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

 
(**summer only)
 


 

 
 



 ~ 2024-2025 Notes ~




Interactive WYDOT Map with webcams, weather and conditions 
 



WATCH FOR WILDLIFE on the roads
 
The Jenny Lake Ranger Station is CLOSED for the season. The climbing rangers are sometimes posting information about backcountry conditions to their Instagram account: @jennylakerangers. They have a habit of issuing overly ominous statements about everything, often to keep inexperienced mountaineers from overextending their abilities. Take everything they say with a grain of salt.
 
Call the park to obtain free winter backcountry camping permits: 307-739-3399. Avalanches can happen in early November so keep that in mind if you're backcountry camping at that time.


The big night

The Teton Park Road is closed at the Taggart Lake Trailhead for the winter. Access to the Grand usually starts from there. Before the snow flies, you can ride a bike up the road and use the Burned Wagon Gulch trail to access Garnet Canyon (or Lupine Meadows if you don't mind biking further).

The 11,600 ft Lower Saddle weather station is offline for the season.

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

If the above MesoWest weather graphics are unavailable, try the Teton Saddle weather page. Or the National Weather Service's weather station map or the Synoptic weather station map. The station is offline during the spring, winter and fall. The MesoWest data is also unavailable when the University of Utah works on their IT Network.

You can compare the saddle's forecast with actual temperatures at the saddle's weather station. Getting a feel for forecast errors 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 ~
 


Check here for Latest Animation
Check here for Latest Image
Pacific Coast to WY

 
Northern Rockies Radar

The following weather graphs will not present data if the weather station goes offline. That's pretty common. Sometimes they're back online in 24 hours; sometimes it's a week or more. Some stations are seasonal weather stations. Both the Driggs, ID and Jackson, WY airports have weather stations but their precipitation data is not always available. This NWS portal for the JH Airport often has precip data on a drop-down menu.



 JH Airport Temps
(10 miles S-SE of Grand Teton)
The JH Airport weather station has had a checkered past and it wasn't a reliable weather station. The National Weather Service called into question the accuracy of its data. The airport has upgraded much of it infrastructure so maybe the station has been upgraded along with the buildings.

Mt Glory Temps
@ 10,059 ft 
(17.5 mi S-SW of the Grand Teton)
Teton Pass Weather at 8,432 ft  
MesoWest version↑
(& HERE) 
 
Winter Stations in GTNP
Surprise Pinnacle Wind & Temp
Just east of Grand @ 9770 ft

 
 
Mt Glory Wind Speeds
@ 10,059 ft


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
 
 

  ~ Webcams ~ 




Dornan's inside GTNP

 
Stilson Parking Lot - JHMR cams
(Google Map of Hwy 22 & Hwy 390)
 
 
  Buffalo Valley in Moran, WY



  Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis


The ● (red dot) should be seen at the "LIVE" feed indicator. The YouTube channel's 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


Often offline during off-season 

Check the Time & Date. It may be an old image. Google informs us that the location of the ranch has been searched for on Google Maps over 6 million times between 2017 & 2024. The webcam probably gets millions of hits too. They should monetize it on YouTube.

 
Grand Targhee Summit
Pans the west side of Grand Teton

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

Togwotee Pass Highway

Wind River Lake
(Togwotee Pass)
-Blackrock, Wind River, Dubois-


 
 ~ Jenny Lake ~
Climbing Rangers

  
 
~ Route Conditions ~
 
  
Follow the Rangers on Instagram


~ More Information ~

Ranger Station Location

Ranger Station

307-739-3343
(Summer)

307–739–3399 General Info
 
(GTNP's General Information)
 

The ranger station at Jenny Lake starts operating in early June and closes in early September (June 8 to Sept 8 in 2024). It's open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM every day during that time period. We always suggest calling to confirm operating dates and hours for any GTNP service.
 
The rangers provide the public with information about mountaineering routes and backcountry hikes during the summer. And they are the only place climbers can pick up backcountry camping permits during the summer season. Of course, they provide search & rescue operations for the park. Some are law enforcement officers.
 
