On Saturday April 13th I had the pleasure of skiing the classic East Face of The Jaw with Bobbi Clemmer, Bailey Haus and Carl Osterburg. That's right, Carl's back on the blog. Upon exiting we tagged the North Couloir of Symmetry Spire, a really neat, relatively tight and seldom skied hallway funneling into Hanging Canyon.
2024 GTNP Send Off – Reticent Wall (5.8, III) and Baxter’s Pinnacle (5.9, II) – GTNP, WY (10.26 & 10.27, 2024)
On October 26th and 27th, 2024, Bobbi Clemmer and I did a Saturday/Sunday double dip in Grand Teton National Park, climbing the Reticent Wall (5.8, III) on Saturday and joining Lainey Fellows and Will Dietz for a classic Baxter's Pinnacle lap on Sunday. It's been another wonderful, intense and memorable alpine climbing season in Grand... Continue Reading →
Season Ender on the Durrance Ridge (5.6, II) – Symmetry Spire – GTNP, WY (10.14.23)
The Durrance Ridge is a classic south-facing alpine moderate on Symmetry Spire. Our motivation to climb was two-fold: search for some lost gear the week prior, and enjoy a final alpine day before the impending onset of winter. Mini topo of the Durrance and Direct Jensen Ridges Wow! What a treat. After an adventurous outing... Continue Reading →
Burnout and Beauty on the Direct Jensen Ridge (5.8, III) – Symmetry Spire – GTNP, WY (10.08.23)
The Direct Jensen Ridge is a 1000 foot rock climb on the longest and most impressive south ridge of the 10,561 foot Symmetry Spire. This route was both memorable and taxing, as you'll soon read.
A Seven Pitch Jenny Lake Link-Up – Seizure Disorder, Direct South Ridge (Baxter’s Pinnacle, 5.10) and No Perches Necessary (5.9R) – Grand Teton Nat. Park (10.20.22)
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.
Untracked Powder in the Symmetry Couloir – Symmetry Spire/Storm Point Area – Grand Teton N.P. (02.06.22)
The Symmetry Couloir, as defined in Connor Miller's Black Book, is the large avalanche path directly south of Symmetry Spire, north of Storm Point, on the opposite shore of Jenny Lake. On February 6th, after almost a month of minimal to no snow, Chase Krumholz and I set off for this obscure line in hopes of harvesting untracked turns.