The GRAND Teton

[hollyclimber]

OK:

So we are heading out to check out the Grand in about 2 weeks. We were up there last year to do the Middle and the South and we are very excited to go back.

The question: What routes have you enjoyed. How about a one day ascent? I had this recommended to me and the idea was that it could easily be done car to car in 12 hours, starting maybe around 2 am for the easy trails at the beginning. Now I have heard of Nancy Feagin doing it in a day, but I never thought a mere mortal woman like me could do it.

We are also looking at the CMC route on Moran as a follow up.

[Tod]

I think one day on the Grand is VERY doable. A few years back a buddy of mine and I set aside three days to do it, but ended up doing it in a lazy day and a half.

Unless you get your permits squared away before hand for an overnight trip, you may end up being permited for three regardless..

HOWEVER, if you do it in a day, you don't have to deal with the permit mess. When we were there in 1996(?) the permiting process was worse than Rainier.... Take that into account.

A great route for your first time on the Grand is Upper Exum. Very doable in a day if you are fit....

Tod

[willstrickland]

Car to car is do-able (about 10 miles and 7000ft gain and loss), but take advantage of the three day permit to climb some other classics in the immediate vicinity and make the most out of the hike up Garnet Canyon (a true ass-kicker in the second half). A good agenda is to hike about half-way up and do Irene's Arete, sleep there, hike to the lower saddle the next day and rest. Do a route on the Grand the next day, and sleep on the saddle again (although you will have to get permitted for somewhere else like the moraine since you can't be at the same spot 2 consecutive nights). On your fourth day climb a route on Middle from the saddle (NW Ice couloir) and descend to the south fork of Garnet Canyon. You'll be hauling all your gear up the Middle, but you'll also have eaten all your food and burned your fuel.

 

Recommended Routeson the Grand:

Complete Exum

Gold Face Variation of Exum

North Face

North Ridge

While the Owen Spalding is interesting from a historical standpoint (and has some wild expsosure at times) the climbing itself is pretty lame. The Upper Exum has great position, but by traversing in on Wall Street you miss the best climbing on the route (the lower six pitches). The complete Exum is good enough that I did it two weekends in a row, taking the Gold Face variation the second time.

Car to car in a day is brutal. You could do it, especially on something that is way mellow climbing like the Upper Exum or the OS (the OS can be nasty if the chimney is icy though). I'll actually be there in the last week of August or first in Sept and have a 3 day agenda similar to the one above (with a little twist on route selection).

[Rodchester]

I have done the OS when the chimney was icy, and it was nasty...but fun. I agree that it is a good route from a historical view. It can be fun from any point of view and the exposure on the crawl is wicked. But the fun section is short and is a real bottle-neck.

I did the upper exum with the wife last year. It can be done fairly fast and has enough space to climb through others on the route moving slow (No way to do this on short bottle-necked section of the OS). The climbing is fun and easily protected with plenty of class four and simul-climb sections. It is hard to get lost on but easy to get slightly off route, so you may slow down by wondering off route.

A good strong and discilplined team of two or solo should have no problem in a day. Bring a 60 meter rope for the rap.

Good luck

[willstrickland]

You can get off with a 50m, you'll just have to rap twice.

[Rodchester]

As to Wills' last response.

You can get off with one 50, IF you work your way around to another rap station located south of the main rap anchors.

I cannot see how anyone could do it in two raps from the main rap station. Maybe you could go off the main station and swing like mad to the other station? I would never recommend this, since you can simply scramble down to the other station.

Will, have you done it in two raps?

Also, as of the past two years you can spend two consecutive nights in any one "zone." So you can spend two nights at the saddle, but only two.

[This message has been edited by Rodchester (edited 07-02-2001).]

