The west slabs are located on the northwest face of Mt. Olympus in the Wasatch front in Salt Lake County. The approach to the West Slabs is a nice hike up the Bonneville Shoreline trail to a boulder ridden dry wash that takes you to a snow packed couloir which is where the fun begins.

West Slabs Mt. Olympus, Utah

The Snow is on a 45 degree angle so I highly recommend crampons or something that will allow you to grip onto the snow.  It is also good to bring a Ice Axe you can glissade down the couloir ( which is what I did, but with a branch, instead ). I was running on the Bonneville shoreline trail and followed trails up which took me to ( what I realized now to be the west slabs). 

West Slabs Mt. Olympus, Utah

I did not realize that I was climbing on the west slabs until after I got back and did a little research on the area. When I got to the Couloir  I elected to climb the left wall as I ascended up the Couloir which was extra climbing but good overall exercise going up this mountain. I made up to the first of 11 Pitches and, to my surprise, there were a lot of jugs and large cracks to grip.

West Slabs Mt. Olympus, Utah

 The 50-55 degree slope also helped with balance, so I found that these pitches were quite easy to climb without using ropes or aid protection.  I continued to climb up a variation of cracks and found as I got higher I was passing up belay stations, which must have been the pitches described when I looked up the West Slabs.

West Slabs Mt. Olympus, Utah

The total ascent on the slabs was around 1000ft but it really did not feel like it was that far. I felt like it was a lot easier that I would have thought the west slabs would have been and, honestly I was a bit bored with the climbing aspect of it all. 

West Slabs Mt. Olympus, Utah

It was not really that challenging but something where I could see myself practicing for something bigger. Overall its a easy approach to a slabby 1000ft wall so I am sure a lot of people will find this interesting and fun to do.

West Slabs Mt. Olympus, Utah

I would rate the climbs as being 5.4 or less due to the 50-55 degree slope and the numerous options to crack, jug, or otherwise find handholds to get you to the top.

West Slabs Mt. Olympus, Utah