Route Climbed: Black Ice Couloir Date Climbed: Feb 2000
One of the hardest climbs of my life. Winter ascent of the couloir with a finish up the OS for a summit. Round trip, car-to-car was 36 hrs. One of the most demanding days of my life. A day that's been hard to repeat.
Route Climbed: Owen Spalding Date Climbed: July 29, 2005
I feel really fortunate to have bagged the Grand for my first mountain.
I’m from Wyoming and have been around the Tetons growing up, never dreamed I’d see the view from the top!
We were supposed to take Exum Ridge but the weather turned bad in the middle of the night so the Exum guide made the decision to summit via Owen Spalding… very cool alpine type experience in July!
If your thinking about climbing the Grand ‘just do it’.
Route Climbed: Exum x 2 ('82 & '85), East Ridge ('90) Date Climbed: August '82, '85, '90
First trip up Exum was with my wife, Cinda. Met the man himself, Mr. Chounard, on top. Had fun lighting bottle rockets. 2nd time was with my good friend James Barnett. Then, Paul Dowdy and I did the East Ridge in '90. We never did see the approach ledges from the lake in daylight. It was dark when we started, and dark when we finished. Well named mountain, it is GRAND!!!
Route Climbed: Exum Ridge Date Climbed: August 25, 2005
Constant winds gusting to 50 mph the day and the night prior to the climb made getting sleep at the Exum Hut (Upper Saddle) impossible. Started up with my daughter, Angela Wunderli, at 4:25 a.m. and reached the summit at 9:30. Winds at the summit were still 25-30 mph but didn't hold us back. Amazing vistas and a wonderful 150' rappel on the way down helped make this adventure one we will never forget. Lodging at the Climbers' Ranch was also an adventure!
Route Climbed: Owen Spalding Wittich crack var. Date Climbed: August 14, 2005
We got two permits for the Merain which adds about 45 minutes of hike. We started our adventure at 4 am. and got to the Owen Spalding route to find a line of climbers. After consulting our guide book we found that we were sitting at the base of the Wittich crack variation. It was a good climb with pitons everyonce in a while. The crack leads you back in to a cave that offered warmth during the belay. The next move brings you out on a face fully exposed and then a crawl up to a belay station with another piton. From there its all scrampling and repeling.
Route Climbed: Lower and Upper Exum Date Climbed: August 6th, 2005
We're probably the last party to leave the Lower Saddle just past dawn, but still made pretty good time due to simulclimbing (too much rope drag) and soloing the Upper Exum. Lower Exum was moderate and not all that great. Summit views were awesome!
Route Climbed: Direct North Face Date Climbed: July 28, 2005
Partner and I climbed the route. We bivied low on the glacier the night before, having only sleeping bags for bivy gear. Started on the wall shortly after 6 am. The route was in excellent shape, contrary to what everybody was saying. No major rockfall (only twice we heard rocks zipping by at some distance away from the wall), except for when we already were getting to the 3rd ledge - there was a rockfall lower on the route, followed by some ice, followed by more rock, most likely it was caused by the party on East Ridge. The section of the wall befor Guano chimney wasn't as loose as we expected, you can place pro, and we simul-climbed most of it. Did most of the climb in light boots, except for the upper technical pitches. The crux pithes are fantastic!
Route Climbed: Owen-Spalding Date Climbed: July 21, 2005
Perfect day for climbing. 14 hours from our camp at the Meadows starting at 6 am. Not many people climbing. Dropped our cold weather gear at the Lower Saddle. The usual crew of Scott, Pat, Steve and me. The next day we ran the 38th annual Snow King Hill climb which is a great race, 2.3 miles, 1,571 vertical feet.
Route Climbed: Upper Exum Date Climbed: July 16th, 2005
Joe Bullough and I made it to the Upper Saddle Rappel via the Upper Exum. High winds and a late time (2pm) forced us to abandon our summit attempt here :_(
We did this car-to-car, leaving at 1:05 am w/o any sleep from the night prior. The high winds made the descent much more grueling than the climb (TR coming soon), and we didn't get back to our car until 10:30 pm. 21:25 hrs on the trail, and I had been awake for 40 hrs!
pwdrqst - Oct 4, 2005 3:05 pm
Route Climbed: Owen-Spaulding Date Climbed: July 12, 2005Beautiful day...
iceisnice - Oct 3, 2005 10:16 pm
Route Climbed: Black Ice Couloir Date Climbed: Feb 2000One of the hardest climbs of my life. Winter ascent of the couloir with a finish up the OS for a summit. Round trip, car-to-car was 36 hrs. One of the most demanding days of my life. A day that's been hard to repeat.
iceisnice - Oct 3, 2005 10:15 pm
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: Summer '99Some don't like this route cuz of the amount of scrambling to technical pitches. However, a great mountaineer's route.
iceisnice - Oct 3, 2005 10:14 pm
Route Climbed: Exum Date Climbed: Summer '99Great climb, but, too many people during the main season.
iceisnice - Oct 3, 2005 10:14 pm
Route Climbed: Petzoldt Ridge Date Climbed: June '04Amazing climb. Just as good as the exum but with no crowds.
iceisnice - Oct 3, 2005 10:13 pm
Route Climbed: North Face Date Climbed: July '04Phenominal climb. One of my favorites. Pretty big day out. Climb is loose at first, but gets into some great pitches high up.
iceisnice - Oct 3, 2005 10:11 pm
Route Climbed: OS Date Climbed: Summer of '99Very simple climb. Fun exposure over bellyroll traverse. Car-to-car in 7 hrs.
millerw05 - Sep 15, 2005 1:25 pm
Route Climbed: Owen Spalding (original route) Date Climbed: August, 1993Spectacular route and mountain. There were several parties on the route which slowed us down a bit but over all a "grand climb".
rcmof - Sep 8, 2005 12:27 am
Route Climbed: Owen Spalding Date Climbed: July 29, 2005I feel really fortunate to have bagged the Grand for my first mountain.
