Rock Climbing – Ice Climbing – Ski Mountaineering
A first for Ten Thousand Too Far, this is not a trip report - but a simple conditions report on the main ice climbs at the mouth of Death Canyon in Grand Teton National Park, after a futile ice trip on November 10th, 2022.
Seizure Disorder is a single pitch 5.10- variation to the original South Ridge (5.9, II, 5 pitches) route on Baxter's Pinnacle. No Perches Necessary is a short but worthy two pitch affair at the mouth of Cascade Canyon, featuring a stellar and sustained 5.9 fist crack, and a bold 5.8R runout slab pitch. On October 20th, 2022 Jordan Creech and I linked the two routes for one seven pitch day of excellent lowland climbing in the Tetons.
Peaches is an adventurous four pitch, grade two, 5.8 rock climb established by Yvon Chouinard and Kathryn Collins in 1980, and has seen few repeats since. Though only graded 5.8, if twenty foot runouts above small brass nuts puts bees in your bonnet, this might not be the climb for you.
October 5th was Bobbi Clemmer's birthday, and to celebrate we repeated one of our favorite lowland multi-pitch climbs in Grand Teton National Park, the South Ridge of Baxter's Pinnacle. Bobbi earned her trad stripes on this classic 4-5 pitch route, leading all but the final 5.9 crux pitch. Having only climbed two years, the birthday girl has come quite some way.
The west crack of the "Ice Cream Cone" (USGS ~12,405) in Grand Teton National Park is the most popular route of ascent for southbound Grand Traverse parties. To my knowledge there is no existing topo for this route on the internet. This "post" is nothing more than a photo and route description for future parties. Bobbi Clemmer and I climbed this route as part of a longer traverse on August 21st, 2022.
Mount Owen's North Ridge is one of the longest, most aesthetic, yet equally demanding mountaineering routes in Grand Teton National Park, tucked away on the western flanks of the seldom traveled Owen-Teewinot Cirque. The route encompasses over 6,000 feet of elevation gain, half of which is considered "technical" - 4th class and above - and 13 or more roped pitches up to 5.9 - often rife with steep snow. A brutal approach involving dicy creek crossings, hours of dense bushwhacking and vast, obscure, occasionally loose, big mountain terrain solidify this full spectrum, undeniably classic, Teton alpine route - the first of it's class for my resume - an adventure I surely won't forget anytime soon.
On Sunday August 14th, 2022, Alex Wells joined my obscure vision to climb Almost Overhanging, an 850 foot, 7 pitch, seldom climbed route on Disappointment Peak's Almost Arete. What we found was a "logical" line seriously lacking in traffic though deserving of more, with sound rock where it counted and an exciting variety of climbing styles. If Almost Overhanging could gain some traction, I believe it would stand with Open Book as another high-quality short-approach Garnet Canyon moderate, and help distribute some congestion from other routes in the area.
The Taminah Arete (5.9, III) ascends the prominent aesthetic south ridge of Matternought Peak, an 11,360 foot southern spur of the larger Gilkey Tower. On Sunday August 7th, 2022, Liam Wylie and I completed the climb in 19 hours car-to-car - one of our finest Teton adventures, though perhaps a tent would have served us well.
The Chouinard-Frost Chimney (5.9, IV) is a notoriously old-school rock route on the north face of 11,623 foot Disappointment Peak in Grand Teton National Park. Run-outs, loose rock, visionary traverses and a very real sense of adventure characterize this "classic" Teton route.
On June 8th, 2022, Carl Osterburg and I skied the Grand Teton via the traditional "Ford-Stettner Couloir" Route. This was Carl's first and my fourth Grand Teton ski descent, a mission propelled by one sole purpose, enjoying a final day in the mountains with my best Teton friend before he packs up and moves to Minnesota. Can you think of a better sendoff? I can't, because there isn't one.
Ten Thousand Too Far 