[mattp]

I don't disagree with WillStricland's recommendations for routes, but they are the routes in Fifty Crowded Climbs and you will find them busy with parties who are probably not quite ready for them. There is a reason they are famous (they are great routes), but my advice would be to consider some of the less popular climbs unless you are out to tick the 50 Classics. In many cases, these other routes are JUST AS GOOD. Petzolt Ridge, for example, is similar in character to the complete Exum, though easier, and where it joint the Exum you will be on generally third and fourth class terrain where it is easy to pass a slow party.

[willstrickland]

I did it in one rap, and you're absolutely right about using the other rap station for two raps on a 50m. The station is only maybe 12ft down from the main one. Looking up the route from the upper saddle it's a little down and to the right of the main station.

 

As far as crowded routes go, the Exum and OS are the most crowded climbing routes I've ever been on (I counted 11 parties on the lower Exum one day while chillin on the saddle and several of those were 3 person teams with no simul-climbing or even both seconds climbing at the same time). You are highly unlikely to see crowds on the North side though, and even if you did (maybe a busload of euros show up or something) there are several variations like the Italian Cracks and American Cracks to get you around them.

As a side note, if you get to the upper saddle intent on doing the OS and there's a throng ahead of you, there's an easy handcrack right in the landing zone of the rappel. It's maybe 5.7, and puts you on the catwalk and within a short scramble of the summit. I think the crack is named, but don't remember...Sandwich crack maybe?

[Wopper]

When we did the O-S there was only one guided party ahead of us and they had a good lead on us and were moving pretty quickly. I do not remember seeing anybody behind us. We had the summit to ourselves and were up there for 45 minutes or so. However, we did it the week after Labor Day and a few days before we arrived the area got 18" of snow. The crowds had thinned and apparently, a lot of people did not want to deal with the ice/snow. Like the other posts above state, there are a lot of routes up there. There is a decent book with a blue cover and I believe the name is 50 Classic Climbs in the Tetons. I forget the name of the author. Prioritize some that look appealing and then talk to the rangers for the local beta. The rangers can be a bit stand-offish at first but if they realize you aren't a total gumby they warm up and have loads of good info. They truly are climbing rangers and know the area very well.

[Lambone]

Camped at The Meadows, did Irene's Arete (STELLER!!!) the next day and hiked to moraine camp. Cloudy in the morning so we opted for the OS route. Of course it cleared up and we were bummed that we did do the Exum. But hey, its a freakin' sweet mountain regardless of what route you take.

And Holly, there was only one other climber on top that day. A woman who soloed a variation to the left of the standard OS. She came up from her car and beat us to the top. Impressive to say the least, but I think it gets done car to car quite often.

[This message has been edited by lambone (edited 07-02-2001).]

[David_Parker]

Like Rainier, the Grand should never be under estimated. The year I tried to guide my Dad up we were scheduled for july and postponed to August due to ice above the upper saddle. There was still too much ice in August, but apparantly it was an "off" year. If you have never been on it, even the OS can present route finding issues. To do it in a day, it would be good to be familiar with the mountain. If you decide to camp and enjoy yourself a bit more, I suggest the morraine not the lower saddle. MUCH less windy and only a little bit more climbing. Sometimes you get the morrain one night and can move up to the saddle for a second. We got the morraine because the saddle was full and we were GLAD! Good luck on the permit thing... mid week is better!

[Wopper]

I was with Rodchester when we did the Owens-Spalding. The ice definitely made it a challenge. I lead the entire thing in a pair of OR Windstopper gloves. It is a fun, fairly easy route that I would recommend to moderate climbers w/o any experience in the Tetons. I would also agree with the posts about taking a few days and enjoying the area and the Tetons. It really is a beautiful place. We did not have any problems with the permit system(it was early September) that others spoke of. Remember to make your reservations for the Climber's Ranch as soon as you get there. It is cheap, clean and the people we met were very cool. Enjoy!

[hollyclimber]

Everyone has really great ideas...sounds like Irene's Arete is something we should do on our way in for sure. I understand what David is saying...its a lot easier to do things in a day when you are familiar with the mtn. We have been into Garnet Canyon to do the Middle and the South, but we have never been up to the lower saddle or farther on the Grand.

