The Somewhat-less-grand Traverse

Jul 19th 2025 — Climbing,Grand Teton — 12:00 pm

It’s difficult to describe how tired I was. For some people exposure isn’t a big deal, but maybe because I hadn’t been in this type of situation in a while, for me, it was rugged.

The third day didn’t involve technical roped climbing, so I decided the night before (without hesitation or remorse) that I would hike down to the car.

I didn’t waste any time and was back in the parking lot by early afternoon, and sleeping in my bed in Missoula by the end of the day.

I am grateful for the opportunity to do something hard. It had been a little while.

Over the Grand and Middle Tetons

Jul 16th 2025 — Climbing,Grand Teton — 8:50 pm

Grand Traverse Day 2: You wake up on a steep-ass hillside and know you need to get up and down the Grand Teton and the same for the Middle Teton.

So much damn unroped scrambling with a big pack. And you’re tired (I certainly was at least).

I didn’t lead anything. I marched my fat butt up those mountains through some of my favorite scenery on the planet.

To the Grandstand

Jun 20th 2025 — Climbing,Grand Teton — 10:44 am

We started hiking from the parking lot at Lupine Meadows at 2am. I probably had slept like 2 hours total. The start was about 4 hours of walking, mostly up a seriously steep hill, through the woods in the darkness. Then the scary stuff began.

Driving to the Tetons

May 20th 2025 — Grand Teton,Yellowstone — 10:03 am

This was in August of last year.

My friend Tom wanted to do something in the Tetons called “The Grand Traverse”, a route over the summit of a handful of major peaks in the Teton range. He had tried it twice before.

I didn’t know too much about it other than I felt scared and out of shape.

The first step is to get to the Tetons.

A Bit of Wyoming

Jul 5th 2020 — Grand Teton,Yellowstone — 8:34 am

I drove from Denver to Missoula and stopped just south of Jackson to break it up into two days.

Le Grande Teton: The Descent

Sep 6th 2012 — Climbing,Grand Teton — 8:34 am

Gotta get up to get down.

Conor Summit Grande Marker Looking North Yo Conor Y Yo Conor Rappel 4th Class Exposure Walking Back to the Saddle Moraine Boulders Conor View Big Rock Garnet Canyon

Le Grande Teton: The Climbing

Aug 24th 2012 — Climbing,Grand Teton — 10:00 am

The quality of the rock was excellent. We traded leads and moved quickly as retreating if the weather got bad would be rather difficult.

The East Face Michael 4th Pitch Michael 5th Pitch Conor 6th Pitch Michael 6th Pitch Underhill Ridge

Le Grande Teton: Early Morning

Aug 24th 2012 — Climbing,Grand Teton — 9:27 am

We set our alarms for 4:30am but I was awake before then. We made breakfast in the dark and set out to find the base of the route. About halfway there it was light enough to not need headlamps anymore. Our plan was to do the Beyer East Face I, and we were at the base of the climb before 7am.

Middle Teton Teepee Pillar Conor IMG_0218 Into Sun The Tetons

Le Grande Teton: The Approach

Aug 23rd 2012 — Climbing,Grand Teton,National Parks — 12:05 am

I spent the last couple days climbing the Grande Teton with my friend Conor. It was beautiful and humbling. Before you climb you hike 7 miles, gaining around 5000 ft of elevation.

Garnet Canyon Middle Teton Garnet Canyon 2 Rocks Looking Down Garnet Canyon Lower Saddle Moraine Le Grande Sunset Looking Southwest Yo Conor and Michael Tent

Going Home

Sep 16th 2009 — Grand Teton — 9:53 am

From Static Peak at 11,303 ft, about 10 miles of hiking to Death Canyon Trailhead at 6800 ft. Load up the car, down highway 287 to Jackson, west over Jackson Pass, north through Idaho to West Yellowstone, through Gallatin Canyon to Bozeman, drop off Busy, 200 more miles west down I-90 to Missoula, Montana. It was a long day.

Static Peak Divide Going Down Jackson Hole Death Canyon Albright Peak Forest Trail Death Canyon Yo Death Canyon from Road Jackson Hole Ski Resort Farmer Tetons from Idaho

To Static Peak Summit

Sep 14th 2009 — Grand Teton — 9:59 am

Our last day was the most epic. After eating breakfast and packing up, we hiked out of Alaska Basin, and alongside the base of Buck Mountain. After cutting around Buck Mountain the trail takes you up some really steep mountainside with some amazing views until you are within a couple hundred feet of Static Peak.

Busy and I made a short excursion to the top of Static Peak and were rewarded with some really nice views of the Grand Teton, Jackson Hole, and the scenery we had been hiking through for the last day or so.

Alaska Basin Saddle Hil Map Checking Beside Buck Mountain Steep Trail Death Canyon View Static Peak View Static Peak Ridge Buck and Grand Teton Buck Mountain and Alaska Basin Grand Teton Jenny and Jackson Lakes Alaska Basin Busy Summit Michael Summit Static Peak Descent

To Alaska Basin

Sep 11th 2009 — Grand Teton — 9:30 am

Alaska Basin Alaska Basin 2 Hiking Lake Moss and Buck Mountain To Campsite Biz after Nap Tent in Basin Sunset

The Tetons: Death Canyon Shelf

Sep 10th 2009 — Grand Teton — 9:40 am

The first part of our second day.

The Grand Teton End of Death Canyon Sign Wildflowers Death Canyon Shelf Shelf Trail Death Canyon Sky Yo Hil and Biz Clouds and Tetons Biz Signs

Teton Backpacking Day 1 Continued

Sep 8th 2009 — Grand Teton — 8:07 pm

A few more pictures from the evening of our first day in Death Canyon.

Stream Death Canyon Walking into Sun Moose Standing Moose over Bushes Hil, Jeff, Field Moose Bright Antlers Up At Death Canyon Shelf Teton Map 2

Backpacking Grand Teton National Park

Sep 8th 2009 — Grand Teton — 1:48 pm

Just got back from an uber-crunk 2 night backpacking trip in the Tetons.

These pictures are all from the first day. We started a little south of the Grand at Death Canyon Trailhead, and hiked about 8 miles or so past Phelps Lake, up into the Canyon, where we camped.

Busy and the Tetons Hilary Aspens Michael Hilary Phelps Lake Michael Busy Ferns Trail Michael Death Canyon Berries Death Canyon and Phelps Lake Moose Flower Death Canyon Stream Crossing Woods

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