Tetons and Whites

[jn316]

I may have a week to do some hikes/scrambles in the Tetons in August, and wonder if anyone can provide comparison between some Teton scrambles and northeast mtn scrambles. I did S.Teton years ago, so a comparison to that would also be welcome.
Routes I'm considering: Mt. St. John via S. couloir, Rockchuck Pk via east slopes, Woodring via Southwest Couloir, Middle Teton via SW couloir.
Any info appreciated.

 

[jfb]

I've done South Teton years ago in early September and found it to be a lot of rock-hopping similar to hiking the Northern Presidentials. The Great Gulf headwall would be good practice. The day after hiking up and down South Teton, my partner and I climbed the SE buttress of Middle and ran down the SW couloir in sneakers all the way to the Meadows. The NW couloir of Nez Perce (great views from the top) would also be similar, lots of rock hopping with loose scree here and there. The descent route from Symmetry Spire can also be done as a scramble, but there is terrific exposure along a ledge up near the top.

 

[pudgy_groundhog]

We did Mt. Woodring, but I can't remember which route (some pics are here http://www.pbase.com/pudgy_groundhog/tetons ). I'll have to double check -- but the route wasn't technical, just a bunch of loose talus that was a pain in the neck.

 

[linehant]

I did the SW Couloir on Middle Teton two or three summers back. The hike up to the couloir involved some rock hopping... nothing too serious. The couloir itself was, like many of the Teton scrambles, a mass of loose debris. There were a couple of interesting moves, but mostly it was ascending a rubble pile.

For a GOOD scramble, try the class 4 East face of Teewinot. That route was great fun. In some ways, it was more enjoyable than the upper/lower Exum on the Grand.

 

[RGF1]

Middle Teton has some good climbs and Great views . I climbed it from the Lower Saddle but I am not sure if that is what you are looking for it is a great overnightand has some clas 5 pitches ( actaully I spent a few nights there to climb both Middle and the Grand tetons . ) , You need a Free Permit from the NPS . to Camp there you will not be alon as most pople Climb the Grand from the Lower Saddle . Guides gruos included. here is a description of the SW Coulior route . http://www.summitpost.org/show/route_link.pl/route_id/1566/object_id/973
Look around the whole page for more . From the Summit you have a great view of the Grand and the Exum ridge and Owens Spualding routes.

 

[professor]

Mt. St. Johns

I did the south couloir(s) of Mt. St. Johns years ago. Fun class-3 scrambling. Advice: Most route guides say "take pretty much any of the couloirs you see at the bottom". What they don't say, is that not all couloirs work for the descent. Given that I like to descend by a different route than my ascent, I took a different route down than up, and found myself looking down a rappel point, necessitating a reclimb back to the summit, and trying a different route down. You can do the whole climb in a day, but the camping in the Cirque is really beautiful (if it is still allowed).

Disappointment peak is also a fun class-3 scramble via the lake ledges (southwest side of the peak from amphitheatre lake). A wonderful exposed summit with awesome up-close views of the Grand. A very moderate one-day higke. No matter how tempting the route looks descending straight down-west to the lake (and there will be cairns to tempt you), do NOT go that way. ....Long Story.....

 

[Waumbek]

Definitely a hike not a scramble, but I loved the Death Canyon Trail past Phelps Lake up to the Death Canyon Shelf, which we did as a backpack in the mid-1990s. We got a permit (no problem) and camped up there in a group area. It was the first time I'd seen metal bear lockers. It was late August. We saw 0 people, nada, and had the campsite to ourselves. Passed through a large herd of moose (not our eastern moose) feeding on willows, which felt a bit dicey as there were mothers and calves. The trail was pack trail all the way, zig zag switchbacks, which made for easy hiking compared to boulder hopping, and we never got too far above 10,000' so the elevation didn't really affect us. There was some talus on the Static Peak trail. But I was amazed at the big views the whole way, no trees above about 7000', and the bears around Phelps Lake were plentiful. I'd go back in a flash if it's still as quiet there.