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Hey everyone, I'd like to know what the weather and snow conditions are like in the Tetons in mid-late June. I'd like to take a trip up from CO for a week or two while I'm out west, and right now I'm tentatively thinking about the NW ice couloir on the Middle Teton, Stettener Couloir on the Grand, and Skillet Glacier on Moran. Reading through this forum, it sounds like June still has pretty heavy snow cover, maybe analagous to mid-May in the CO rockies. What can I expect in terms of route conditions, (primarily snow or ice or a combination?) avalanche danger, and whether skis or snowshoes are appropriate.

After being stormed off Rainier in 09 and Mont Blanc in '10, I'd like to have a better idea what I'm up against. Thanks!

Mike

I know that this year there will be even more snow, count on it....banner year for the white stuff so far....

I don't know about your particular routes but I can tell you lots of folks that volunteer for workweek at the Grand Teton Climbers Ranch climb quite substantialy in June some times. The snow note from Biglost should be taken to heart.

It was in complete mixed conditions until July 10th(ish) last year.
June may be great, it may be brutal. Just gotta wait and see how the spring shapes up.

Thanks for the info guys, at least this way if we gamble on the conditions, we won't have flown across the ocean to sit in a hut.

Most definitely a gamble. I've never climbed anything up there before mid-July but I've visited the Tetons a couple of times earlier than that.

Are you driving from CO or flying into Jackson? If driving, I would just play it by ear, calling the Jenny Lake ranger station a couple of days before you head up. They should be able to give you a good idea of your chances.

Might also want to look for options other than Stettner Couloir. At least as of 2 years ago rockfall in the couloir had become endemic and the Exum guides and Jenny Lake rangers were discouraging anyone from climbing it. Things may have changed since then though.

We're driving from CO. The rockfall danger is news to me, but we dont have our heart set on the Stettner. I think we'll just play it by ear like you suggest. Thanks!

I climbed the O-S over July 4th last year and it was full of ice and snow, but definitely climbable. Actually lots of fun. Some things may be in the best condition of the year in June. The Valhalla traverse to Enclosure Ice is often better with snow than without, as long as avy conditions cooperate. Same with NW Ice on Middle.

I'm hoping to head to the Tetons on Friday, does anyone have any advice? I'd particularly like to know if skis are still useful to get to Garnet Canyon and the Lower Saddle. Thanks!

Mike

The snow in the Teton's is still deep. The skiing has been great! Skis or snowshoes are pretty much mandatory to the Lower Saddle. My friend took some great photos from her plane today. I'll try and get the pictures from her and post them.

jmh5331 wrote:I'd particularly like to know if skis are still useful to get to Garnet Canyon and the Lower Saddle.

As of yesterday, skis would have been useful from just above the valley floor, though snowshoes weren't worth the trouble, at least for the first few thousand feet. Super-warm, though, so conditions may change. Also plenty of avalanche activity, so be careful out there.

I'm heading up there next weekend and would appreciate any route/ skiing updates anyone has. Thanks for this info Seano and edl. Also, Mike, if you have a conditions report when your done that'd be sweet.

We'll be bringing skis and ice/rock gear.

Thx.

We just returned from the Tetons, unfortunately we didn't make it up the Grand due to a couple nagging old injuries and illnesses. The snowline is about 8200' (we only did the Lupine Meadows trail into Garnet Canyon), and beyond that, I'd recommend snowshoes or skis. The NW ice couloir on the Middle looks like a snow slog, and the avalanche danger is very high in all parts of the canyon. There were some huge slides in Garnet Canyon after the storm the night of 6/13, and there aren't very many safe campsites in the Meadows. A large boulder reminiscent of the Hilton at Chasm Lake is a good site that's pretty clear of most avalanche paths. It's located at the base of the buttress on the Middle Teton that separates the north and south forks of Garnet Canyon. Gaining the Lower Saddle from Garnet Canyon would be an adventure; it looks like the best route would be to parallel the cliffs on the south side of the headwall (a straight line if you camp at that big overhanging boulder) very early in the morning, after a clear night when the snowpack is the strongest. Be very careful descending after the sun has had a chance to warm up those slopes. It still looks like there are a ton of slides ready to go all across the range.

jmh5331 wrote:We just returned from the Tetons, unfortunately we didn't make it up the Grand due to a couple nagging old injuries and illnesses. The snowline is about 8200' (we only did the Lupine Meadows trail into Garnet Canyon), and beyond that, I'd recommend snowshoes or skis. The NW ice couloir on the Middle looks like a snow slog, and the avalanche danger is very high in all parts of the canyon. There were some huge slides in Garnet Canyon after the storm the night of 6/13, and there aren't very many safe campsites in the Meadows. A large boulder reminiscent of the Hilton at Chasm Lake is a good site that's pretty clear of most avalanche paths. It's located at the base of the buttress on the Middle Teton that separates the north and south forks of Garnet Canyon. Gaining the Lower Saddle from Garnet Canyon would be an adventure; it looks like the best route would be to parallel the cliffs on the south side of the headwall (a straight line if you camp at that big overhanging boulder) very early in the morning, after a clear night when the snowpack is the strongest. Be very careful descending after the sun has had a chance to warm up those slopes. It still looks like there are a ton of slides ready to go all across the range.

Thanks for the updates. Did you see runneling or slide activity up high, and on what aspects? Rangers reported runneling on Teewinot. Seems that with weather warming, most east and south face would be sliding and runneling, but wondering, too, about northern? TetonAT has had some good reports, but any info IS appreciated and it would be stupid not to ask the most recent experts. Thx. We are bringing skis, so just trying to somewhat pre-plan a route.

Thx.

Yeah you're very right about runneling on Teewinot. You could see little troughs and recent sloughs all over the east face, even from down in the valley. The ranger we spoke to thought the snowpack was relatively homogeneous, i.e. there were few weak layers that the recent rainstorms could disintegrate. Wet snow activity was greatest on the south and east aspects, later in the day, after alot of sun. It looked like there was heavy loading on the upper east slopes of the Grand, and I wouldn't be surprised if they run soon. Good luck, and I think skis are a wise choice, even though you'll likely be carrying them for a couple miles.