SummitPost.org

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

Great trip report

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).

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.