A few weeks ago Alex and I had a three day weekend planned with the intention of climbing Luna Peak, a mountain I’ve been dreaming of climbing for years now. As our trip dates approached the forecast grew increasingly wetter, with possible snow forecasted for the summit of Luna. That trip was off the table so I looked around the region hoping to find someplace with a more favorable forecast, but everywhere I looked I just found more wet weather. It looked like we weren’t going to be able to do a backpacking trip after all, but Sunday was looking clear, especially in the Olympics and I got the wild idea that maybe we could squeeze a traditional backpacking trip into a day trip.

Olympic, Washington, Trail RunningSonja SaxeSeptember 27, 2024Comment

Return to Olympus

In 2021 I attempted and failed to summit Mt. Olympus. It was one of my first big mountain experiences after taking a mountaineering course and the mental and physical tolls of the climb left me feeling completely frayed before we even made it to the summit block. I knew that continuing on could be unsafe in my condition so I made the very difficult choice to stop climbing as I watched from afar as everyone else in my group went on to summit. I was so grateful for my time spent on the mountain but there was also a small part of me that felt I had unfinished business on Olympus.

Mountaineering, Olympic, WashingtonSonja SaxeJuly 7, 2024Comment

Journey to Olympus

Deep within Olympic National Park, surrounded by the verdant Hoh Rainforest and a winding network of rivers, lies the park’s crown jewel: Mount Olympus. At 7,980’, this peak is the tallest on the Olympic Peninsula and offers a birdseye view of the park. However, getting to the summit is no walk in the park, the trek requires 19 miles of hiking before visitors even glance a view of their lofty objective.

Olympic, Washington, Backpacking Trips, MountaineeringSonja SaxeJuly 17, 2021 Comments

Royal Skiing in the Olympics

It feels like spring ski season in the PNW! After a winter that required me to postpone or cancel ski trip after ski trip due to storms or dangerous avalanche conditions, winter has finally seemed to have relinquished its hold to spring.

A few months ago, our friend Nate invited Alex and me to go on a spring trip with him into the Olympics for a snowy ascent of Mount Deception or a circumnavigation of Mount Deception, whichever seemed like the better option when we got there. We both eagerly agreed to the trip and looked forward to for the remainder of the season.

Olympic, Backcountry Ski TripsSonja SaxeApril 18, 2021Comment

Seastacks and Sunsets: Backpacking the North Olympic Coast

Over Memorial Day weekend Alex and I headed to the Olympic Coast to embark upon our first Washington backpacking trip of the season. We had our sights set on Olympic National Park’s North Coast. The campsites along most of the coastline does not have a permit quota, but campers still have to show up at the ranger station and pick up a permit.

Olympic, Backpacking Trips, WashingtonSonja SaxeJune 5, 2019 Comments

Photo Diary: Winter Summit of Mt. Ellinor

On Friday, February 1 my friend Nate texted me and asked if Alex and I would like to join him for a sunrise mission up Mt. Ellinor in Olympic National Forest the very next day. It would mean we would have to wake up at 1am two Saturdays in a row (the weekend prior we climbed Mt. St. Helens), but we immediately said “yes!”

Olympic, Washington, Winter TripsSonja SaxeFebruary 9, 2019Comment