I climbed this twice in summer 1993 (via Southwest Couloir) and thrice in spring/summer 1996 via the Glacier Route, Northwest Ice Couloir, and Buckingham Buttress. I climbed the BB in one long day from the Climber's Ranch. Dustin couldn't find one of his rock climbing shoes during his pre-dawn preparation, so he climbed the route in his big old leather boots. He actually took a whipper at one point and was thankful for the single cam he had placed after running it out. Another close call in the Tetons. We made the mistake of napping for an hour on the summit, and felt like crap when we woke up.
Route Climbed: Southwest Couloir Date Climbed: June 22nd, 2002
Well...this was it, the training climb for the Grand....after a month of laborous duties in the kitchen back in Yellowstone, I finally ventured out into the Tetons....Quite a trip, considering that I was hitchhiking.....4 different cars stopped for me, thank you. A monster truck, a pickup, and some car with a big dog and the the van. In the last car, which was a modified RV Van we almost got killed by this immense rain storm that swepped through the Tetons and this car was gonna give out and the doors were flying open, but then it stopped and the clouds came to pass, just as I made my way towards the trail....Had to spend an extra night in the tent @ Lupine Meadows cause of an awful rain storm, good thing I had enough provisions...I stood on the summit around noon, and quickly made the descent as the approaching thuderstorm was going to hit anything within its range. When it was safe to run, I did, and as thunderbolts were striking within feet of me...I run some more and then I got on my back and slid all the way to the Meadows...what a thrill...3 days in the Tetons, and thank you for stopping and thanks for that food on the way back, this nice guy was willing to share some food with me as he knew I was beat and starved....carry on
Route Climbed: SE Ridge (Buckingham Ridge)- 5.8 Date Climbed: August 18,2001
John and I made a base camp in the South Fork of Garnet Canyon. From there we headed up to the base of the climb. The first 500 feet or so is easy 5th and 4th class. The climbing is solid after this and has a little of everything (mostly friction and flakes). We reached the South Summit of the Middle, rappelled down and scrambled up the North summit of the Middle Teton. From here we descended down the Class 3 route and scrambled up The South Teton (easy Class 3), then headed back to camp, broke camp and busted out - back to the car by 9pm.
Found lots of goodies on this climb including a vintage ice-ax. Not sure why this route isn't done much because it's pretty good and long (6-10 pitches). Did South Teton this day also
Route Climbed: Southwest Couloir Date Climbed: July 5, 2005
Michael Baur,
Kristin Long
Alcas24 - Oct 25, 2005 2:48 pm Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2005
Route Climbed: SW Couloir Date Climbed: July 18, 2005
Solo climbed standard route, about 5 hours to summit from trailhead. Ice axe was helpful but not required. Fun climb, probably my favorite to date. Amazing views from the summit.
Route Climbed: SW Couloir Date Climbed: August 20, 2005?
Penelope May and I hiked up the SW Couloir from our car, parked at Lupine Meadows. I took us a little over 11 hours RT. Found a lot of boulder and talus hopping, large ammounts of scree to cross and fairly long distance to the summit. But the views along the way were wonderful.
Route Climbed: Southwest Coulior Date Climbed: July 23, 2005
Time from Lupine trailhead to summit marker = 2:45:08 hrs. Straight forward. A tiny bit of ice and snow in the coulior, but not bad. Perfect weather! Fun! Headed up the South after summitting the Middle. Saw one bear on descent.
Route Climbed: Southwest Couloir Date Climbed: July 19, 2005
Camped overnight in a beautiful grassy spot high in the South Fork of Garnet Canyon. Route to the summit from there was a mix of snow and rock which was a little edgy for this 50+ eastern hiker, but ultimately doable.
Route Climbed: Glacier Route Date Climbed: June 18, 2005
Summited via the Middle Teton Glacier route. Lots of snow for mid-June, so we were able to crampon all the way to the summit. Just under 11 hours R/T from Lupine Meadows. Excellent route.
Route Climbed: Southwest Couloir Date Climbed: July 25, 1995, Aug 1, 1998, July 21, 2001
I never get tired of climbing this mountain. It's a great climb with a awesome view of the Grand. First time there the couloir was icy and filled with snow. It was a challenge to climb. Second time we had white-out conditions on the summit. Third time we had perfect weather and climbed it with the South Teton in one day.
Route Climbed: Southwest Couloir Date Climbed: September 2003
Climbed solo. Technically an easy climb, but physically very challenging as a day hike. An an incredible view from the top, and an incredible experience all around.
Route Climbed: Glacier route Date Climbed: fall 2003
This was a good climb - although it might've been better if we'd made a high camp instead of doing car-to-car. The glacier's a lot of fun - a few pitches of snow and ice that aren't too steep. Above the rock work is mid 5th class at the hardest if you're on route. Meaning, if it's harder, you're off route!
I think this one would be better earlier on in the season, when the upper portion of the route is covered with snow or ice - the mixed climbing sucked some serious time out of our schedule and we ended up stomping out in the dark. Luckily the Village Inn in Jackson was still open for an 11pm grease-fest....
