Conditions in Titcomb Basin, Gannett and Exum on Grand?

Regional discussion and conditions reports for the Northern Rockies. Please post partners requests and trip plans in the Northern Rockies Climbing Partners section.
no avatar
splattski

 
Posts: 429
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2003 8:04 am
Thanked: 67 times in 55 posts

by splattski » Sun Jun 27, 2010 12:58 am

As of June 25, there is still some snow below Photographer's Point.
But we made it from the far end of Seneca Lake to Elkhart Park without snowshoes... albeit with lots of post holing. Above the far end of Seneca, almost completely snowshoes to Bonney Pass, and put them on again to return across the glacier.
However, it is melting out fast, so YMMV.
Trip report:
http://www.splattski.com/2010/gannett/index.html

User Avatar
Bill Reed

 
Posts: 534
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 4:46 pm
Thanked: 78 times in 59 posts

by Bill Reed » Tue Jun 29, 2010 1:26 am

Great trip report
Last edited by Bill Reed on Wed Jun 30, 2010 3:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

User Avatar
builttospill

 
Posts: 157
Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2010 7:53 pm
Thanked: 5 times in 4 posts

by builttospill » Tue Jun 29, 2010 3:48 am

For conditions on the Grand, check here:
[url]
http://tetonclimbingroutes.blogspot.com/[/url]

They specifically talk about the Upper Exum at least. Could give them a call too if they haven't updated it shortly before your trip....but they usually update reasonably often (every 4-6 days maybe).

no avatar
summitdreams

 
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:58 am
Thanked: 0 time in 0 post

by summitdreams » Tue Jun 29, 2010 4:46 pm

We're looking to climb Gannett as well, starting our approach in a couple of days. I just talked to a ranger up there and she was saying its a sufferfest all the way to Titcomb Basin and many parties were turning around even with snow shoes. She was saying the creek crossing are difficult right now as well. I am also curious if wet slide activity is much of an issue on Bonney Pass and the Gooseneck. Are parties carrying avy gear at this point? By the way, great trip report . . . that was very helpful.

no avatar
splattski

 
Posts: 429
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2003 8:04 am
Thanked: 67 times in 55 posts

by splattski » Tue Jun 29, 2010 8:38 pm

summitdreams wrote:I just talked to a ranger up there and she was saying its a sufferfest all the way to Titcomb Basin and many parties were turning around even with snow shoes. She was saying the creek crossing are difficult right now as well. I am also curious if wet slide activity is much of an issue on Bonney Pass and the Gooseneck. Are parties carrying avy gear at this point?


Many parties? Turning around? We saw some ski tracks, but otherwise no one had been past Photographer's.
As I said in my report, we made it from the far end of Seneca to the trailhead without snowshoes. It might be a bit soggy, but it should only get easier. Look for freezing temps at night.
The creek crossings were no problem- except you might have to leave the trail. No big deal. We crossed Indian Creek without taking off our snowshoes. We had to hike about 60 yards up Seneca to get to easy rock hopping.
There were some wet slides, but none on Bonney or the Gooseneck. But as per usual, snow travel should be done while things are frozen.
The hardest part for us was doing Gannett from Island Lake... that is about 18 or 19 miles round trip. If you go now, there will probably be open ground in Titcomb in which to camp. Things were melting WAY fast.
For us, there were virtually NO mosquitoes. You probably won't be so lucky.

no avatar
summitdreams

 
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:58 am
Thanked: 0 time in 0 post

by summitdreams » Tue Jun 29, 2010 8:43 pm

splattski wrote:
summitdreams wrote:I just talked to a ranger up there and she was saying its a sufferfest all the way to Titcomb Basin and many parties were turning around even with snow shoes. She was saying the creek crossing are difficult right now as well. I am also curious if wet slide activity is much of an issue on Bonney Pass and the Gooseneck. Are parties carrying avy gear at this point?


Many parties? Turning around? We saw some ski tracks, but otherwise no one had been past Photographer's.
As I said in my report, we made it from the far end of Seneca to the trailhead without snowshoes. It might be a bit soggy, but it should only get easier. Look for freezing temps at night.
The creek crossings were no problem- except you might have to leave the trail. No big deal. We crossed Indian Creek without taking off our snowshoes. We had to hike about 60 yards up Seneca to get to easy rock hopping.
There were some wet slides, but none on Bonney or the Gooseneck. But as per usual, snow travel should be done while things are frozen.
The hardest part for us was doing Gannett from Island Lake... that is about 18 or 19 miles round trip. If you go now, there will probably be open ground in Titcomb in which to camp. Things were melting WAY fast.
For us, there were virtually NO mosquitoes. You probably won't be so lucky.



Thanks for the info!! That sounds a bit more promising then what the Ranger was telling me.

User Avatar
arm

 
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2005 2:44 pm
Thanked: 0 time in 0 post

Gannett attempt via Glacier Trail - june 18 - 20, 2010

by arm » Fri Jul 02, 2010 2:06 am

we attempted Gannett Peak via Glacier Trail from Dubois on june 18 -20

we made it to Double Lake, where deep soft snow convinced us it'd be a long haul (with very high river crossings) before we'd reach a good basecamp for a summit attempt

we hoped that early morning starts would allow us to make ground on firmer snow, but it was like walking in sugar ... snowshoes weren't much help, we'd have been postholing anyways

met a group of five, charging in as we were heading out, all full of p*ss and vinegar, who had the hots on for nowhere ... thought they might make it, but we met them on Middle Teton a few days later ... they also turned back after Double Lake

Glacier Trail approach should be in good shape in a few weeks ... hope this helps

no avatar
markv

 
Posts: 189
Joined: Sun May 30, 2004 5:16 am
Thanked: 3 times in 3 posts

by markv » Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:58 am

FWIW, three straight years on Gannett in late June and early July taught me that conditions change faster than the beta can reach you. Don't just pay attention to condition reports, but watch weather info. A few hot days can melt out 1000', which for the Titcomb approach means the difference between snow on the whole approach or negligble snow until the top of Titcomb Basin.

User Avatar
b.

 
Posts: 2245
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2003 12:34 pm
Thanked: 18 times in 18 posts

by b. » Fri Jul 09, 2010 3:06 am

Still a lot of alpine ice high up in the Tetons. Not too many parties had been up Exum, and the one's who did make it did the direct. Wall Street is probably icy. Idaho Express was good alpine ice.


Return to Northern Rockies (ID, MT, WY)

 


  • Related topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests