[TR] The Tetons! - Complete Exum, CMC, Teewinot 07/21/2021

[JasonG]

Trip: The Tetons! - Complete Exum, CMC, Teewinot

Trip Date: 07/21/2021

Trip Report:

I broke my thumb last weekend mountain biking with my boys, so I may as well add a TR to the database while I wait to meet with a surgeon.  Keep your wheels on the ground people, and don't believe your kids if they say "Don't think Dad, just send it!"

But I digress from the telling of the 2021 summer climbing road trip to the Tetons....  Frequent visitors to this site will know that I have been going on week long climbing trips with @Trent for about 15 years.  The last few years our friends John and @cfire have joined us, and last year was no exception.  John has a sweet van and so we piled in for the loooooong drive to Jackson Hole, stopping for some free roadside camping along the Snake enroute:

The next day we finished the drive and sussed out the permit situation in the park that week (not bad for walk-ups, much better than NCNP in high summer).  We had car camping reservations in the park for those days that we weren't on the mountain, which helped to limit the shenanigans before and after climbs.  We just got those from people dropping out the week before on recreation.gov. Then it was to bed early for a proper alpine start for the classic scramble route on Teewinot.

And what a great route! Direct, solid, and scenic- we were beginning to see why the Tetons were so hyped.  And also surprisingly quiet.  I think we only saw two other parties all day.  For how jammed the roads are in the park, the climbing crowds are pretty mellow.   I would highly recommend the Tweewinot scramble as a good warm up/ acclimatization for early in the trip:

And then it was back to the van, after locating a couple canoes for the next day's approach to Mount Moran's CMC route.  This route was a first for me, since I had never used a canoe to approach a mountain, nor even portaged once in my life.  And the CMC camp was really in a great spot, with airplane wing views across the Jackson environs.  Just don't expect it to be a casual 5.6 route, we were pleasantly surprised by the challenging route finding and scrambling.  As with many Cascades routes, the crux isn't always when you have the rope on.  Oh, and we had the mountain and camp to ourselves, in July!

The Grand:

The dramatic East and West Horns on Moran:

one of the best 5.6 pitches anywhere, high on the CMC:

The Beast that is Moran.  CMC right up the middle:

 

And then  we took a rest day in some dispersed camping outside the park, preparing for the main event- The Complete Exum on the Grand Teton.  I was a little nervous with actual climbing at altitude, but I had the three rope guns of @Trent, @cfire, and John do do the heavy lifting.  I just needed to make sure that I didn't miss the shot.  We opted for the civilized approach of hiking to the Lower Saddle on day 1 (upper saddle was full), then an alpine start to climb and descend on day 2.  We saw more people in these two days, but it was still pretty chill and totally reasonable once on route.  And what a route!  It is absolutely classic start to finish and deserving of it's "50 Classics" status.  Completely solid, long, with a great position and straightforward descent. I won't be able to add anything that hasn't already been said of the route (plus, broken thumb, remember?) and so I will leave it to the photos.....

I have no idea:

Descent via impressive rap down O-S route:

Which way?

The end.  Thanks much to @Trent, @cfire, and John-the older I get the more I value my climbing partners.  The mountains are just an excuse to spend time with these solid dudes!

 

Gear Notes:
Approach shoes and climbing gear. Not much snow or ice to get to these routes in high summer

Approach Notes:
Follow the masses

[kmfoerster]

Awesome Jason! I needed these summer scenes on this rainy spring day. Hope your thumb heals up fast!

Edited May 29, 2022 by kmfoerster
forgot well wishes

[JasonG]

Thanks man, I am bummed to not be able to climb with you this spring @kmfoerster!  We had a plan, now @Trent is going to use your skillz to finish the difficult 10 before me!

[Trent]

Super cool pictures as well! Get that thumb back in shape for this summers trip!

[olyclimber]

 

[JasonG]

Awesome @olyclimber! 

I'm actually in the hospital right now,  hooked up and waiting to get this stupid thumb fixed. 

Hmmmm... let's see if I can add some visual aids

[JasonG]

And people say it's hard to post!

[Bronco]

Nice work, your photos got me fired up for this summer.  Good luck on the surgery and heal up quick!

[JasonG]

2 hours ago, Bronco said:

Nice work, your photos got me fired up for this summer.

nice!  that is great to hear.  And I survived. back at home and on drugs. 3 pins, beer is helping as well.

[olyclimber]

I’ll tip one back for your thumb

[tanstaafl]

Nice trip and excellent photos as always!  The Tetons are great.

Direct Exum was one of my earliest alpine rock routes.  I remember leading up that last pitch to the summit, feeling pretty good about myself, when a dude soloed by in his approach shoes.  Even at the time I found it pretty funny.

Bummer about your thumb; hope it doesn't cut into your summer too much.  Not that it appears we're ever going to *get* a summer this year....