Seams Heady is a renowned 5.11b "PG" trad seam in the glacial polished granite wonderland of Teton Canyon. In 2024 I completed a ground-up redpoint with no previous inspection or beta. I learned three enlightening lessons through the process.
Addendum: Irene’s Arete Variations, and a Direct Start! – Disappointment Peak – GTNP, WY (06.19.25)
On Thursday June 19th, 2025, I climbed Irene's Arete with new-to-the-Tetons desert coworker Kenzi Stemp, including a two pitch direct start which has surely been climbed before, but is undocumented and often skipped. Higher, we explored a few harder variations with pleasant rewards. This article will focus solely on the variations we climbed, and others I've climbed over the years, which add tremendous value to this already great route.
A Thirty Foot Whipper! – The Snazette (5.10c, 2p), and finish via The Snaz (5.10a, IV) – Cathedral Rock – GTNP, WY (06.21.25)
The Snazette is an especially incredible two pitch 5.10c variation to one of the Teton's already great routes, The Snaz (5.10a, IV).
Connecting the Dots – Direct South Face of the Dike Pinnacle – Grand Teton Nat. Park, WY (04.29.25)
On April 29th, 2025, I skied a rare line on the South Face of the Dike Pinnacle. I'd been dreaming of connecting the dots on this improbable face for many years.
High Times with Good Company – The Jaw, and North Couloir of Symmetry Spire – Grand Teton Nat. Park, WY (04.13.25)
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.
Sneak Attack – Northeast Face of Mount Woodring – Grand Teton Nat. Park, WY (04.06.25)
The Northeast Face of Mount Woodring is an unassuming, yet intricate and at times rather severe, 3,000 foot ski descent tucked away in the deep recesses of Leigh Canyon.
Returning to the Eagle Scout (WI5) – Reflections from Four 2025 Ascents – Teton Canyon, WY
The Eagle Scout (a.k.a. Mack-Tyson) pillar is the premier single pitch ice climb of the Teton Range, with "more than 100 feet of vertical or overhanging climbing" and a grade ranging from WI5- to WI6R. Having not climbed the Eagle Scout in two years, I thought I would add some notes from the perspective of a better ice climber.
Rusty’s Smears? Two Lesser Known South Fork Ice Climbs – Teton Canyon, WY (Dec. 2024 & Jan. 2025)
Over December and January I climbed and equipped two new or seldom visited routes in the South Fork of Teton Canyon that may be "Rusty's Smears", with three different partners.
A First Ascent in the Tetons – Chilly Dogs (5.10- PG13, III, 7 pitches) – Storm Point – GTNP, WY (2024)
On July 4th, 2024, Chase Krumholz and I completed the first ascent of Chilly Dogs (5.10-, III), a six pitch extension of Hot Dogs (5.9, I) on the south face of Storm Point. The route features nice selection of exciting and adventurous pitches in an accessible area, with a streamlined descent.
Chasing Beyer – Vas Defrens (5.9+ R, IV) – Cathedral Rock – Grand Teton National Park, WY (09.21.24)
On Saturday September 21st, 2024, Greg Gwinn and I attempted to repeat the long forgotten Vas Defrens on Cathedral Rock, a 1000 foot "5.9 R" established by the legendary Jim Beyer and Buck Tilly in 1978.