While most people across the Wasatch Front were fast asleep in their beds at 1 a.m. on May 30, 18-year-old Preston VanDam was making his way to the 9,026-foot summit of Mount Olympus for the third time in just eight hours. 

For Preston VanDam, it was a challenge he had been given by his Uncle Scott, who had reached the summit three times within 24 hours between his junior and senior years in high school. He offered a $1,000 prize for any niece or nephew who could beat his record. Preston VanDam took him seriously and began training about seven months ago to attempt to break the record.

According to Preston VanDam, Uncle Scott and his friends considered making a fourth attempt to reach the summit in the span of those 24 hours. However, they were lured away by a group of girls to a pool party instead. In a recent conversation with the City Journals, Preston VanDam’s dad, Chris VanDam, said, “Once Preston sets his sights on a goal, it’s hard to imagine anything being capable of diverting his focus.”

“Anything Preston does, he will do it well and stick with it,” Chris VanDam continued. “He was on the mountain biking team for five years, and he skis, but it isn’t really being an athlete that defines him. It’s his tenacity. He isn’t fazed at all by effort. He creates a lot of opportunities for himself through hard work and perseverance. To earn spending money, he mows lawns and, in the spring, aerates people’s yards. He doesn’t require much parental supervision.”

In case you’re wondering how difficult of a climb Mount Olympus is, it’s among the most challenging day hikes in the Wasatch Front. It isn’t the longest hike or the hike with the most elevation. But it stands out from other mountains due to its relentless steepness, exposure and difficult ascent from the saddle. 

Over the course of 3.5 miles of ascent, hikers gain over 4,000 feet on a highly rocky and exposed trail. The hike is generally estimated to be four to six hours for a physically fit individual. Some sources suggest it can take around seven hours or possibly even longer for those with less experience and a slower pace. A portion of the trail involves a Class 3 rock scramble, meaning you’ll be using both hands and feet to navigate, adding to the challenge and increasing the time.

According to Preston VanDam, the average grade of the hike is 25%, as indicated by the Trailforks app. This means that for each step you take, 25% of that step is dedicated to moving up and 75% to moving forward. It is challenging both physically and mentally.

“Talking to people on the mountain as I climbed, I ran into a wide variety of locals and tourists,” Preston VanDam said. “The general consensus from those I’ve encountered is that Olympus is among the most challenging day hikes in the Wasatch Front.” 

Yet, few other peaks in Utah offer the view or the feeling of accomplishment upon completion that Olympus does. The difficulty of the climb gives it the intrigue that draws climbers from far and near. “In total, I’ve hiked Mount Olympus 16 times. Since my first training hike on April 16, I’ve hiked it 13 times, nine times before the actual four-times climb.”

Preston VanDam reached the summit four times in 18 hours. His first ascent was with friends Isaac and Jace. During the night climb, his dad joined him. On the third hike, Jace joined him once again. For the fourth ascent, a friend had to bail on him, so he started at 8 a.m. on his own. 

“Preston was supposed to have a friend with him on the last climb, but it didn’t work out. I had a prior commitment that morning, so he ended up doing the final ascent on his own,” Chris VanDam said. “While we preferred that he have someone with him, we felt it was acceptable for him to go up alone this once. Fortunately, during the last ascent at eight in the morning, he had plenty of company since several other people were also climbing.”

A violist and Olympus High School Sterling Scholar in music, Preston VanDam plans to continue playing the viola, but probably not as a serious focus in college. He’ll leave to serve a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Paris, France in July. When he returns home, he will have a full-tuition Heritage Scholarship to Brigham Young University waiting for him where he plans to study bioengineering. 

He enjoys the challenge of mountain climbing. The idea that people have the strength to overcome a mountain fascinates him in both a physical and metaphorical way.

“Seeking out a difficult path that grants you a perspective vastly broader than if you took that same path without the extra work of climbing upwards is a mentality that I try to pattern my life after,” Preston VanDam said. “Mountain climbing is a way for me to put that idea into practice by keeping myself fit, in touch with nature, and spending valuable time doing something hard with those I love. I know it sounds sappy and overly philosophical, but I love finding metaphors like that in my life that give me a piece of the map for a successful and fulfilling life.”

Preston VanDam emailed Uncle Scott on May 31 with his climbing results.

“Holy Oly! That is so fun to see the data,” Uncle Scott said. “I’m sure you’re feeling it tonight. Congratulations! You truly own the mountain and the bragging rights, and you earned every penny of your prize.” λ