Right now I am leaning towards going in and doing Irene's, then doing the Grand the next day and going out. All depending on weather of course. I am hoping that leaves us enough time and weather to do CMC on Mt Moran before we have to come home.

Anyway, we aren't leaving until next Tuesday, so I'll still be checking out what everyone has to say until then. Thanks

[ryland_moore]

As a past resident of Jackson, I have done around 15 different climbs up the Grand and I agree alot with what others say. I have done it in a day on multiple occasions, but being acclimated to climb over 7,000' in a day is key. Another consideration is weather. Jackson is famous for mid-afternoon lightning storms and many climbers get stuck on a route like the Exum (there is really nowhere to bail unless you no exactly where to go once above Wall Street). So, if you are say at the Moraine or Lower Saddle early, then go for the Exum Direct, however I truely prefer the Petzolt Ridge - same difficulty, amazing line just to the right of the Exum but with less people.

Also for the CMC route, you probably could not pick a more classic line. The high camp alone is worth the trip, but most people will take canoes across the lake to get to the climb which only adds to the adventure. There are only a few places that will rent canoes (unless you bring your own) in Jackson, so factor that in.

My favorite routes: Black Ice Couloir, Grand

CMC, Moran

Petzolt Ridge, Grand

Also for some real amazing climbing go into Death Canyon and check out Caveat Emptor 5.10 and The Snaz 5.9 - the two best crack climbs I've ever done.

Good luck. E-mail me at rylandmoore@hotmail.com for any other questions or beta

[ryland_moore]

P.S. Permits are a bitch to get this time of year- You will have to be creative if you want a spot on the lower saddle. It is not uncommon for people to be lined up out at Jenny Lake hours before the Ranger station even opens just to get the 24 hours in advance permits. So, you may not have a choice but to do it in a day. The trail is pretty straightforward, although going through the moriane field just before you get to the Meadows can be a bitch if you don't know where you are going or what you are looking for. Once at the meadows, it will be straight forward and pretty much on a trail the whole way to the Moraine cmapste and on up to the Lower Saddle. Look on the birght side- doing it in a day will make your pack alot lighter and you won't have to slog food, shelter, extra clothes and food up o the Meadows!

[klenke]

Hello.

I have just come back from climbing the Exum Ridge of the Grand on Sunday. And therefore, as it pertains to today's conditions, I can either confirm of debunk what others have said concerning the procurement of permits and the climb itself.

If you want to know more, I would be happy to answer any questions you may have and offer some advice if requested. For more info, you can email me directly as I will not be placing Teton information onto this climbing board.

But here is one piece of information: like the Cascades, the Teton Range has also experienced a very low snow year.

Paul

[freeclimb9]

Due to low snow, conditions are much like what they'd be in late July, or August, in a "normal" year. Note that afternoon thunderstorms have started already, so get on it early, and off early too. Being at the base of the route prior, or very close to sunrise is a good idea since the weather can go "bang" by noon easily.

The Exum (upper alone, or the whole thing) is a classic for good reason; The upper is very doable in approach shoes, so you can save weight there (and it protects well with stoppers --most of it is fourth class anyways) for your in-a-day trip. You can test your fitness with a day-trip up Teewinot.

Have a great trip,

Will McCarthy

 

[hollyclimber]

freeclimb9:

Is Teewinot fun? If so I would like to do it...

 

[ryland_moore]

Teewinot is a nice climb, although out of the main peaks of the Teton group, Teewinot always has the most injuries/accidents. There is no "easy" walk-up but a few routes with 4th-5th class scrambles. The rock is not as solid as you may find on other routes and the snow gullies can have heavy rockfall (although the snow has probably melted out of most of the couloirs by now). If you would like to try a nice route up Teewinot, I would reccommend the East Face.