Shoes for climbing the Grand Teton
A look at some of the shoes we have climbed in...
We recommend a nice pair of climbing shoes but we don't follow our own advice. One of the reasons for our shoe selection is that we have large feet which makes it difficult to find climbing shoes. Approach shoes made for climbing work fine and you will appreciate the added safety and peace of mind they offer when climbing. Here's some information on climbing shoes.
A pair of our favorite shoes
They were horrible when the rock was wet.
Light & fast on dry rock.
Light & fast on dry rock.
Maybe these are football cleats
These worked very well. Surprisingly sticky rubber cleats that smeared well. We have wide feet so they weren't the best for cracks but you don't run into too many tiny cracks on the UXM or OS. Size 15. The mid-tops kept pebbles out of our shoes.
Muck Boots
These have rubber knobs on the bottom like the cleats (not highly plasticized rubber). They were not the best for crampons and they were crappy for kicking in a bootpack but they worked well enough on most of the snow we encountered.
Very stiff shoes
Great for edging on a tiny hold and your feet don't get tired. Worked well with crampons. Good support, of course. A little too slick for the Friction Pitch but still usable there if you knew what you were doing. Waterproof and nice for shoulder-season climbing. These were well-insulated boots but they were never too hot at alpine elevations. Too heavy for moving fast on the trail. These were Danner boots and they started falling apart within a month but they made it through the summer.
Work Boots
These shoes were from Wal-Mart. They really did an outstanding job. We're not sure what the soles were made of but they were sticky enough for the Friction Pitch and not as stiff & heavy as the previous shoes.
Another pair of cleats.
These were mid-tops, light, and sticky. Rubber cleats. Unlike the other cleats (size 15), these were smaller in size (size 14) and smaller in profile (less padding). They cost around $20 at a discount store. I should have purchased more.
Stiff winter work boots
These were well insulated boots for a cold climb in snow and they were actually not too hot for the summer. The wood & Vibram soles could get you in trouble if they get caught in a crack. You can pop a shoe into a crack and not be able to get it back out. Great support.
A few trip reports for April through October
July 17th, 2016 (UXM) PNG Variation
Overview - Upper ExumOverview - Owen-Spalding
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New Marked-up Grand Teton Climbing Route Photos for 2017 - UXM & OS
Enjoy Safe Climbing