Table Mountain

Overview

Awesome View!

This peak allows those who are not experienced mountain climbers to attain a high point with tremendous views of the big Teton peaks. The approach starting in Teton Canyon is mostly a walkup with one short easy scramble. This is the mountain that Harrison Ford, with his Bell 407 helicopter, picked up an ailing hiker, back in the summer of 2000. There is a fair amount of traffic starting in July into August, from Boy Scouts from the nearby Treasure Mountain Scout Camp. September would be, in my humble opinion, the best time to hike this one. There are technical routes that are accessed from Cascade Canyon.

Getting There

Awesome View!

Red Tape

Jedediah Wilderness...... The walkup route from the "Idaho" side is through the Jedediah Smith Wilderness Area. No permits are required, unless you will be camping in Grand Teton National Park. The park boundary runs north/south right over the top of Table Mountain. Park permits are available at the local Forest Service Office for trips beginning from the Jedediah Smith Wilderness. No Bicycles. If you camp you must be at least 200 feet from lakes and 100 feet from streams. Human waste must be buried at lest 6 inches deep and 200 feet from surface water. The Teton Range is home to grizzly and black bears. Food must be hung or stored in bear-resistant containers when not in use. Check local Forest Service offices for any fire restrictions that may be in place during summer season. Teton-Basin Ranger District 515 South Main P.O. Box 777 Driggs, Idaho 83422 (208)354-2312 Grand Teton National Park..... Overnight permits are free, but compulsory. There are limits for the popular backcountry campsites. Acquire your pass at the Jenny Lake backcountry ranger station. There is a $20 entrance fee to the park, or for $50 you can get the annual pass for all National Parks. No permits or fees are necessary to climb; however, a check-in with the Jenny Lake Ranger Station is recommended. Grand Teton National Park Permits Office P.O. Drawer 170 Moose, WY 83012 FAX: (307) 739-3438

When To Climb

July through September are good months to climb here, although there are some that have experience/knowledge to accomplish these types of climbs year-round.

Camping

Jedediah Wilderness...... There are a couple of campgrounds in Teton Canyon. Nowhere near as crowded as the east side. Grand Teton National Park..... Jenny Lake Campground North of Moose. Very popular campground and is almost always full by 8-10 a.m. Gros Ventre Campground South and east of Moose, with 360 sites. Generally gets full by evening. There are many more campgrounds around on the east side of the range and a person must decide where to camp according to time/distance from their starting point.

Mountain Conditions

Jedediah Wilderness...... A very good web site can be found HERE for realtime (almost) conditions on the west side of the range. The nice thing about climbing from this side is the ability to see the weather coming. Grand Teton National Park..... The Jenny Lake Ranger Station can be called for up to date information at (307) 739-3343.

A little bit of History

July 27, 1872 saw a party from the Hayden expedition, that included photographer William H. Jackson, Charles Campbell, Alexander Sibley, Philo Beveridge, John Coulter*, travel up the north fork of Teton Canyon (east of present day Driggs, Idaho). They then made what is thought to be first ascent of Table Mountain, where near the summit Jackson took what are now well-known negatives. The amount of equipment that was needed to make photographs in that day and age is just astonishing. Just think about how hard it must have been to lug all that around and then the time spent setting up and then developing on the spot! Amazing! jimmyjay,added this information: *The Dr. John Coulter that was on the 1872 Hayden expedition was a botanist. John Colter the mountain man was a young man in 1806 when he left the Corps of Discovery and no longer alive in 1872. The survey, however did include Nathaniel Langford and Capt. James Stevenson who, while Jackson was taking his photographs, were making an ascent of the Grand. Metal plates had been invented, but what Jackson exposed were the older glass plates - his preferred method. Brendon bdogidaho ,added these links: William H. Jackson Photos from 1872 View of the Grand from Inspiration Point The Summit and North ridge of Table Mountain Cascade Canyon Mount Moran to the North Looking towards Buck Mountain The South Teton, Buck Mountain. and the backside of the Wall Teton Canyon The three Tetons from afar "border=2>

Additions and CorrectionsPost an Addition or Correction

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klimbien - Jul 28, 2009 10:27 pm - Hasn't voted

Distance

This 11-mile roundtrip hike seems much longer than it really is because of the 4,000-foot elevation gain. The route follows the North Fork Teton Creek for several miles to about the 9,000-foot elevation where it leaves the North Teton creek and heads west up some switchbacks. After climbing about another 1,000 feet the trail reaches a ridge top where it flattens out some before the last section of uphill to the top. The trail up Table Mountain has a tendency to disappear from time to time so bring a map and compass. The last uphill pitch is deceptively steep and some hikers give up here just below the summit. Here at 11,000 ft some who are not used to this kind of altitude sometimes have problems especially after a 4,000-foot elevation gain. The last 100 feet or so is up through some rock for some easy scrambling. This info was taken from, http://www.free-press.biz/Teton-Valley/Table-Mountain-Trail.html

bdreese2 - Jul 30, 2021 5:02 pm - Voted 10/10

Re: Distance

Accurate comment from 12 years ago. I'd say the only change from my hike last week is that there is no longer any tendency for the trail (either N Teton or Face) to disappear. They're both worn clearly from the trailhead to the top.

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