Taylor Glenn took some video of the Owen-Spalding Couloir, Wall Street Couloir, etc at the end of May. Probably looks the same at the start of June.
The Jenny Lake Ranger Station is open every day from June 7th to Sept 7th, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (operating dates in GTNP).
The Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch season runs from June 7, 2025 - September 14, 2025.
It's still snowy and icy in the mountains. And will be throughout June and into July on many Grand Teton routes. Choose smart travel lines & travel times to minimize threats from rockfall, flushing, avalanches, unstable snow, ice, rain & lightning, etc.
According to TCSAR,
there were 10 climbing related rescues in 2024. Each of Garnet Canyon's
two forks saw a rescue and one rescue was in the main canyon; one
rescue was on the Grand's North Face, Middle Teton climbers were
involved in five rescues, one rescue was on the Grand's Exum Ridge, and
one rescue was on Teepe Pillar. Few were covered in the media. The
rescue on the Exum Ridge is a topic of BackcountryZero's "Fine Line" podcast. Stay safe this year.
Upcoming BackcountryZero events and Teton County SAR events.
Upcoming BackcountryZero events and Teton County SAR events.
Summer starts with the June Solstice on June 20, at 8:42 pm MDT in Jackson (June 21, 02:42 UTC). If you include civil dusk & dawn (Civil Twilight), the longest daylengths of the year will be on June 20 & 21, with about 16 hours, 37 minutes of daylight.
Summer wildfire season started early in some spots: GOES Sat Images, NOAA's smoke map, Wildfire.gov's Map, Inciweb fire listings, Wyoming's interactive Fire & Air Quality map. NOAA's Smoke Forecasting System resources. AirNow's air quality for Jackson. And there's the nice Windy.com resource.
Other Summer Stuff
The Bozeman Running Company hosts the Teton Mountain Runs on July 12-13 at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. However, the best mountain running race in Jackson Hole is the JHMR's 2025 Rendezvous Mountain Hill Climb which will be on Saturday, August 2, 2025. It's a nice testing ground for FKT runners on the Grand.
If you want to get in some uphill training miles without the downhill abuse, the JHMR's Bridger Gondola (not the tram) has free DOWNHILL rides for runners/hikers: June 8 - Sept 7, Sunday - Thursday, 5pm to 9pm (last ride down at 9pm but verify upon arrival).
If you want to get in some uphill training miles without the downhill abuse, the JHMR's Bridger Gondola (not the tram) has free DOWNHILL rides for runners/hikers: June 8 - Sept 7, Sunday - Thursday, 5pm to 9pm (last ride down at 9pm but verify upon arrival).
The annual LOTOJA Classic is back in Jackson for the 43rd year on Sept 6th. It's America's best and longest one-day USAC-sanctioned 200-mile bicycle race in the country. It ends at Teton Village.
The Jackson Hole Mountain Resort & Teton Village Association are also hosting free concerts this summer. As is the Center for the Arts in Jackson. Driggs, ID has their free summer music series and Victor, ID has its Music on Main concerts. Jackson's KHOL radio covered some additional concerts. They missed some like Pinedale's Soundcheck lineup & Lander's music at City Park (free camping at the park). And according to BandsInTown.com, even little ol' Dubois has stuff going on. The 35th annual 2025 Targhee Bluegrass Festival gets a nod from us.
Snow King puts on their annual firework show on the 4th (around 10pm). The JHMR's 4th of July events include fireworks and concerts on the 3rd and 4th. The Teton Balloon Rally is on the 4th too, over on the Idaho side in Driggs. More events in the Hole.
Lander's 2025 International Climbers' Festival runs June 10 to the 13th. The Teton Climbers’ Coalition hosts their weekly bouldering series called the Town Pump throughout the summer. The Bighorn's Ten Sleep Climber's Festival is officially set for June 27th-29th. Ten Sleep Brewing Co. In case you're missing winter, the 2026 WY Ice Festival is Jan 1-4, in Cody.
Private guided climbing prices for 2025:
JHMG
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ 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
Direction from
~ SUMMER ONLY ~
- usually mid-June to mid-Sept -
@ 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.
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.
New - - - - Full
29-Jan 13-Jan
27-Feb 12-Feb
29-Mar 14-Mar
27-Apr 12-Apr
26-May 12-May
25-Jun 11-Jun
24-Jul 10-Jul
23-Aug 9-Aug
21-Sep 7-Sep
21-Oct 6-Oct
19-Nov 5-Nov
19-Dec 4-Dec
Tonight's Aurora Forecast
~ More Live Weather ~
Radar from Riverton, WY does a poor job of covering the Tetons. The Pocatello, ID radar is usually better suited to tracking weather headed for the Tetons. Inside Jackson Hole, the mountains can hide localized weather events.
JH Airport Temps
(10 miles S-SE of Grand Teton)
Forecast for 7-days @ 6,450 ft
Jackson KJAC Dashboard
Jackson KJAC Dashboard
JHA Wind Roses
etc
In years past, the National Weather Service called into question the accuracy of the airport's weather data. The airport has upgraded much of its 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 it's back online in 24 hours; sometimes it's a week or more.
