A Climber's Guide to the Grand Teton




 ~ Route Overviews ~
 
 
 

Upper Exum
 
 
Owen-Spalding
 
 
Approach & Info
 
 
 
~ Grand Teton Trip Reports ~



April 9th, 2016 (OS)
April 17th, 2016 (OS)
May 30th, 2016 (OS)
June 19th, 2016 (UXM & OS)
July 9th, 2016  (OS)
July 17th, 2016 (UXM)
August 9th, 2015 (OS)
August 25th, 2015 (OS)
Sept. 10th 2016 (UXM & OS)
Sept.17th 2016 (UXM & OS)
September 20th, 2015 (OS)
September 26th, 2015 (OS)
 October 17th, 2015 (OS)
October 25th, 2015 (OS)

  
 
~ Forecast ~ ~ Winter Links ~
11,600ft

 
(** both summer only)
 


 



 ~ 2025 Notes ~




Interactive WYDOT Map with webcams, weather and conditions 
 
Highway Information

 


3-1-25 West Face Grand Teton
Grand Targhee Resort Webcams


GTNP released their 2025 Season Status and Dates for Facilities and Services in early March. The Jenny Lake Ranger Station opens June 7th (tentatively).
 
The Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch season runs from June 7, 2025 - September 14, 2025. Reservations accepted starting April 15, 2025 at 12:00pm Mountain Time.
 

Spring is when the Grand gets skied. It's a nice time for climbing when the snow settles and consolidates. You'll have about 12:46 hrs:min of daylight at the start of April and 14:10 at the start of May.

Upcoming BackcountryZero events and Teton County SAR events. And Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center Events. Reservations for summer camping in GTNP can be made at Recreation.gov. 


 
Mt Glory Temps
@ 10,059 ft by Teton Pass
Webcams - Glory Peak
Surprise Pinnacle Wind & Temp
Surprise Meadow Snow
↑Winter Stations↑
Just east of Grand @ 9770 ft
JHMR Summit @ 10,400 ft


 
 ~ Lower Saddle Weather ~
Between Grand & Middle Teton
~ SUMMER ONLY  ~
  
 
You can check a forecast from the Lower Saddle with a smart phone. We consider a Teton forecast to be valid for about 6 hours during the summer.

 
 
Lower Saddle Weather Station 
@ 11,600'
Temperatures
~ SUMMER ONLY  ~
- usually mid-June to mid-Sept -

 
@11,600'
Wind Speed, Gust &
Direction from
~ SUMMER ONLY  ~
  - usually mid-June to mid-Sept -
 

The MesoWest weather graphics are unavailable when the University of Utah is doing server maintenance. At that time, try the Teton Saddle weather page or find another upper-elevation weather station. The Saddle's station is offline during the spring, winter and fall. 

Comparing the saddle's forecast with actual temperatures at the saddle's weather station gives you a feel for forecast errors and helps with decision making. Forecast wind speeds are often off by a factor of 2 or more at the saddle due to the saddle's topography not being factored into a forecast. Forecast temperatures in the hourly forecast can easily be off by 10°F at any specific time.




~ More Live Weather ~
 



 JH Airport Temps
(10 miles S-SE of Grand Teton)
In years past, the National Weather Service called into question the accuracy of the airport's weather data. The airport has upgraded much of it infrastructure so maybe the station has been upgraded along with the buildings. It's not unusual for any weather station to go offline in the Tetons. Sometimes they're back online in 24 hours; sometimes it's a week or more.

30-day Mt Glory Temps
@ 10,059 ft 
(17.5 mi S-SW of the Grand Teton)
 
Mt Glory Wind Speeds
@ 10,059 ft  


The Grand Teton probably got rained on if the next two weather stations show rain on the same day.


Precipitation @ 6466 ft
(7.2 miles SE of Grand Teton)
More Details
 
Precipitation  @ 6430 ft
(11.5 miles west of Grand)
Precip during the last 31 days
 
Precipitation data isn't always available for the Driggs, ID and Jackson, WY airport weather stations. If it's available, rain at those two stations also indicates that the Grand probably got precipitation during the summer. Summer showers can be highly localized. This NWS portal for the JH Airport often has precip data on a drop-down menu when MesoWest doesn't.
 
