The Owen-Spalding Route
Conditions were outstanding on every
popular route up the Grand Teton.
popular route up the Grand Teton.
A few trip reports for April through October
July 17th, 2016 (UXM) PNG Variation
Detailed Look At Specific Route Features
All images may be used without permission or attribution for all not-for-profit purposes.
A very busy Lower Saddle
Camping sites on the western side of the Lower Saddle
Hiking above the Lower Saddle and toward the Needle
Taking a break below the Black Dike & the Central Rib's Needle
Middle Teton
Needle's Chockstone Chimney
Climbers descending over the top of the Eye of the Needle
Climber exiting the Eye of the Needle - a natural tunnel.
Climber exiting the Eye of the Needle
Climbers descending over the top of the Eye of the Needle
Tim checking out Wall Street from the Central Rib's Lower Crossover
Scrambling toward the Central Rib's Black Rock Chimney
Looking back along the western side of the Central Rib
Break time by the access to the Central Rib's Black Rock Chimney. The smooth slab is next to a short chimney that takes you to a steppy ramp to the CR's ridgeline
Steppy ramp to the ridgeline (above smooth slab) - access to the Black Rock Chimney's lower section
View toward the exposed section of the Owen-Spalding Route
Climbers waiting at the Belly Roll & a few climbing the Wittich Crack
Climber in the Crawl and heading for the access to the Double Chimney
Looking down the Belly Roll
View from the Belly Roll and toward the Upper Saddle and the Black Ice Couloir.
View up the Wittich Crack
Climbers backed up at the Belly Roll
Using the lower ledge to access the 2nd Entrance of the Double Chimney
Climber in the bottom of the Owen Chimney
Climber in the bottom of the Owen Chimney
Taking a break at the Catwalk
Catwalk
Climbers scrambling from the Catwalk to the Main Rap Overlook
Climbers scrambling from the Catwalk to the Main Rap Overlook
Climbers scrambling from the Catwalk to the Main Rap Overlook
The Main Rappel to the Upper Saddle
Looking down the Owen Chimney. A climber in a red jacket is exiting the Double Chimney.
Looking back toward the Catwalk from the top of the Owen Chimney. The climber is above the Wittich Crack.
Sargent's Chimney
SC
View back toward climber above the Wittich Crack and view toward Main Rap. View from Sargent's
Tim taking the Hidden Exit from Sargent's - midway up the exit.
Exiting the Hidden Exit
The alternate exit from Sargent's Chimney. Hidden Exit.
View of climbers just above the Sargent's Chimney area - Three Stooges area.
Climbers descending into the Hidden Exit. Sargent's main chimney is at the end of the ledge.
Scramble to the summit
Summit
Pointing out Frank Spalding's name
Narrow ledge above the Slabby Wall - downclimb
Climber 'switchbacking' around the Slabby Wall
Climber heading down the center crack of the Slabby Wall (background).
The center crack points toward the summit and back to the Sargent's Chimney area.
Climber 'switchbacking' around the Slabby Wall
Climber heading down the center crack of the Slabby Wall (background).
The center crack points toward the summit and back to the Sargent's Chimney area.
Climbers below the Slabby Wall
Scramble to Sargent's - downclimb
Sargent's main chimney
Alternate exit from Sargent's - bottom access. The Hidden Exit.
Sargent's main chimney
Descending Sargent's main chimney
Descending Sargent's main chimney
Descending Sargent's main chimney
Scramble / downclimb to the Catwalk from the Main Rap Overlook.
Scramble / downclimb to the Catwalk from the Main Rap Overlook.
Scramble / downclimb to the Catwalk from the Main Rap Overlook.
Scramble / downclimb to the Catwalk from the Main Rap Overlook.
Catwalk
Double Chimney - upper exit area
Downclimbing the bottom of the Owen Chimney
Owen Chimney
Exiting the tunnel variation in the Double Chimney
Double Chimney
Looking back down the DC. Climber is at the 2nd Entrance.
DC
Free-Soloing Climber accessing the upper northern slot of the Double Chimney from the Open-'V'
DC
DC
DC
DC
Free-soloing climber exiting the Open-'V' instead of taking the northern slot.
DC
DC
Southeast scramble from the DC to the Catwalk
Accessing the Double Chimney
Accessing the Open-'V'
Exiting the Open-'V' above the icy tunnel. We slipped around in the tunnel.
Free-soloing climber at the access to the Open-'V', Tunnel & Northern Slot. This is in the middle of the DC
Middle of the Double Chimney
Climber accessing the northern slot
DC
DC
Free-soloing climber accessing the tunnel
Climber setting up a belay station at the 2nd Entrance of the Double Chimney.
Free-soloing climber moving from the 1st Entrance to the 2nd Entrance of the Double Chimney.
...ditto
...ditto
...ditto
Entering the 2nd Entrance
Entering the 2nd Entrance
Another free-soloing climber heading into the 2nd Entrance of the Double Chimney
Entering the 2nd Entrance
Free-soloing climbers using the tunnel in the middle of the DC
Looking down the 2nd Entrance of the DC
Climber in the Open-'V'
Looking down the 2nd Entrance DC
Climber descending from the 2nd Entrance of the Double Chimney toward the 1st Entrance
Climber descending from the 2nd Entrance of the Double Chimney toward the 1st Entrance
Tim at the 1st Entrance of the DC - a stemming pull-up move.
Tim accessing the Crawl
The Crawl
The Crawl
Looking down from the Crawl
Looking back northish at the access to the Double Chimney from the Crawl
Tim after passing the Belly Roll and reaching the Upper Saddle
The Enclosure
Leaving the Upper Saddle
Wall Street Couloir
Main Rap to the Upper Saddle
West side of the Central Rib and view down the Owen-Spalding Couloir
Upper access to the Central Rib's Black Rock Chimney
View toward Wall Street / Exum Ridge
Climbers on the Upper Exum Ridge about to enter the Wind Tunnel area
Black Rock Chimney
Dartmouth Basin
Smooth Slab by lower access to the Central Rib's Black Rock Chimney
Short chimney by the smooth slab and below the steppy ramp to the ridgeline
Tim by smooth slab and access to the Central Rib's BRC
Eye of the Needle
Tim going under the Belly Roll Almost
Tim in the Eye of the Needle
Exiting the Chockstone Chimney below the Runners' Slab
Taking a ledge out of the Chockstone Chimney
Ice was still around the drainages
Chockstone Chimney far right
Westside of the Needle - far left. Lower Saddle at center.
Water hose. You probably don't want to put the hose in your water bottle like this.
Too many people with dirty hands touch the hose.
Too many people with dirty hands touch the hose.
Looking back down the North Fork of Garnet Canyon
The Morainal Camping Zone
The Fixed Rope at the Lower Saddle's headwall
The Middle Teton Glacier
Looking back at the Lower Saddle
The Meadows Camping Zone
Climbers' Trail to the top of Spalding Falls
Garnet Creek
The Meadows' headwall
Enjoy Safe Climbing