(17.5 mi S-SW of the Grand Teton)
The Grand Teton probably got rained on if the next two weather stations show rain on the same day.
Precipitation @ 6430 ft
(11.5 miles west of Grand)
(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 ~
Snow King Mountain
(all SK Cams^ - sometimes offline)
The ● (red dot) should be seen at the "LIVE" feed indicator. You may wish to change the resolution to HD if it doesn't default to that. The YouTube address for live feeds is sometimes changed by SeeJH. .
WY Balloon Co
Pans JH Valley, zooms GT
Grand Targhee Summit
Pans the west side of Grand Teton
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 7 million times
between 2017 & 2024. The webcam should be monetized on YouTube to help pay for a Starlink dish.
~ Jenny Lake ~
Climbing Rangers
_____________________
Ranger Station Location
Ranger Station
(Summer)
307–739–3399 General Info
(GTNP's General Information)
Older Climbing Stuff
Older Climbing Stuff
The Old Rangers' Blog
AAC Accident & Trip Reports
(Search for "Grand Teton" in AAJ & Accidents)
(Search for "Grand Teton" in AAJ & Accidents)
The Jenny Lake Ranger Station is where you'll find the park's climbing rangers. The 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. Dates and hours are subject to change and sometimes the park has incorrect information on their website.
The Jenny Lake Ranger Station can be an invaluable resource for information about mountaineering routes, conditions and backcountry hikes. The rangers don't always have the newest beta on conditions. Their Instagram feed gets feedback from climbers who may have more recent beta. Their ranger station is the only place for climbers to get backcountry camping permits during the summer. They also provide search & rescue operations for the park. Most 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, the Teton County Search & Rescue volunteers and Yellowstone's SAR team operate in Teton County, WY. And there's the Teton County Idaho Search & Rescue team on the western side of the Tetons. Beginning in 2024, the JLCR started using the TCSAR helicopter and integrating personnel on some missions. Jackson's 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 rangers, 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)
(Reservations & Info and has ALL ZONES)
(GTNP's General Information)
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 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
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
~ Smoke & Fire ~
AirNow Smoke Map
(go to settings>layers and only select NOAA Smoke Plumes & Fire Incidents)
(go to settings>layers and only select NOAA Smoke Plumes & Fire Incidents)
~ Regional NWS Offices ~
(307) 857-3898
YouTubeNWS Jackson Weather Radio: 162.525
NWS Grant Village Yellowstone: 162.450
NWS Driggs, ID: 162.450
NWS Grant Village Yellowstone: 162.450
NWS Driggs, ID: 162.450
~ Aurora Forecast ~
Latest Aurora Forecast
- NOAA -
- UofA -
The
darkest sky
is N-NE of Jackson Lake
~ General Park Information ~
GTNP App
Climbing Information
Basic Info
307-739-3399 (or 3300)
Email: grte_info@nps.gov
GTNP Air Quality & Live Weather
GTNP Lost and Found 307.733.3350
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 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).
Grand Teton National Park Seasonal Closures
(For details, Superintendents Compendium)
Caribou-Targhee Official Travel Maps
Bridger-Teton National Forest Official Travel Maps
Shoshone National Forest Official Travel Maps
JH Conservation Alliance (Additional Agency Maps)
(For details, Superintendents Compendium)
Caribou-Targhee Official Travel Maps
Bridger-Teton National Forest Official Travel Maps
Shoshone National Forest Official Travel Maps
JH Conservation Alliance (Additional Agency Maps)
~ 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 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. 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 or visit their website. 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 (mostly RVs).
There are first-come, first-served free camping spots along the Grassy Lake Road at the northern end of Grand Teton National Park inside the GTNP-managed John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. You'll also find the Flagg Ranch campground and their lodging in the same general area. 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. The Headwaters/Flagg Ranch has free showers for tent campers staying at the northern reaches of the GTNP/JDR Parkway. 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 ~
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)
Googler: Noah Howell or Website
Jerry Roberts passed away in '23 and his website went with him:
(^Sadly, website in poor shape)
George Gardner Scholarship Fund
George BellGeorge Gardner Scholarship Fund
Alpinist Teton Women
Miscellaneous Links
~ Water Resources ~
Miscellaneous Links
~ 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. A dirt road splits off of the Lupine Meadows Road immediately after passing the bridge over Cottonwood Creek. It goes north to the Jenny Lake Boat Launch area. You can take a quick dip to cool off or clean up but it's not for swimming. FYI: The above graphic has been using Pacific Time, not Mountain Time for the "latest" temp reading. Time.gov
@ Jackson Lake Dam ↑ - 6777'
Inside GTNP
Snake River Reservoirs
Upper Snake River BasinInside GTNP
Snake's flows before Alpine
~~~~~~~
Gros Venture River
Buffalo Fork
Pacific Creek
Green River at Warren Bridge
Salt River
Hoback River below Camp Cr
~~~~~~~
Gros Venture River
Buffalo Fork
Pacific Creek
Green River at Warren Bridge
Salt River
Hoback River below Camp Cr
Snow/SWE/Water↑
~~~~~
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