 
  ~ Webcams ~ 




Dornan's inside GTNP
WAS OFFLINE - OR SNOW COVERED 2-15-25

 
Stilson Parking Lot - JHMR cams
(Google Map of Hwy 22 & Hwy 390)
 
 



  Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis


The ● (red dot) should be seen at the "LIVE" feed indicator. The YouTube address for live feeds is sometimes changed by SeeJH. Some more Jackson Hole webcams.



WY Balloon Co
Pans JH Valley, zooms GT

 

Cody Bowl JHMR


  Climbers' Ranch Webcam GTNP
Often offline during off-season 

Google informs us that the location of the Climbers' Ranch has been searched for on Google Maps over 6 million times between 2017 & 2024. The webcam could get millions of hits if they put it on YouTube.

 
Grand Targhee Summit
Pans the west side of Grand Teton

Snow King Mountain
(all SK Cams^ - sometimes offline)


 
 ~ Jenny Lake ~
Climbing Rangers

  
 
~ Route Conditions ~
 
  
Follow the Rangers on Instagram

_____________________


Ranger Station Location

Ranger Station

307-739-3343
(Summer)

307–739–3399 General Info
 
 

The Jenny Lake Ranger Station opens in early June and closes in early September (June 7 to Sept 7 in 2025). It's operating hours are from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM every day. We suggest calling to confirm operating dates and hours for any GTNP service. Not only are they subject to change but they sometimes post incorrect information on their website.
 
The rangers can share valuable information about mountaineering routes, conditions and backcountry hikes. Their ranger station is the only place for climbers to get backcountry camping permits during the summer. Of course, they provide search & rescue operations for the park. Some are law enforcement officers.
 
The climbing rangers are supported by many generous donations from our community and outside of it. You can make donations through GTNP or through the non-profit Grand Teton National Park Foundation.
 
Besides GTNP's climbing rangers, we also have Teton County Search & Rescue and Yellowstone's SAR team in Teton County, WY. And there's the Teton County Idaho Search & Rescue team on the western side of the Tetons. TCSAR gets millions of dollars in donations from the community. As with the JLCR, TCSAR does not charge for rescue services. Donations can be made online to the TCSAR Foundation.
 
Teton County SAR and their partners (NPS, BTAC, BackcountryZero, etc) host events for backcountry users. You may find them useful.



~ Backcountry Camping ~
Grand Teton National Park


Backcountry Camping Permits
(Reservations & Info and has ALL ZONES)
 
(GTNP's General Information)
 
Backcountry Permits
(GTNP's General Information)

(Newer but no Garnet Canyon Zones in early 2025)

Safety in Bear Country
(No direct links from GTNP website, but still around)
 
(Old Ranger blog post)

BC Trip Planner & Map
(Old GTNP pdf- no Garnet Canyon camping) 
 
 (npsmaps.com)

 
 
One-third of all summer backcountry campsites and all group sites in Grand Teton National Park may be reserved in advance, online, beginning in early January. Certain bivi sites located outside of camping zones are also available for reservation.
 
First-come, first-served, walk-in permits are available during the summer. Requests for those walk-in permits is often high. Permits can be issued one day before your trip begins and no sooner. You must arrive in person. Sometimes walk-in permits are not available for your destination. It might be that parties on multi-day trips snapped them up over the previous days. Or camping zones have reached their occupancy limit. It helps if you're first in line the day before your trip begins. You can try making a reservation two days before your trip - something new in 2024, according to Recreation.gov:
 
"Advance backcountry permit reservations open 8:00 a.m. MT on January 7th, 2025 for overnight stays May 1, 2025-October 31, 2025. Advanced reservations can be made up to two days before the start of a backcountry trip. If you have any questions about permits or require trip planning assistance, please contact a ranger at Grand Teton National Park (307) 739-3309."
 
Once the Jenny Lake Ranger Station opens in June, all permits for backcountry camping in Garnet Canyon and all backcountry camping permits for climbers must be picked up at the Jenny Lake Ranger Station. This includes walk-in permits and those previously reserved online. Once the station closes in September, permits can be picked up at select visitor centers until they close for the winter.
 
Winter backcountry camping permits are usually free and available over the phone. The park's visitor centers are closed over the winter. Come May 1, all backcountry camping permits can be picked up at the Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center until the Jenny Lake Ranger Station reopens for the summer season in early June.
 
