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I'm interested in getting to the Skillet Glacier on Mount Moran, Tetons in Spring/Summer for climbing not skiing. I've heard that it can be somewhat of a bushwhack and some have had easy time and some have reported that it was very unpleasant so I'm guessing it depends on the route chosen or stumbled upon. I'm looking for directions or map and advice and possibly even better GPS track of getting there from the String Lake parking lot/trail head.

Looks like there's decent trail from the String Lake parking lot to the north shore of Trapper Lake so that seems easy and straightforward. Then it's only about .6 miles from there to the point where you'd turn left (West) and head up the valley to the Skillet Glacier. How bad can that be? Is this any big deal those 6/10ths of a mile?

Thanks!

There's a decent trail all the way to Bearpaw Bay. Beyond there, you can usually find a bit of a use trail heading north in the woods away from Jackson Lake. The key is to head north for awhile before turning west toward the Skillet near the old lateral moraine. If you diagonal straight towards it, you will suffer.

seano wrote:There's a decent trail all the way to Bearpaw Bay. Beyond there, you can usually find a bit of a use trail heading north in the woods away from Jackson Lake. The key is to head north for awhile before turning west toward the Skillet near the old lateral moraine. If you diagonal straight towards it, you will suffer.

Thanks for helping me with this!

So you are saying to continue straight from Bearpaw and Trapper lakes all the way to Bearpaw Bay of Jackson Lake? I did't realize that. I was thinking from Trapper lake head North West which would take you fairly immediately to higher elevation. But that's why I'm asking! I haven't been in the area and can't make sense of the directions I've read. I like to know ahead of time where I'm going to not waste time lost on approaches which I've done plenty I can tell you.

Let me ask you this, do you go West of Bearpaw lake or stay East of it on the approach to Bear Paw Bay of Jackson lake? It looks like there is a trail West of it that winds around back East of Trapper Lake but if you were headed for Jackson Lake that doesn't seem the most direct path.

The easiest paths goes almost all the way to the campsite on Bearpaw Bay, staying east of the stream out of Bearpaw Lake, then stays fairly low until it's north of the Skillet's outflow stream. The straight line NW from Trapper Lake will land you in all sorts of steep deadfall and misery. I've tried "cutting the corner" on the way down, and it sucks. Sometimes the indirect path is better.

PS -- Nice profile photo! I had exactly the same shot for awhile, except I was by myself, and had to scramble quickly to beat my camera's timer.

seano wrote:The easiest paths goes almost all the way to the campsite on Bearpaw Bay, staying east of the stream out of Bearpaw Lake, then stays fairly low until it's north of the Skillet's outflow stream. The straight line NW from Trapper Lake will land you in all sorts of steep deadfall and misery. I've tried "cutting the corner" on the way down, and it sucks. Sometimes the indirect path is better.

PS -- Nice profile photo! I had exactly the same shot for awhile, except I was by myself, and had to scramble quickly to beat my camera's timer.

Awesome, thanks! I'm heading out in August and while I dont expect to get on the Skillet this trip I may take a day to explore this approach for a later trip. I'm thinking best time to climb this route would be late June/early July?

Oh, yea about that Teewinot summit pic...I was by myself that day! It was my 2nd time at the summit. First time the exposure was so great I couldn't being myself to stand on the very top. So this time I was determined to get a good summit shot. I strapped camera to ice axe and raced up to my pose just in time. Notice I was certainly tied in. It was still exciting but I managed to do it. Thanks for noticing. It was a special day for me doing the climb solo early July with snow all the way from below the Worshipper and Idol to the summit.