Parent range Olympic Mountains Mountain type Shale and sandstone Elevation 2,432 m First ascent 12 August 1907 Age of rock Eocene | Topo map USGS Mount Olympus Easiest route Glacier Climb Prominence 2,389 m Mountain range Olympic Mountains | |
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Listing North America prominent peak 45th
North America isolated peaks 117th Location Olympic National Park, Jefferson County, Washington, US First ascenders John A. Best, L.A. Nelson, H.C. Stevens Similar Mount Deception, Mount Constance, Mount Anderson, Mount Angeles, Mount Rainier | ||
Mount Olympus is the tallest and most prominent mountain in the Olympic Mountains of western Washington state. Located on the Olympic Peninsula, it is the central feature of Olympic National Park. Mount Olympus is the highest summit of the Olympic Mountains; however, peaks such as Mount Constance, on the eastern margin of the range, are more visible from the Seattle metropolitan area. With notable local relief, Mount Olympus ascends over 2,100 m (6,900 ft) from the 293 m (961 ft) elevation confluence of the Hoh River with Glacier Creek in only 8.8 km (5.5 mi). Mount Olympus has 2,386 m (7,828 ft) of prominence, ranking 5th in the state of Washington.
Map of Mt Olympus, Washington 98331, USA
Due to heavy winter snowfalls, Mount Olympus supports large glaciers, despite its modest elevation and relatively low latitude. These glaciers include Blue, Hoh, Humes, Jeffers, Hubert, Black Glacier, and White, the longest of which is the Hoh Glacier at 3.06 miles (4.93 km). The largest is Blue with a volume of 0.14 cubic miles (0.57 km3) and area of 2.05 square miles (5.31 km2).
The local Native American name for the peak is Sunh-a-do, and upon sighting in 1774 by the Spanish explorer Juan Pérez, the mountain was named Cerro Nevado de Santa Rosalía ("Snowy Peak of Saint Rosalia"). This is said to be the first time a European named a geographic feature in what is now Washington state. In 1788, on July 4, the British explorer John Meares gave the mountain its present name.
On 2 March 1909 Mount Olympus National Monument is proclaimed by President Theodore Roosevelt. On 28 June 1938 it was designated a national park by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1976 the Olympic National Park became an International Biosphere Reserve. In 1981 it was designated a World Heritage Site. In 1988 Congress designated 95% of the park as the Olympic Wilderness.