Climbers on overnight trips must have a backcountry camping permit to camp or bivouac; however, permits are not required for climbing. We suspect that climbing permits have been a target of discussion.   
 


~ GTNP Emergency Dispatch ~


307-739-3301*
 

~ * 24/7 June 1 - Sept. 31 ~
~ * 6 a.m. - 10 p.m. Oct 1 - May 31 ~
* Please Confirm Hours/Dates
 
GTNP Emergency Procedures
For Climbers


911 works for texting in Teton County, WY & ID 


 
~ Regional NWS Offices ~

(307) 857-3898
1-800-211-1448
nws.riverton@noaa.gov
12744 West U.S. Hwy 26
Riverton, WY 82501

 
NWS Office in Pocatello, ID
1945 Beechcraft Ave
Pocatello, ID 83204
208-233-0834
YouTube
 
NWS Jackson Weather Radio: 162.525
NWS Grant Village Yellowstone: 162.450
NWS Driggs, ID: 162.450

~ Aurora Forecast ~


Latest Aurora Forecast

- NOAA -
 
 
 
 
 
- UofA -

 
 
~ Night Sky ~
 

The darkest sky is N-NE of Jackson Lake
 
 

 
 
 
Winter skiing access to Garnet Canyon from Taggart Lake
 
 
The above map shows Voluntary Closures around the high peaks to protect bighorn sheep during the winter. It also shows suggested travel lines for skiers to minimize impacts on bighorns if you need to cross a "closure" zone. The full-size pdf map shows mandatory and voluntary winter closures for bighorns in the entire park. GTNP has other closures during the winter that are mandatory (see links below).



~ Why free-solo ~


For those who can safely solo this mountain on a fast and light trip, it brings many advantages. It's faster. You can climb on any day that fits your schedule instead of someone else's. It's easier to make a round-trip in single day if you're soloing. You can go at your own pace. You can leave later in the day. You can travel further when you're carrying less weight. You'll feel stronger while climbing. You might recover more quickly. You can focus on the rock and not on the mechanics of roped climbing. You can skip the expensive camping permit, gear and guide. Older, injured, or physically weaker climbers may not be able to carry gear or travel on time-lengthy trips. Stronger climbers may not have the time for multi-day climbing activities. You'll move faster then protected climbers and that is often a safety advantage when the weather window is short, or a quick escape is necessary. It's unlikely that free-soloing climbers are delaying other climbers in a significant way and that helps keep all climbers moving in a timely manner. It's easier to pass other climbers when you're soloing so that you're not delayed. You might have a smaller environmental impact in the backcountry if you're just out for the day. You can enjoy some solitude. There's a freedom that you can't get from being tied to the mountain or other climbers. And it's a far more enjoyable experience for many.
 
To quote Anton Krupicka: "It’s about, of course, having fun, covering a wide variety of ground efficiently, emphasizing the movement and the activity."

Free-soloing has its inherent, objective dangers as does any activity but it's relativity safe if you're climbing within your comfort zone and taking obvious precautions like avoiding bad weather and poor conditions. For a time, back in the old days, solo climbing was illegal in the park but the rule was often broken.
The best investment you can make if you wish to solo these routes and don't mind spending some money might be buying or renting a pair of climbing shoes. They will boost your confidence & safety on the rock. You don't need super sticky big wall climbing shoes for the Owen-Spalding or Upper Exum routes. Most approach shoes made for climbing work fine as do several trail running and mountain biking shoes. The wrong shoes will ruin a trip so if your clunky work boots keep your feet happy on 15-mile mountain hikes, you might prefer those over something else. Choose wisely given the objective, your skill set and preferences. Of course, wearing a helmet doesn't hurt.

 

~ Valley Resources ~


Exum Mountain Guides
Jackson Hole Mountain Guides
Teton Backcountry Guides
American Avalanche Institute
Teton Backcountry Alliance
Teton Climbers’ Coalition
 
 
...sells & rents gear
...clothes, packs, some gear
In Powderhorn Mall
By the Downtown Post Office
...mostly clothes, packs, hunting gear
...rents some gear
 
Other Links~~~~~~~


 
~ Valley Camping ~
 
 
 Free Camping close to GTNP
On the BTNF
(Click to enlarge)

Moran Vista and Blackrock Meadows have fees (~$10/nt)

 
 
Free camping locations fill up quickly during the summer. Of course, you may get lucky. It's not always super crowded. A 5-day stay limit is in effect from May 1st through Labor Day on the Bridger-Teton's Jackson Ranger District and parts of the Blackrock Ranger District (Moran area). Call 307-739-5500 for updated details. Overview BTNF Stay Limit Map (pdf) & Detailed Stay Limit Maps (pdf). Another Map of BTNF fee & free camping near GTNP/JXN with more info. Interactive Forest Service Map.

