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Mt Cruiser (6104ft/1860m) Attempt

Olympic National Park, WA

Septmeber 28-29, 2012


Dan Zittel and I wanted to get out and climb something new and different this fall and we set our sights on Mt Cruiser in the SE Corner of Olympic National Park. Our adventurous friend and co-worker, T, joined us on the trip, also!

I picked up T at 6:30am then we drove down to Federal Way to pick up Dan around 7am. T and I were glad that Dan is a well supplied camper/climber/hiker because she forgot her trekking poles and forgot a helmet and a dehydrated meal.

We made the drive down to Olympia but I missed the Highway 101 exit because we were busy chatting about favorite climbs and past adventures! Once on 101 we followed it to Hoodsport then took 119 to the end of Lake Cushman and the Staircase Trailhead. Right before we entered the park, a white SUV caught up to us and also parked at the Ranger Station. We laughed at the thought of being out here on a weekday and the only other party in the vinicity was planning to climb the same route! As it turned out, the two young men from Seattle were planning an overnight backpacking trip to