TR: E. Ridge Grand Teton

**zion zig zag** · 07-22-2009, 09:37 PM

The East Ridge is the longest continuous route in the Tetons and combines a little bit of everything, so we set off at 2am to get it in a day. We made it back to the trail head at around 11pm. Lots of exposed scrambling, hard snow, soft snow, verglas, weird traverses, loose rock and the crux which is route finding. The rope we used is now 10 meters shorter and my hair is a grayer due to rockfall.

Traverses:

Good climbing:

The snow finish was something I was looking forward to all day knowing that we could make up time on it. So, of course, it provided the biggest challenge for me of the day. About six feet of slab had melted out at the steepest part of the face (55ish?) and was covered with a thin layer of veglas, the snow was thin and punchy below and above it and the rock had no weaknesses for protection. A slip moving over the rock would be the mountains choice of sending you down the Hossack-Macgowan or over the Otterbody. Neither seemed like good options. I don't have any pics of that cause I was gripped.

The start of the Hossack-Macgowan:

From the summit you can see our tracks up the face below if you look close, you can almost see the slab below the steep roll:

**powdherb** · 07-22-2009, 09:46 PM

Very cool. It looks like some good climbing with interesting exposure. Strong work in that long push.

**stalefish3169** · 07-22-2009, 09:50 PM

I know what you mean about the rockfall. I almost got drilled by a beachball sized death boulder in the Teepee Couloir a few years ago.

Cool Pics!

**Yonder_River** · 07-22-2009, 09:56 PM

Nice climb. Is that more snow than normal for this time of year?

**Trackhead** · 07-22-2009, 10:16 PM

Nice work K.

**powder_prophet** · 07-23-2009, 12:39 AM

Sweet!! Looks like a fun climb. Thanks for the stoke! Heading out for a two day ascent of the OS tomorrow, and this was a nice little bit of motivation.