anyone hiked Mt St John in Tetons ?

[Chip]

Considered accessible and non-technical, it's about a 6 mile round trip with 5000' vertical gain from unmarked, unmaintained trails above Jenny Lake. This will be late June/early July, so conditions are a question also. Thanks for any help.

 

[Rik]

Considered accessible and non-technical, it's about a 6 mile round trip with 5000' vertical gain from unmarked, unmaintained trails above Jenny Lake. This will be late June/early July, so conditions are a question also. Thanks for any help.

Chip, I'm also interested in any answers you get. I'm also looking for a dayhike in that area for 6/23 or 6/30. When will you be there?

 

[Chip]

We'll be flying into Jackson on 6/24, I could hike 6/25 or 6/26, then we're going to Yellowstone and will be back to Colter Bay 7/2 to 7/4. 6/30 is possible but not perfect as I'd be driving down from West Yellowstone. That would be great though. 6/25, 26 or 7/03 were the days I planned to hike in Teton.

 

[pudgy_groundhog]

Chip, I asked Steve and he's familiar with the mountain, although he didn't hike it when he was there. He said at that time of the year you might need an ice axe. Hopefully he'll pop in here to give more info. We have the Teton scrambles book at home and I can look up the hike if you would like. I would also try posting in the appropriate regional forum on backpacker.com to find somebody who's hiked it.

 

[el-bagr]

It's a straightforward route from the NW shore of Jenny Lake. Basically head up Hanging Canyon along the south side toward Lake of the Crags, which is a beautiful destination in its own right, then take your pick of routes up between (and west of) the teeth. It can be hard figuring out which of the serrated teeth is the true summit. I'd call it more of a scramble than a climb. There may be snow into June/July, though this year's snowpack was dismal.

 

[bcborder]

mt. saint john vs buck

I climbed Mt. Saint John via the previous route description (South Couloir from Lake of the Crags) several years ago in early August. It was apparently a huge snow year (1993) and although we all carried ice axes and there was steep snow around us, we were able to summit without climbing on snow. There was some exciting scrambling near the top, nothing really scary though. That same trip we also climbed the East Face of Buck Mountain (as a overnight trip). Although the East Face is often just a scramble, we were on snow, and happy to have ice axes for most of the upper section.

Mt. Saint John had fun scrambling and less snow, we didn't have any problems route finding. Buck was a bigger climb with better views on top (although Mt. Saint John's not bad either).

 

[halfmoon]

Mt. Saint John & Others

Chip,

First of all I have never climbed Mt. Saint John. However, I have hiked up Hanging Canyon three times in the last few years. I can say that Hanging Canyon is perhaps my favorite spot in the Teton Range; very beautiful, and seldom visited. I have seen Mt. SJ from the shores of Lake of the Crags and it appears to be an acheivable summit with little difficulty. I would, depending on snowpack, consider carrying an ice axe. Inquire at the Jenny Lake ranger station prior to your trip. The rangers at Jenny Lake are extremely helpful, and always enjoy a good chat about hiking and climbing.

One previous poster had an interesting proposition. If you are willing to expand your horizons Buck Mountain is also a wonderful summit, and acheivable as a day trip. I scrambled Buck Mountain via the exciting Souteast Ridge, considered class 4.

I have also climbed Mount Woodring in the Teton Range, which is accessible via Holly Lake and Paintbrush Canyon. Woodring also provides interesting views both of the Grand Teton Massif, and Mt. Moran.

I have access to the climber's guide to the Teton Range, and am willing to share information from that book when you settle on a climb.

I have some photos of my 2006 trip to the Teton Range which includes Hanging Canyon, Buck Mountain, Mt. Moran, and Grand Teton if you wish to view them. They are located here: http://www.pbase.com/pudgy_groundhog/gtnp06

 

[RGF1]

Chip
If you are comfortable on steep Snow I highly Recomend Middle Teton ther is nota offial rout though the South West Coulior is both The easiest and Most Popular TheView from the Sumit Twoards The Grand is Stunning > Ilove to go back sometimeand be on top early on the Moring fora great B+ W shot . I fI can Find and scan a slide of the view I Will .
Ther isabout a 6,000 ft eelvation gain and it is steep lots of swithcbacks on the NPS Trail thet c goes up ro the col . and you will see aslot of wild life . maybe even a grizzley ! ThweHiukeand overnight stay at the col where the the Owns Spaudlingand Exum Ridge routes go up to the sumit of the grand Not recomend Unless you are comfortable on class 5 rock
You need permits for alot of hikingand overnight hiking or climbing in the park . Call the park well in advance .
There are alot of choices giventhe chance to climb one of the Tetons and look nearly 7, 000 ft down to lake jenny and also over Idaho , and the Wind Rivers to the east . all are worth it thought i would toss in this option to climba stunning peask and get some amzingvies theclib itself will be rewarding justbesure to start early in the AM and be down low by 12 noon if not earlier as they afternoon stoms gatheraround the Tetons and are deadly .
Regardless of what you do enjoy and post pics