Route Climbed: Middle Teton Date Climbed: August 20, 2003
Stayed at the Platforms. Not as high on the mountain as others but a nice place to stay. Usual crew, Scott, Steve Pat and me. Great day, great mountain, great friends. Nuff said.
Route Climbed: South West Couloir Date Climbed: August, 1982, August, 1983
I used to be a camp counselor at a Boy Scout Camp on the west side of the Tetons. Each year, at the end of the season, we counselors would hike the Middle Teton. We'd leave our musty tents in Teton Canyon in the middle of the night, cram into a junker van and a couple of station wagons, and depart Lupine Meadows well before dawn. We knew we had to be on the summit and down before the afternoon thunderheads rolled in from the Idaho desert.
No ropes, no helmets, no ice axes. Just hiking boots, shorts, a water bottle and a cheese sandwich, and the fitness that came from the preceding weeks of hiking, backpacking, swimming and running. The snow was always just right to kick steps in on the way up, and soft enough to safely glissade while going down.
I remember downclimbing from the summit on easy 3d class past a couple of guys, all decked out in brand new, bright blue matching shells and pants, with "The North Face" plastered across their chests. They were rappelling, and their faces bore the serious look of hard men doing man's work in a dangerous, manly environment. Their expressions changed to one best described as "mightily annoyed" as the Boy Scouts tripped past, intent on getting down to the thousands of feet of fabulously fun boot-and-butt sliding on the early afternoon snow, on a late summer day in the Tetons.
Did the Middle and the South in one day in about 11 hours. Good weather and tons of snow. From the meadows we used our axes about 2/3rds of the way up. All the snow made for a fast descent
Sam Page - Feb 14, 2006 4:26 am
5xI climbed this twice in summer 1993 (via Southwest Couloir) and thrice in spring/summer 1996 via the Glacier Route, Northwest Ice Couloir, and Buckingham Buttress. I climbed the BB in one long day from the Climber's Ranch. Dustin couldn't find one of his rock climbing shoes during his pre-dawn preparation, so he climbed the route in his big old leather boots. He actually took a whipper at one point and was thankful for the single cam he had placed after running it out. Another close call in the Tetons. We made the mistake of napping for an hour on the summit, and felt like crap when we woke up.
Livelife4Summits - Jan 6, 2006 1:38 am
Route Climbed: Southwest Couloir Date Climbed: June 22nd, 2002Well...this was it, the training climb for the Grand....after a month of laborous duties in the kitchen back in Yellowstone, I finally ventured out into the Tetons....Quite a trip, considering that I was hitchhiking.....4 different cars stopped for me, thank you. A monster truck, a pickup, and some car with a big dog and the the van. In the last car, which was a modified RV Van we almost got killed by this immense rain storm that swepped through the Tetons and this car was gonna give out and the doors were flying open, but then it stopped and the clouds came to pass, just as I made my way towards the trail....Had to spend an extra night in the tent @ Lupine Meadows cause of an awful rain storm, good thing I had enough provisions...I stood on the summit around noon, and quickly made the descent as the approaching thuderstorm was going to hit anything within its range. When it was safe to run, I did, and as thunderbolts were striking within feet of me...I run some more and then I got on my back and slid all the way to the Meadows...what a thrill...3 days in the Tetons, and thank you for stopping and thanks for that food on the way back, this nice guy was willing to share some food with me as he knew I was beat and starved....carry on
SawtoothSean - Dec 30, 2005 9:47 pm
Route Climbed: SE Ridge (Buckingham Ridge)- 5.8 Date Climbed: August 18,2001John and I made a base camp in the South Fork of Garnet Canyon. From there we headed up to the base of the climb. The first 500 feet or so is easy 5th and 4th class. The climbing is solid after this and has a little of everything (mostly friction and flakes). We reached the South Summit of the Middle, rappelled down and scrambled up the North summit of the Middle Teton. From here we descended down the Class 3 route and scrambled up The South Teton (easy Class 3), then headed back to camp, broke camp and busted out - back to the car by 9pm.
Found lots of goodies on this climb including a vintage ice-ax. Not sure why this route isn't done much because it's pretty good and long (6-10 pitches). Did South Teton this day also
BaurMichael - Dec 27, 2005 4:44 pm
Route Climbed: Southwest Couloir Date Climbed: July 5, 2005Michael Baur,
Kristin Long
Alcas24 - Oct 25, 2005 2:48 pm Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2005
Route Climbed: SW Couloir Date Climbed: July 18, 2005Solo climbed standard route, about 5 hours to summit from trailhead. Ice axe was helpful but not required. Fun climb, probably my favorite to date. Amazing views from the summit.
asmrz - Oct 23, 2005 5:07 pm
Route Climbed: SW Couloir Date Climbed: August 20, 2005?Penelope May and I hiked up the SW Couloir from our car, parked at Lupine Meadows. I took us a little over 11 hours RT. Found a lot of boulder and talus hopping, large ammounts of scree to cross and fairly long distance to the summit. But the views along the way were wonderful.
iceisnice - Oct 3, 2005 10:19 pm
Route Climbed: Chounard Ridge Date Climbed: July '04Fun climb. Only a few pitches worth of roped climbing. Pretty laidback route.
