What are your favorite Teton's Climbs?

[bchaps]

I'm heading to the Tetons Monday for a couple weeks. I will be climbing mostly long moderate climbs (5.7-5.9 and/or WI3/AI3). What would you suggest? What are your favorites? There are just soooo many in the Classics book. Obviously the Exum Direct is on the list.

 

thanks!

bill

 

 

[ryland_moore]

Skip the Exum Ridge and do the Petzholdt Ridge just to the right. A lot less traffic and much more enjoyable climbing! As for other classics on the Grand, another suggestion is the North Ridge (5.7) or the East Ridge (5.7). If looking for ice, check out the Black Ice couloir on the East side and leads up to the top of the Upper saddle (does not go to the summit). As for other classics in the area, check out the CMC route on Mt. Moran. East Butt of Middle is a classic line but there are some tough pitches ( I think one 5.10 old skool that is way hard and I pulled on gear to get up). As for long multi-pitch, Death Canyon is awesome with tons of climbs. I have climbed Caveat Emptor and The Snaz, thanks to rope guns, and both are awesome, though I had more trouble with the Snaz b/c it is off-width even though it is a 5.9 and Caveat is a 5.10. You can do tons of routes, a couple a day from the Grasslands and tick off stuff on Cloudveil, Middle, South, and Nez Perce. Have a blast and watch out for those afternoon thunderheads - they like to produce some serious lightening!

[Jerome]

The Snaz. Only one I've done down there.

 

Sustained. The 5.8 offwidth pitch is far more difficult than the 10- roofy bit.

 

Very cool climbing out of a gorge, with the river farther and farther away slowly turning from a torrent to a ribbon of white snaking between your feet.

 

- J

[Thinker]

Baxter's Pinnacle was a fun little climb with great views of Jenny Lake.

 

Irene's Arete is a fun side trip on your way up to the Grand, esp if you stay at the Meadows camp or the Caves.

 

Routefinding in the Tetons is a skill all of it's own...and the Petzoldt Ridge certainly held up to that reputation when we climbed it last year. Finding the start of the route is an experience. Determining where to go (either up or down) after the PR joins the standard route was not completely straight forward, as evidenced by the lonely little bivy sites in that vicinity. The climb was spectacular, though! See the photo. http://t.thinker.tripod.com/index.html (photo credit to Mike S., thanks bud.)

 

Do yourself a favor and find a guidebook with some photos of the overall routes so you can scope them out from a distance.

[layton]

guide's wall is pretty rad. Irene's arete, open book are other good ones not mentioned. everything else mentioned is good. lot's o' walkin.

[DPS]

Of the half dozen routes I have done, they all stand out as being very enjoyable for one reason or another. Its hard to go wrong with any of the choices.

[AlpineK]

In June the routes up high are likely to be out of shape. Definately the N Ridge will be covered in rime ice.

 

There's lots of good stuff on lower peaks and in the canyons as mentioned above.

[lummox]

AlpineK said:

In June the routes up high are likely to be out of shape. Definately the N Ridge will be covered in rime ice.

 

There's lots of good stuff on lower peaks and in the canyons as mentioned above.

i dont know bout that dude. its pretty fuckin nonhumid in the tetons. rime is kinda rare.

check out the eastside

and the westside

[AlpineK]

Believe what you want, but the weather in June in the Tetons is just as unsettled as it is here and the N ridge holds ice for a while. The weather in the valley can be great while it isn't the case at 14,000'

 

If you get a good spell the soutside routes might be alright.

 

Edited June 19, 2003 by AlpineK

[lummox]

AlpineK said:

Believe what you want, but the weather in June in the Tetons is just as unsettled as it is here and the N ridge holds ice for a while. The weather in the valley can be great while it isn't the case at 14,000'

 

If you get a good spell the soutside routes might be alright.

aint no fuckin mountains 14000' high in the tetons.

its a weird year for weather and snowpack and people have been gettin up routes early all over the west.

