What to do in Wyoming this weekend?

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clemsonmtneer
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Re: What to do in Wyoming this weekend?

Post by clemsonmtneer »

You may want to avoid the Snowy Range/Medicine Bows, they are under a flash flood watch for this weekend...


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHEYENNE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL WYOMING AND
SOUTH CENTRAL WYOMING...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN
EAST CENTRAL WYOMING...NORTH LARAMIE RANGE. IN SOUTH CENTRAL
WYOMING...SIERRA MADRE RANGE AND SNOWY RANGE.

* THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING

* WARM TEMPERATURES TODAY AND THROUGH THE WEEKEND WILL COMBINE
WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN FROM THUNDERSTORMS
TO CAUSE RAPID SNOW MELT IN THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHEAST WYOMING.
ENHANCED RUNOFF DUE TO RAPID SNOWMELT AND SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL
WILL INCREASE THE RISK FOR FLASH FLOODING IN THIS AREA THROUGH
SUNDAY EVENING...ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING
HOURS.


You will have better luck if you head north and west, so the Tetons are probably the way to go... still some isolated shower/storm threats, but nothing like what Colorado and Southern Wyoming will experience. Middle Teton is a great option for a snow climb, highly recommend it, but get a predawn start since it's a 6,000 foot ascent. Also, Albright Peak is a popular ski descent in the park from the Death Canyon TH, so would probably be a good snow climb option as well, and likely has a well-defined track.
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Re: What to do in Wyoming this weekend?

Post by bergsteigen »

Prospector Mtn via the Banana Couloir in GTNP: http://otinasadventures.com/index.php?trip=gtnp_ski" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not sure about the status of the road in GTNP. Just follow our down track. The couloir is in the 40-45 range and south-se facing. Great views frim the top. There's also an Hourglass couloir closer to GT, but it's north facing and I haven't done it.
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Re: What to do in Wyoming this weekend?

Post by SurfNTurf »

Thanks everyone. Definitely heading to Grand Teton National Park, though probably won't choose an exact route until we're there and can sniff around a bit. The SW Couloir on Middle Teton has received a couple votes, as well as a few lines on Prospectors Mountain (Son of Apocalypse and Banana). The guidebook I checked out from the AAC Library also makes the East Face of Buck Mountain sound intriguing, anyone have experience with that?
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Re: What to do in Wyoming this weekend?

Post by gb »

SurfNTurf wrote:Thanks everyone. Definitely heading to Grand Teton National Park, though probably won't choose an exact route until we're there and can sniff around a bit. The SW Couloir on Middle Teton has received a couple votes, as well as a few lines on Prospectors Mountain (Son of Apocalypse and Banana). The guidebook I checked out from the AAC Library also makes the East Face of Buck Mountain sound intriguing, anyone have experience with that?
Buck is a classic and has been on my list for years, but I haven't done it. The trailhead is lower, so the approach is dirt right now (from what I hear) while many of the other trailheads start on snow (good for me as a skier). Surprised no one has mentioned the Skillet yet. See you up there, sounds like a lot of us are bailing on the mediocre weather and brown snow of CO this weekend.
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Re: What to do in Wyoming this weekend?

Post by TravelingMatt »

SurfNTurf wrote:Thanks everyone. Definitely heading to Grand Teton National Park, though probably won't choose an exact route until we're there and can sniff around a bit. The SW Couloir on Middle Teton has received a couple votes, as well as a few lines on Prospectors Mountain (Son of Apocalypse and Banana). The guidebook I checked out from the AAC Library also makes the East Face of Buck Mountain sound intriguing, anyone have experience with that?
Do you mean the standard route on Buck, from the Death Canyon trailhead? Done it in summer conditions and loved it. Call it mixed class 2/3. Definitely some scrambly bits but not too hard. Still had snowfields in mid-September though. Stuff there sometimes just doesn't melt.

I've gone 95% of the way up the Middle. The, um, middle of it is a long slog up and over and around boulder fields and through eroded dirt.
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Re: What to do in Wyoming this weekend?

Post by Scott P »

Be aware that the weather forecast looks kind of sucky for rock scrambling or couloirs. A good chance of rain on top of snow is predicted. Use caution since much of the rock in the Tetons is really slick when wet. Hopefully it won't be bad.

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... 39pufldWgY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The, um, middle of it is a long slog up and over and around boulder fields and through eroded dirt.
Not his time of year. There's still snow down to the base of the mountain. It will be continuous not much higher than the base of the mountains.
tet.JPG
tet.JPG (40.56 KiB) Viewed 2434 times
The weather looks beautiful right now. Too bad it isn't supposed to last through the weekend. The Tetons are beautiful (even more so than any range in Colorado) so it would be a shame if you couldn't see anything but clouds. :( It might be best to wait and visit Tetons when the weather is better. Hopefully you can get some breaks in the clouds for some good views.
Surprised no one has mentioned the Skillet yet.
Are you referring to the Skillet Glacier route up Moran? I don't think it could be classified as non-technical.
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Re: What to do in Wyoming this weekend?

Post by SurfNTurf »

Thanks Scott, I've been checking the weather pretty regularly. The plan all along was to piddle around and be tourists tomorrow anyway, with the climb being Sunday or even Monday, when the forecast is much better. I'm more cautious than most, if the snow is bad I have no issue turning around. Worst case scenario we'll just do the tourist stuff in Yellowstone/GTNP and some short lower hikes.
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Re: What to do in Wyoming this weekend?

Post by AndyJB444 »

Sliver couloir with and/or east or west hourglass are pretty stout.
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Re: What to do in Wyoming this weekend?

Post by gb »

Scott P wrote:
The weather looks beautiful right now. Too bad it isn't supposed to last through the weekend. The Tetons are beautiful (even more so than any range in Colorado) so it would be a shame if you couldn't see anything but clouds. :( It might be best to wait and visit Tetons when the weather is better. Hopefully you can get some breaks in the clouds for some good views.
Surprised no one has mentioned the Skillet yet.
Are you referring to the Skillet Glacier route up Moran? I don't think it could be classified as non-technical.
Weather looks better than CO for Sunday/Monday, it's the main reason I'm heading up there. The Skillet is longer and steeper than the SW on the Middle, but I don't tend to call routes technical until they require a rope, which the Skillet does not.
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Re: What to do in Wyoming this weekend?

Post by Scott P »

The Skillet is longer and steeper than the SW on the Middle, but I don't tend to call routes technical until they require a rope, which the Skillet does not.
Not even in May?

I actually haven't climbed that route (it's on my list), but was under the impression that it is a roped climb above the glacier. For sure, much of the rock will be covered in ice and snow right now. That said, I haven't climbed it yet, so trust that you would know more than me.
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Re: What to do in Wyoming this weekend?

Post by gb »

Scott P wrote:
The Skillet is longer and steeper than the SW on the Middle, but I don't tend to call routes technical until they require a rope, which the Skillet does not.
Not even in May?

I actually haven't climbed that route (it's on my list), but was under the impression that it is a roped climb above the glacier. For sure, much of the rock will be covered in ice and snow right now. That said, I haven't climbed it yet, so trust that you would know more than me.
I've only climbed it once, memorial day weekend a few years back, but it was a straightforward steep snow climb on that day.
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Re: What to do in Wyoming this weekend?

Post by jared_j »

The approach to the Skillet is either some schwacky unpleasantness, or a paddle across the lake. Not sure if you can rent a boat yet (or if the lake is clear of ice...).
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