Grand Teton Traverse

[sarahhaubert]

Anyone have Teton specific advice? I noticed when I was there in the spring that storms seem to come from all directions. I think the gear turnarounds will be a big factor for sure.

1. Suggestions for best time of year?
2. What gear did you bring, and what gear did you actually use (or wish you had)?
3. Recommendations for traverses or climbs in CO with similar rock?
4. Timeframe. I'm hoping for less than 24hrs in one long day...is this unreasonable? Any thoughts on a bivy up there?
5. Advice or anything else you'd like to pass along

Please and thank you!

[Chase_Rowdy]

Last year I spent a week hiking and camping in the Tetons and overlooking them from the east. I've never seen weather like I have there, especially at odd times. There was no real "schedule" to the storms, like the consistent noon storms in CO.

Even stranger is that the visible clouds "disappeared" from a storm coming from the east ( 20 miles away) as they crossed over the plains. Within ~10 minutes they reappeared covering the whole range in a hell storm of lightning and hail with no warning. 20 mintes later is was 75 degrees again and still. And this was at 10AM...

[sarahhaubert]

Bump! Anybody done the GT?

[SchralpTheGnar]

No one here climbs, we only hike. Try mp

https://www.mountainproject.com/v/the-g ... /106565238" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[martinleroux]

As mentioned, mountainproject.com has good advice, especially this comment:

Don't underestimate this traverse because of some of the speed records (6hrs, 8hrs, even 16 hours) posted, and don't underestimate the difficulty or overestimate your ability. Unless you peg it exactly (ha!), expect some of the 4th class soloing to become mid 5th with extreme consequence, some of the mid 5th to become difficult 5th, and some of the 5.8 to feel much much harder than the 5.8 you may be used to. Imagining being tired while planning is one thing, being totally wiped with miles to go is another.

1. Suggestions for best time of year?

Sometime in August, after most of the snow has melted, but before the water at the bivy spots dries up or the snow at Koven Col turns to black ice.

2. What gear did you bring, and what gear did you actually use (or wish you had)?

We did it in liesurely style (3 days) with lightweight sleeping bags & sleeping pads, a lightweight tent (BD Highlight, weighs less than 2 bivy bags) and a pot & stove. Hardier types may prefer to leave a lot of the camping gear at home and survive on Clif bars. For climbing gear we brought lightweight axes and aluminum crampons, a skinny 60m rope and a light rack, and we changed into rock shoes for the 5.7/5.8 sections. In hindsight I could probably have managed without the crampons. Strong climbers will do it all in approach shoes.

3. Recommendations for traverses or climbs in CO with similar rock?

Maybe the Glacier Gorge traverse in RMNP (http://www.mountainproject.com/v/glacie ... /106495844" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) including the W Ridge of Pagoda (5.7) and the SW Ridge on Longs (5.6).

4. Timeframe. I'm hoping for less than 24hrs in one long day...is this unreasonable? Any thoughts on a bivy up there?

It's certainly possible, but 2 or 3 days would be more realistic for most people, especially if you're not familiar with the route. Bear in mind that you only have about 14-15 hours of daylight, and route-finding in the dark isn't easy, except for the lower half of Teewinot and the Garnet Canyon trail.

There are good bivy spots on the E side of the Grandstand, at the Lower Saddle, and between the Middle & S Teton.

The Cathedral Traverse (Teewinot to the Grand) is often done in a day by strong climbers.

[workmanflock]

I've got a friend that did it in a day last year (maybe two years ago, I'm getting older). He solos 5.8 and said the sketchiest stuff was loose, unprotected stuff at the end. I think he said Cloudveil and Nev Perce were very sketchy. For a warm up maybe try the Glacier Gorge traverse in RMNP. http://www.runnersworld.com/antons-moun ... verse-rmnp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think you want to be comfy soloing up to easier 5.7 as roping for all the 5th class stuff would make it take forever. My buddy put it at harder than the Glacier Gorge Traverse and easier than the Cirque Traverse in the Winds. My friend said I'd have it cardio wise but not mentally. I'm guessing you'd want to put down several 20-30 mile days before hand to prepare the cardio.

Also, you probably want to do some of the route in pieces before trying the whole thing. Make sure you have the downclimb off of Teewinot dialed in as well as the route finding between individual peaks. Do the whole thing in pieces before going full on after it.

[Brian C]

Furthermore did it last year or the year before and posted 3 trip reports. Here part 1...

http://14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.ph ... ki=Include" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[sarahhaubert]

Thanks so much for the insight, you guys. I've been reading sorting through TR's here and on mp that are also full of awesome beta. It's been a while since I planned a trip that scares me a little, should be extremely awesome, though.

Is early to mid September reasonable weather (ice) wise?

[crestone14ers]

I've climbed extensively in The Tetons. September is usually a good time to climb there.

One caveat... it's absolutely imperative to watch the weather. Storms set up, usually from the NW and they come in very fast and with intensity.

Moisture and cold, not to mention wind are a very dangerous combo especially in The Tetons.

While The Tetons are a wonderful, full on mountaineering experience, it's a much different arena than in Colorado.

The place here that resembles The Tetons, in a smaller scale are The Crestones. But the weather up north is much more dangerous on an overall degree.

You've really got to be on your game in The Tetons.

With that said... have fun!

[martinleroux]

Is early to mid September reasonable weather (ice) wise?

The weather at that time of year can be good but that's often when you get the first major snowfall at high elevations. Once that happens then verglas can be a persistent problem, even if the weather turns sunny again. A lot of the climbing is on shady aspects where snow and ice takes a long time to melt.

[rmccarty303]

I climbed the Grand on 9/12/15 last year, it was a 20 hour day car to car. The weather was a non-factor, but the storms do come in quick as everyone else has stated. We changed into climbing shoes for the 5th class sections, and roped in for those sections as well. I'm not familiar with the traverse, but be comfortable with being exhausted in no fall, high exposure zones up there. I would recommend approach shoes, and probably climbing shoes as well. It had not snowed yet that September, but we encountered a fair amount of ice on the 5th class chimneys and I was real glad I was roped in at those parts. Have fun, be careful up there.