[bchaps]

Thanks for the great info! I guess I may be going a little early this season, but over the next couple weeks hopefully more routes will shape up. I'll just have to scope things out when I get there.

 

bill

[AlpineK]

Whatever, 13,700'. Sorry to get your panties all twisted up.

 

I never said you couldn't climb it. However if you have a limited time the N ridge isn't a good choice this time of year.

 

I've hiked to the base of the route on a hot day only to find the rock at the base coated in ice.

[minx]

i was there 3 weeks ago. Lotsa snow and ice on the routes we were looking at.

 

e-mail from a friend who is there indicates that the conditions have improved but you're still going to find a lot of ice coating the rocks at higher elevations.

[Rodchester]

I'd agree with AlpineK that it can get pretty rough up there pretty quick in June. The snow and ice can stay around well into July. I wouldn't call it rime ice, like you see so much of on Mt. Hood, but my expierence is that snow and ice are still often on the high peaks and can make things slick (thin verglass and/or snow). Call it what you want.

 

So be prepared on the higher peaks for precip in the form of snow and ice. East facing ridge routes SHOULD be better right now.

 

In the first weekend of Sept. one year we got it high on the Grand and it was like early winter conditions. They have a short season.

 

The climbing rangers ther climb and most are damn good and experienced. They have actual beta and have actually climbed routes.

 

It could be a good time to do snow/ice routes. NW Ice Coulior on the Middle and the Middle Teton Glacier both look fun...though I've never been on them.

 

The AAC ranch is the deal of the century. Have fun and if you want to get out of Jackson go over to Dubois and eat at the Cowboy Cafe and party hard at the Rustic Pine, far less tourists.

[J_Fisher]

I was out there mid-June a few years ago and all the south and east facing stuff was fine. The classic ice routes were still covered in sloppy late season snow so it was a bad time for black ice couloir and that kind of stuff. That was a low snow year though, and I don't know what it's been like this season. Check with the rangers--they know their shit. I think unstable weather is the biggest factor this time of year.

 

I thought the Direct Exum was great, but it is very crowded. I've never done the Petzoldt but it would be a good back-up for the Direct Exum--if the line is too long just keep moving east.

 

Irene's Arete is great. Snaz is pretty good but Caveat Emptor is better.

 

Middle Teton Glacier is neat but pretty moderate...basically a steep snowfield with a little scrambling.

 

I don't recommend the Beckey Couloir or the Ellingwood Couloir. Waste of time.

 

I thought Guides Wall was overrated. 2 good pitches at the top but a bunch of crappy pitches to get there

[ken4ord]

I wouldn't skip over Exxum Ridge. It can be crowded, but for good reason, it is an awesome route. We were there in early July and we were the only ones on the route. The lower section see a lot less travel that the upper part and if there are crowds on the upper part you just go around then.

 

Symmetry Spire, SW arete(?) 5.6. Is a beautiful climb. There is a cool variation on the top that is maybe 5.7, cut out left onto a vertical wall and you find great exposure and wheat thin flake to monkey up.

 

CMC Route on Moran. Get an early start. The canoeing takes a little time, the approach is long, and it is a pretty long climb. It is pretty easy, me and my buddies went really light (shoes, chalk, food, and water) so we were able to leave late in the morning and get back to the car before dark.

 

As for the weather debate, from the web cam shot it is looking boney (not much snow) to another times I have been out there, I tend to go in July too. Theres my 2 cents.

 

Have fun.

[Rodchester]

When my wife and I did the Exum we waited a good bit later than normal to leave the upper saddle. We only saw one other group of two. As long as you can move quickly, leaving later can keep you away from the crowds...of course it may expose you to those early afternoon thunderstorms too.

[whodgman]

I second the Petzholtz Ridge route. It's a dandy and far less popular than the lower Exum.

[bchaps]

Thanks for all the great info. So much information!!! It looks like I may just go to squamish for a week. Then next week, head to the Tetons due to all the reccomendations of weather etc. and try to get a little better conditions.

 

bill