Ice Point

Overview

Sitting due west of Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park is a cluster of towers, pillars and spires. Home to a number of established quality climbing routes, one of these towers is Ice Point.

With a short approach, made easier by the option of taking a boat taxi across the lake, shaving 3-4 miles off of the roundtrip, an ascent of Ice Point can be combined with ascents of any of the other nearby features, most commonly its close neighbor, Storm Point, to make a fine day out in the park.

Ice Point sits 1/4 mile south of Symmetry Spire, a very popular climbing objective in the park, and 1/10 mile north of Storm Point, which towers over the north side of Cascade Canyon.

Getting There

Grand Teton National Park is located in northwestern Wyoming, adjacent to Yellowstone National Park.

From either Jackson, Wyoming (in the south) or Yellowstone (in the north), enter the park and follow signs to Jenny Lake Visitor Center. Here, you’ll find plenty of parking, a ranger station (where permits, climbing/conditions beta, etc. can be found), a gift shop, Exum Mountain Guides, restrooms, a boat dock, etc., etc.

Red Tape

A $20 entrance fee is required for the park. If you have a US National Parks pass ($50/year; or $65/year for Golden Eagle Pass), you can use it.

There is also a charge for the boat ride across Jenny Lake ($7 each way, as I recall). The boat runs continually 8AM to 6PM. No reservations are necessary.

Camping/Lodging

There are several designated campgrounds within the park. Also, on Teton Park Road (south of Jenny Lake) is a Climbers’ Ranch. Several cabins, accommodating eight people each, are available for less than $10 per person a night.

Additionally, bivying is allowed the park backcountry, though a permit must be obtained.

Additional camping and lodging options can be found on the Teton Range page.

When to Climb

Ice Point is generally climbed from June to September. There may be snow lingering in Symmetry Couloir on the approach, however, it usually disappears by mid-summer.

Images

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