mount Olympus.  Though not a trail that's officially maintained, this northern route cuts about 800 feet off the elevation gain and provides a more shaded route from the sun than the west approach.  Beginning at the Neffs Canyon trailhead, the North Face route follows the Norths Fork of Neffs Canyon to a steep drainage that angles across the north face of Mount Olympus.  This hike is best done during the late-summer and early-autumn seasons when the steep gullies, or couloirs, are free of snow and ice.  Sadly, a few hikers have slipped to their deaths after making one wrong step on the snow without the proper equipment; such as crampons and an ice axe.  Even without snow, it is wise to bring trekking poles to steady yourself on the steep terrain along with plenty of water – as the route is dry beyond Norths Fork.

To reach the Neffs Canyon trailhead from I-215, take the 3900 South exit (Exit 4) if coming from the north, or the Wasatch Boulevard exit (Exit 4) if coming from the south.  At the 3900 South exit, turn left (east) under I-215 and cross Wasatch Boulevard to Jupiter Drive as it curves southward; following it to the four-way stop at 4280 South.  Now turn left (east) onto 4280 South, which turns into Oakview Drive, and then left again (northeast) onto Parkview Drive.  Once on Parkview Drive, turn right (southeast) onto Park Terrace Drive (4260 South), and then right again (east) onto White Way; following it to the parking lot at the end.

View of Neffs Knob near the bottom
of the North Face drainage

Climbing up the Mount Olympus North
Face route – Photo credit: Todd Anderson

The trail ascends from the east edge of the parking lot to a dirt service road that extends just over a half-mile past a water tank to the stream flowing out of Neffs Canyon.  Instead of turning east to follow the trail up Neffs Canyon, continue straight (south) along the former road that leads to the Mount Olympus Spring.  This was one of the places where Mount Olympus Waters, Inc. gets its bottled drinking water, which is a little surprising that dogs are allowed in this area.  Beyond the spring the trail becomes less distinct as it weaves through a forested section past Neffs Knob off to the east.  Not long after passing Neffs Knob, the trail briefly crosses a rocky area before making a short, sudden drop to the right (west) across the Norths Fork drainage.  From this point, the route begins its steep ascent up the North Face drainage to the west by following the rock-slab walls.  About a quarter-mile up the drainage is a minor split, where we tended to veer to the left (southward) through the talus slope area.  Along with wearing proper hiking boots, extreme caution must be exercised in the talus sloped areas to avoid dislodging rocks onto hikers below.  Upon reaching the top of the drainage, or couloir, the ridge on your right drops away and a spectacular view of the northern Salt Lake Valley opens up through the pine trees.  The day we hiked up there, we saw some adult mountain goats clinging to the cliff side along with several kids.  Continuing further along the route, you must drop down (perhaps 50 feet in elevation) into the Apollo Couloir to avoid traversing a rock face with exposure before the final, steep ravine that summits the west ridge.  Once on top of the west ridge, the view to the south opens up before you, and you can progress further as desired to reach the north summit of Mount Olympus at 8,959 feet elevation.  Distance from the Neffs Canyon trailhead to the top of the North Face drainage is approximately 1.6 miles one-way with an additional 0.6 miles to reach the north summit of Mount Olympus.  Elevation gain from the trailhead is about 2,560 feet to the drainage top and 3,350 feet to the north summit.

View of the northern Salt Lake Valley
from the top of the North Face drainage

Mountain goats cling to the cliffs near
the top of the North Face drainage

Mount Olympus south summit from atop
the west ridge – Photo credit: Hugh McGirt

White Rocks (Skull Valley Extension)

South of the Skull Valley Goshute Reservation lies the U.S. Army facility known as Dugway Proving Ground, which was established in 1942 for the testing of biological and chemical weapons.  This testing has often sparked controversy with many of the local residents, who don't want harmful materials in their backyard.  Within a buffer area that separates Dugway from the Goshute reservation sits an interesting geologic formation known as White Rocks.  Three mounds of granite formed part of an ancient, flat-topped volcano with the main formation rising several hundred feet out of the ground.  A dirt road crosses between two of the mounds while the third mound lies about 0.6 miles southwest of the other two.  Hiking difficulty in the White Rocks can range from technical climbs to minor scrambles with minimal exposure.  Several primitive campgrounds are located close to the base of the domes.

To reach the White Rocks area from I-80, take the Rowley/Dugway exit (Exit 77) and turn south on the Skull Valley Road (SR 196) for approximately 29.5 miles.  Take the maintained dirt road to the right (west) just past the small BLM sign that indicates: "White Rocks."  Another approach can be from Rush Valley south of Tooele.  From SR 36, follow SR 199 west through the community of Rush Valley and over Johnson Pass for approximately 14.0 miles to reach Terra.  Beyond Terra about one mile, turn right (west) onto the Lincoln Highway and follow it 5.6 miles to reach the Skull Valley Road (SR 196).  Make another right turn (north) onto the Skull Valley Road for 1.75 miles to arrive at the White Rocks turnoff to the left (west).  Once on the dirt road, follow it for approximately 5.5 miles and take the left fork southward for another three miles or so to reach the formations.  While most vehicles should be able to travel this road with little difficulty, it is best done under dry conditions.  Hikers and campers planning to spend the night are responsible for maintaining the beauty of the landscape.  As a rule of thumb: Leave the place cleaner than you found it.  Keep in mind that no public access is allowed onto the Dugway Proving Ground without specific clearance from the military.

Approaching the White Rock
formations from the east

The back (west) side of the main
White Rock formation