I’m from Wyoming and have been around the Tetons growing up, never dreamed I’d see the view from the top!
We were supposed to take Exum Ridge but the weather turned bad in the middle of the night so the Exum guide made the decision to summit via Owen Spalding… very cool alpine type experience in July!
If your thinking about climbing the Grand ‘just do it’.
tdoughty - Sep 4, 2005 9:33 pm
Route Climbed: Exum x 2 ('82 & '85), East Ridge ('90) Date Climbed: August '82, '85, '90First trip up Exum was with my wife, Cinda. Met the man himself, Mr. Chounard, on top. Had fun lighting bottle rockets. 2nd time was with my good friend James Barnett. Then, Paul Dowdy and I did the East Ridge in '90. We never did see the approach ledges from the lake in daylight. It was dark when we started, and dark when we finished. Well named mountain, it is GRAND!!!
Moogie737 - Aug 27, 2005 1:08 am
Route Climbed: Exum Ridge Date Climbed: August 25, 2005Constant winds gusting to 50 mph the day and the night prior to the climb made getting sleep at the Exum Hut (Upper Saddle) impossible. Started up with my daughter, Angela Wunderli, at 4:25 a.m. and reached the summit at 9:30. Winds at the summit were still 25-30 mph but didn't hold us back. Amazing vistas and a wonderful 150' rappel on the way down helped make this adventure one we will never forget. Lodging at the Climbers' Ranch was also an adventure!
breadbox - Aug 22, 2005 1:38 pm
Route Climbed: O/S Date Climbed: August 1994Keith & I did it in two days in hiking boots - the chute above Black Ice Couloir was icy and scary! Glad Keith led that one!
climbmn - Aug 21, 2005 11:53 pm
Route Climbed: Upper Exum Date Climbed: August 13, 2005Perfect day for climbing, with great weather and amazing summit views.
John_Sandlian - Aug 20, 2005 7:26 pm
Route Climbed: Owen Spalding Wittich crack var. Date Climbed: August 14, 2005We got two permits for the Merain which adds about 45 minutes of hike. We started our adventure at 4 am. and got to the Owen Spalding route to find a line of climbers. After consulting our guide book we found that we were sitting at the base of the Wittich crack variation. It was a good climb with pitons everyonce in a while. The crack leads you back in to a cave that offered warmth during the belay. The next move brings you out on a face fully exposed and then a crawl up to a belay station with another piton. From there its all scrampling and repeling.
old5ten - Aug 14, 2005 4:02 am
Route Climbed: Lower and Upper Exum Date Climbed: August 6th, 2005We're probably the last party to leave the Lower Saddle just past dawn, but still made pretty good time due to simulclimbing (too much rope drag) and soloing the Upper Exum. Lower Exum was moderate and not all that great. Summit views were awesome!
GlennMerrill - Aug 8, 2005 2:12 am
Route Climbed: Upper Exum Date Climbed: Aug 6, 2005Soloed the Upper Exum Ridge.
Pawel Krol - Aug 1, 2005 4:13 pm
Route Climbed: OW - CH Date Climbed: 2005-07-27Nice climb, exhausting Apprpoach
DmitMF - Aug 1, 2005 11:05 am
Route Climbed: Direct North Face Date Climbed: July 28, 2005Partner and I climbed the route. We bivied low on the glacier the night before, having only sleeping bags for bivy gear. Started on the wall shortly after 6 am. The route was in excellent shape, contrary to what everybody was saying. No major rockfall (only twice we heard rocks zipping by at some distance away from the wall), except for when we already were getting to the 3rd ledge - there was a rockfall lower on the route, followed by some ice, followed by more rock, most likely it was caused by the party on East Ridge. The section of the wall befor Guano chimney wasn't as loose as we expected, you can place pro, and we simul-climbed most of it. Did most of the climb in light boots, except for the upper technical pitches. The crux pithes are fantastic!
sskeep - Jul 26, 2005 10:46 pm
Route Climbed: Owen-Spalding Date Climbed: July 21, 2005Perfect day for climbing. 14 hours from our camp at the Meadows starting at 6 am. Not many people climbing. Dropped our cold weather gear at the Lower Saddle. The usual crew of Scott, Pat, Steve and me. The next day we ran the 38th annual Snow King Hill climb which is a great race, 2.3 miles, 1,571 vertical feet.
PellucidWombat - Jul 18, 2005 10:38 am
Route Climbed: Upper Exum Date Climbed: July 16th, 2005Joe Bullough and I made it to the Upper Saddle Rappel via the Upper Exum. High winds and a late time (2pm) forced us to abandon our summit attempt here :_(
We did this car-to-car, leaving at 1:05 am w/o any sleep from the night prior. The high winds made the descent much more grueling than the climb (TR coming soon), and we didn't get back to our car until 10:30 pm. 21:25 hrs on the trail, and I had been awake for 40 hrs!