The Jenny Lake Climbing Rangers are supported by many generous donations from our community and outside of it. You can make donations to the rangers directly through GTNP or 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 in Driggs, ID. 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.
 
Throughout the year, Teton County SAR hosts many programs for backcountry users intended to help everyone stay safe. As does their partner BackcountryZero. They are worth checking out if you're new to skiing, mountaineering, or just playing in the Tetons.



~ Backcountry Camping ~
Grand Teton National Park

 
 
Backcountry Camping Permits
(Reservations & Info)

(GTNP's General Information)
 
Backcountry Permits
(GTNP's General Information)

Safety in Bear Country
 
 
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 10th, 2024 for overnight stays May 1, 2024-October 31, 2024. 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 sleep in. 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 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. And 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, and, perhaps, most alluringly, thinking outside the box and bringing creativity and a bit of a rule-bending to one’s passions."

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. Back in the old days, solo climbing was illegal in the park.
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: exumguides.com
Jackson Hole Mountain Guides: themountainguides.com
Teton Backcountry Guides: tetonbackcountryguides.com
American Avalanche Institute: americanavalancheinstitute.com
Driggs based Yostmark: yostmark.com
Teton Backcountry Alliance
Teton Climbers’ Coalition
 
Misc Valley Links
~~~~~~~


 
~ Valley Camping ~
 
 
 Free Camping close to GTNP
(Click to enlarge)

 
 
Free camping locations fill up quickly during the summer. The ones closer to town are very busy. Don't be surprised if no spots are available or others are also looking. Of course, you may get lucky. It's not always super crowded. A 5-day stay limit was 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 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.

Some of the dispersed camping locations in the national forest might have volunteer hosts keeping an eye on things. A few of those free locations might have toilets. As of 2024, 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. Sometimes roads are closed due to fallen trees, landslides, or poor conditions. Or other issues crop up. The broadcast is not the best source of information.

Not all dirt roads are easy to navigate by a small car. Some roads are impossible to navigate with anything but a 4x4 truck. And vehicles may not be able to turn around in tight spots at dead ends. Forest service roads do not always open to the public on a specific date. They wait for the roads to dry out after the winter snow and spring moisture. The Moran Vista site up Spread Creek is part of a gravel pit area. It's easy to get to on a well maintained dirt road and it's a good spot for big RVs. As expected, it's busy.

In the past, the visitor guides for our national forests had detailed camping information: older BTNF & CTNF guides. Sadly, they aren't updated on a yearly basis and it's unknown if they will continue to be published. However, starting around 2020-21, the forest service websites were greatly improved and they continue to see improvements. Camping regulations and locations do change so it's good to get the latest updates from them. Our Jackson Hole Camping page is not updated on a regular basis but it has additional information on valley camping options. Web-based apps and webpages cover every camping spot in the valley. Of course, paid lodging is available in throughout the valley. Fee-based campgrounds in the valley are just as busy as free ones.

The campgrounds in GTNP require reservations. There are several types of booking windows available in GTNP. We have seen reservations available on the day of arrival (or day before) if campground spots are unused. This was an unexpected change in 2023. Places like Colter Bay were holding some campsites for those reserving two weeks in advance. Many spots are reserved months in advance. Call to confirm your options at a specific concessionaire's campground, or check with the privately run recreation.gov website. 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.

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. The only free dispersed car camping that's near the Snake River Canyon's northern end is off Fall Creek Rd.

There is a public fee-based parking lot for cars, RVs, and campers that's just below Togwotee Mountain Lodge (TML webcam). It's $10 but subject to change. There is a pit toilet. Free dispersed car camping is also available further up the Togwotee Pass highway. All these spots are a long drive from Jackson. They are good for visitors on their way here who might need a camping spot before arriving, or upon leaving.

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).

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, of course. Pass it along.

 
George Bell
 
 

~ 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).


Jenny Lake Boating 2024

June 4 to Sept 8 - 7 AM thru 7 PM

Sept 9 to Sept 30 - 10 AM thru 4 PM

Closed for the season after September 30.

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.


~Webcams~

Hoback River @ Hoback Junction
@ the Lodge at Palisades Creek


 


 

Enjoy Safe Climbing

 

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