As of winter 2025, no user permits are required to use the national forest for dispersed camping but that may change. The BTNF has a radio broadcast on 1710 AM to broadcast pertinent travel information but the broadcast is often worthless for travel updates, hazards, closures, etc.

Not all dirt roads are easy to navigate by a small car. Some roads need a 4x4 truck. Vehicles may not be able to turn around in tight spots at dead ends. Forest service roads open to the public for summer access as the roads dry out, dates vary yearly.

Camping information, regulations and locations do change. Sometimes that information is slow to make it to the Bridger-Teton's National Forest website. Our Jackson Hole Camping Guide covers some additional camping options as do many commercial apps and websites. Of course, paid lodging is available throughout the valley. And private fee-based campgrounds in the valley are available.

All the fee-based campgrounds on the Bridger-Teton National Forest are on a first come, first served basis. There are no reservations taken except for large group sites and cabins. Outside of the valley, there are fee-based Forest Service campgrounds in the Hoback River Canyon & Snake River Canyon. They are popular. Free dispersed car camping is also available in the Hoback Canyon.

There are first-come, first-served free camping spots along the Grassy Lake Road at the northern end of the GTNP in the JDR Parkway near Yellowstone. You'll also find the Flagg Ranch campground and their lodging in the same general area inside the GTNP-managed JD Rockefeller Parkway. And just south of there is the BTNF's fee-based Sheffield Campground. More camping sites are on the west side of the Tetons in the CTNF (access via Idaho).

The campgrounds in GTNP require reservations. The AAC Climbers' Ranch in GTNP has rustic cabins with bunk beds. The ranch is south of the Lupine Meadows trailhead. You might get a last-minute reservation there but you might not get much sleep in a shared bunk cabin.

Please be thoughtful when using our free camping sites so that they remain accessible to those who prefer undeveloped camping options. The Forest Service spends a considerable amount of money cleaning up after visitors, managing sites, and repairing damaged resources. They will probably start charging fees to access forest resources in the coming years. If you wish to donate time or money to improve our forest resources, please visit the BTNF offices or contact the Friends of the Bridger-Teton non-profit.
 

 
~ Showers ~



Inside the park, showers are available at the Climbers' Ranch, Colter Bay Village, and the Signal Mountain Lodge RV Park. They start around $6 or so. In the Town of Jackson, the Teton County recreation center has a pool, showers, climbing wall, etc. You could always take a summer dip in a river, creek, lake or pond.



~ Miscellaneous ~

 
 WFA instructional videos
 
 
 
Below are a few online resources of historical interest connected to the Tetons. Books cover much of our climbing history but some great mementos are down the rabbit hole, especially visual. New history is always being written on the web but it often disappears if left unattended.

 
 Bentley Boykin (offline)
(^Sadly, website in poor shape)
George Gardner Scholarship Fund
George Bell
 
Misc Valley Links
Jedediah Smith Wilderness

 

~ Water Resources ~

 

 



Water temps at Jenny Lake might be available by calling the Jenny Lake Boating team. They have a water thermometer by the boat dock (webcam). Summer only. Climbers engaged in The Picnic (AKA the Grand Teton Triathlon) like to track water temps for their swim across Jenny Lake. A few climbers like to take a refreshing dip after their climb. There's a dirt road to the Jenny Lake Boat Launch that splits off of the Lupine Meadows Road. That area is not a swimming area but you can take a quick dip to cool off or clean up. FYI: The above graphic has been using Pacific Time, not Mountain Time for the "latest" temp reading. Time.gov


Upper Snake River Basin
If Jackson Lake is really low, the western banks of the lake can be used to access some of the trailless bushwhacking areas north of Mt Moran. Bring bear spray and a mountain man sensibility.


~River Webcams~
 


 


 

Enjoy Safe Climbing

 

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