Grand Teton guide for final ascent

[jcbowler]

We’re two guys with lots of mountain experience and some rock climbing looking for a guide to show us the routes up Owen Spaulding or EXUM. Planning to do same day ascent on Sept 7. Made it to the OS base last year but it had iced over and we didn’t have the right gear or confidence in the route. You can reach me at chris@jcbowler.com.

[mtnkub]

Check out Exum Guides, Wyoming.

[jcbowler]

Yeah, I’d love to use them, but they exclusively do 3 day trips and they’re booked on Sept 7. We’re looking for flexibility.

[Scott P]

Yeah, I’d love to use them, but they exclusively do 3 day trips and they’re booked on Sept 7. We’re looking for flexibility.

I think Exum and Jackson Hole Mountain Guides are the only two companies authorized to guide in the park.

[Ericsheffey]

JHMG and Exum will both typically do custom guiding fit to your schedule if you reach out to them. I've climbed the Grand twice (once via OS, once via Upper Exum, both unguided) and when interacting with the guided groups, I've personally had better interactions with the Exum Guides vs the JHMG guides.

I highly recommend you do the Upper Exum route instead of the OS. Is it so, so much more interesting and scenic, with really fun climbing. It's also less busy than the OS, and less likely to be cancelled due to weather since the south ridge gets a lot of sun. When I climbed the Upper Exum last year, none of the groups intending to climb via the OS made it to the summit due to snow and ice on the route, meanwhile a bunch of us were summitting via the Upper Exum with no issues. And then you still get to see the OS since it's the standard descent route.

[markf]

JHMG and Exum will both typically do custom guiding fit to your schedule if you reach out to them. I've climbed the Grand twice (once via OS, once via Upper Exum, both unguided) and when interacting with the guided groups, I've personally had better interactions with the Exum Guides vs the JHMG guides.

I highly recommend you do the Upper Exum route instead of the OS. Is it so, so much more interesting and scenic, with really fun climbing. It's also less busy than the OS, and less likely to be cancelled due to weather since the south ridge gets a lot of sun. When I climbed the Upper Exum last year, none of the groups intending to climb via the OS made it to the summit due to snow and ice on the route, meanwhile a bunch of us were summitting via the Upper Exum with no issues. And then you still get to see the OS since it's the standard descent route.

Having done both routes many years ago, I agree with Ericsheffey that the Upper Exum is a better choice of routes. Definitely more enjoyable climbing, and much more sun than the OS. I'm a little surprised to hear that OS is a more crowded route, because that didn't seem to be the case when I was hanging out in the Tetons (1989-92).

[Wildernessjane]

I can’t really speak to guiding companies in the area but I would think any would be happy to organize a custom trip for you. It’ll cost you more, obviously, but it’d only be one day so it might be pretty reasonable compared to a three day course. If you decide to give it a try on your own, we found this resource to be extremely helpful: https://wyomingwhiskey.blogspot.com/p/b ... 4.html?m=1 (though it’s almost information overload we studied it ahead of time and did not have trouble with route-finding/hit every landmark). On another note, I’ve done Upper Exum both as a an overnight and in a single day push. I enjoyed it much more as a single day push but I also had done it before so was much quicker in terms of route-finding. I can see where it could easily turn into an epic if you didn’t have your route-finding dialed in.

[Teresa Gergen]

I cannot recommend Jed Porter highly enough. He will arrange anything you want to do that is legal. He is licensed in the Park. He will respect your previous mountaineering and climbing experience.
https://www.jediahporter.com/

[nmjameswilson]

Slightly off topic but guides are not required correct?

[terribletigzy]

Slightly off topic but guides are not required correct?

Guides not required, but you do need permits to camp if you don't intend to daytrip it. It's a long effort for a single day, I don't remember exactly, but something like ~7,000' of gain.

[jrs1965]

I used Jackson Hole Mountain Guides to do Kiener's Route. Highly recommend them...