On Saturday, I hopped on the Edmonds ferry to climb Mt Jupiter in the Olympics. It's one of those peaks I see often from the Edmonds area, so I decided to finally go for it.
I arrived at the gated road with a group of 4 ready to start their hike, too. Soon after, another vehicle parked ready for a hike. The small parking shoulder was now full by 8am. Since I thought the gate at ~1200' might be gated, I brought my bike to ride up the road 2.5 miles to the TH. The gated road is in great shape as I mostly road but did push the bike at times. Where I should have turned off for the Jupiter TH, I kept going up a steeper road with bigger and looser gravel. I pushed the bike up this part knowing I wouldn't be able to ride down it either. After another 1/2 mile, I realized I missed the Jupiter TH. But, the road continued up another 1/2 mile to where it intersects the Jupiter trail at the ridge around 2800'. More bike pushing on a road I still wouldn't be able to ride down uggh
I finally ditched the bike and hit the trail in a clearcut and it was scorching hot. Things got better in the forest and the trail is in excellent shape. Several ups and downs along the long ridge towards Jupiter. I decided not to bring any snowshoes and glad I didn't. There were only a few easy snow patches to cross as much of the upper route is on the South facing side.
view up to Jupiter
I reached the summit at 11:30 and had a snack while taking in the views.
the brothers
view back down towards the sound
Constance
I headed back down and eventually found the other 2 groups on their way up. It was an uneventful hike back down to my bike. I pushed the bike down the unnecessary extra mile towards the Jupiter TH side road before I was able to hop on a coast downhill for a while. I was able to coast most of the way back to the TH with brief times pushing it on the looser stuff.
I reached the gate at 2pm happy to have gotten this skyline pk done!
19 miles (7 of it was pushing/riding a bike)
5500' gain
6 hours
Good to know you have to push your bike up some hills to R3H!
It sure is fun to look at the Olympic skyline and see Jupiter from here - knowing there's a world of rhodies, beargrass, penstemons, Olympic marmots, and Alaska yellowcedar just a hop skip and a jump away across the Sound.
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