Rock Climbing – Ice Climbing – Ski Mountaineering
On Friday I got out and enjoyed my first GTNP high country ski of the season in Okie's Thorn Couloir, a unique and seldom visited line just northwest of the popular Dike Snowfield.
On Sunday December 17th Erik Boomer and I climbed two variations to the standard and classic Lake Louise Ice Gully route in Wyoming's Wind River Range. Since the Gully has been well documented on Ten Thousand Too Far, this article will focus primarily on the variations, which are both exciting and unique ways to experience a classic climb from a different perspective.
I returned to the Garden Creek Gap for the third time in 13 days to find the elusive Alpine Simulator route. Another wild quest up a 1200' sea of river polished quartzite.
The Ghetto Simulator is a six pitch route on the west side of the North Face of Garden Creek Gap, most commonly climbed as a mixed route in winter. The climb is slightly less sustained, but no less fun, than the challenging routes on the central face.
"The Gap" is an unlikely quartzite climbing area just south of Pocatello, Idaho, known for long winter mixed routes up to 1200 feet rising directly from the road. Jed Porter and I unknowingly climbed a first ascent while looking for the Alpine Simulator in a winter storm - thankfully, our route was excellent! We named... Continue Reading →
A quick conditions report with photos from Teton Canyon on November 29th, 2023, with a few notes on GTNP route conditions. Today my partner and I biked into Teton Canyon in search of ice. We hiked to all the south facing climbs but didn't find anything in climbable shape. The Landslide Pillar (Waterfall Wall Area)... Continue Reading →
A bike-ice-bike kickoff to the Grand Teton National Park ice season in Cascade Canyon- a proper pump before a Tofurky feast on Indigenous People's Day.
Styrofoam Boots, also known as Spinxinated and formally the "Unknown Route", is an ephemeral gem that only forms "every decade or so" on the North Face of Sphinx Mountain. For us it was difficult and testing mixed climb of the highest quality - the route's first ascent of the season and perhaps of many years.
The North Face of Sphinx Mountain is a renowned early season ice venue outside of Cameron, Montana. The Lowe Route is the trade fare, which can be climbed anywhere from WI5 to WI3 to M5. We found it in WI4 and ever so slightly mixed conditions. First ice of the season baby!
Sheep Creek Peak, not to be confused with Sheep Mountain, is the king of the Little Elk drainage in Idaho's Palisades Range, standing just shy of 10,000 feet and boasting ~4,300 feet of quality skiable vert above the Palisades Reservoir - a true skier's mountain.
Ten Thousand Too Far 