tdoughty - Sep 4, 2005 9:37 pm
Route Climbed: Glacier Date Climbed: August 1985With James Barnett. Nice ice in upper reaches. Interesting route finding on the descent.
mountainTRIALS.com - Jul 26, 2005 1:17 pm
Route Climbed: Southwest Coulior Date Climbed: July 23, 2005Time from Lupine trailhead to summit marker = 2:45:08 hrs. Straight forward. A tiny bit of ice and snow in the coulior, but not bad. Perfect weather! Fun! Headed up the South after summitting the Middle. Saw one bear on descent.
dukehiker - Jul 21, 2005 8:17 am
Route Climbed: Southwest Couloir Date Climbed: July 19, 2005Camped overnight in a beautiful grassy spot high in the South Fork of Garnet Canyon. Route to the summit from there was a mix of snow and rock which was a little edgy for this 50+ eastern hiker, but ultimately doable.
althegreek - Jul 12, 2005 7:07 pm
Route Climbed: glacier Date Climbed: may 2003nice and straightforward. uncrowded in early season, made for a nice climb. deep snow though. shouldve brought the skis.
Joseph Bullough - Jun 21, 2005 5:12 pm
Route Climbed: Glacier Route Date Climbed: June 18, 2005Summited via the Middle Teton Glacier route. Lots of snow for mid-June, so we were able to crampon all the way to the summit. Just under 11 hours R/T from Lupine Meadows. Excellent route.
mountaingazelle - May 1, 2005 7:21 pm
Route Climbed: Southwest Couloir Date Climbed: July 25, 1995, Aug 1, 1998, July 21, 2001I never get tired of climbing this mountain. It's a great climb with a awesome view of the Grand. First time there the couloir was icy and filled with snow. It was a challenge to climb. Second time we had white-out conditions on the summit. Third time we had perfect weather and climbed it with the South Teton in one day.
dunsum - Apr 7, 2005 4:33 am
Route Climbed: several Date Climbed: July '97Northwest Ice Couloir, 8/2/97
Southeast Ridge, 6/12/99
North Ridge (solo), 8/27/00
Chouinard Ridge, 8/10/03
Glacier Route, 6/18/05
mr kieran - Mar 19, 2005 6:09 pm
Route Climbed: Southwest Couloir Date Climbed: September 2003Climbed solo. Technically an easy climb, but physically very challenging as a day hike. An an incredible view from the top, and an incredible experience all around.
Andinistaloco - Sep 7, 2004 12:07 am
Route Climbed: Glacier route Date Climbed: fall 2003This was a good climb - although it might've been better if we'd made a high camp instead of doing car-to-car. The glacier's a lot of fun - a few pitches of snow and ice that aren't too steep. Above the rock work is mid 5th class at the hardest if you're on route. Meaning, if it's harder, you're off route!
I think this one would be better earlier on in the season, when the upper portion of the route is covered with snow or ice - the mixed climbing sucked some serious time out of our schedule and we ended up stomping out in the dark. Luckily the Village Inn in Jackson was still open for an 11pm grease-fest....
sskeep - Aug 24, 2004 10:47 pm
Route Climbed: Middle Teton Date Climbed: August 20, 2003Stayed at the Platforms. Not as high on the mountain as others but a nice place to stay. Usual crew, Scott, Steve Pat and me. Great day, great mountain, great friends. Nuff said.
Scott Pierce - Jun 29, 2004 8:41 pm
Route Climbed: South West Couloir Date Climbed: August, 1982, August, 1983I used to be a camp counselor at a Boy Scout Camp on the west side of the Tetons. Each year, at the end of the season, we counselors would hike the Middle Teton. We'd leave our musty tents in Teton Canyon in the middle of the night, cram into a junker van and a couple of station wagons, and depart Lupine Meadows well before dawn. We knew we had to be on the summit and down before the afternoon thunderheads rolled in from the Idaho desert.
No ropes, no helmets, no ice axes. Just hiking boots, shorts, a water bottle and a cheese sandwich, and the fitness that came from the preceding weeks of hiking, backpacking, swimming and running. The snow was always just right to kick steps in on the way up, and soft enough to safely glissade while going down.
I remember downclimbing from the summit on easy 3d class past a couple of guys, all decked out in brand new, bright blue matching shells and pants, with "The North Face" plastered across their chests. They were rappelling, and their faces bore the serious look of hard men doing man's work in a dangerous, manly environment. Their expressions changed to one best described as "mightily annoyed" as the Boy Scouts tripped past, intent on getting down to the thousands of feet of fabulously fun boot-and-butt sliding on the early afternoon snow, on a late summer day in the Tetons.
Bootboy - May 29, 2004 2:45 am
Route Climbed: SW couloir Date Climbed: July 2003Did the Middle and the South in one day in about 11 hours. Good weather and tons of snow. From the meadows we used our axes about 2/3rds of the way up. All the snow made for a fast descent
bteddy - Apr 19, 2004 11:53 pm
Route Climbed: SW couloir Date Climbed: july '03Climbed in conjunction with S. Teton in about 12 hours total