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Teton/Wind River beta

Original Post
Anthony H · · Seattle, WA · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 90

Hey MPers,

My gf and I are doing a road trip to Teton and/or Cirque of the Towers. We are spending a week and a half there and are looking to do something <5.8. So far on our list we have Exum Ridge, CMC Route, East Ridge of Wolf's Head, and NE Face of Pingora.

Here are some questions:
1. Any suggestions of other easy/moderate routes to put on the list?
2. Is it typical to do these routes C2C? Or should we just hike in and haul like 4 days worth of food and camp in the backcountry?
3. Do we need a 4WD vehicle for the dirt road to Big Sandy trailhead?

Thanks!

S Denny · · Aspen, CO · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 20

1. Solid list, CMC is surely the easiest, Pingora surely the hardest.
2. C2C in the Tetons, though CMC camp is awesome the slog isn't really worth it... plus it's $25 for a permit! You'll certainly have more fun setting up a basecamp for the Winds.
3. No 4WD or even high clearance necessary. The road is washboardy in spots... but very passable

Also, from my experience, the bugs in the Winds aren't nearly as bad as people make them out to be. Camp as near as you can to the South side of the climber's meadow, by the snow, and the y are quite tame

mark felber · · Wheat Ridge, CO · Joined Jul 2005 · Points: 41

North Ridge of Middle Teton, Dike Route on Middle Teton, East Ridge of Grand Teton (long).

C2C in the Tetons would be more doable than in the Winds, and would offer the advantage of bypassing the whole backcountry permit routine in national parks.

C2C in the Cirque of the Towers would make for some very long days. Most people seem to camp in the backcountry.

Conditions on dirt roads can change pretty quickly, but I can't imagine needing 4WD on the road into Big Sandy. Plenty of people do it in subcompact cars.

Martin le Roux · · Superior, CO · Joined Jul 2003 · Points: 401
ahh wrote:looking to do something <5.8. So far on our list we have... NE Face of Pingora
NE Face of Pingora is a great route but most people rate it 5.8+.
Sean Brokaw · · Boulder, CO · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 5

The CMC route on Mount Moran is a wonderful outing. Expect to see very few people while you are up there. The Exum Ridge, while a nice climb and a worthy objective, can be an absolute zoo sometimes with both guided parties and other climbers. Still fun and worth doing but just be advised.

The CMC can be done in a very long day provided your routefinding is on point and you are in good shape. A lot of people, however, choose to camp at the CMC campsite located around '10,000. You'll be treated a really nice sunrise in a sublime setting. Highly recommended!

FWIW I found the CMC to be harder than the Exum Ridge in terms of the amount of physical effort required to summit and get back to your car. The climbing on both of them is pretty easy. The exum ridge has maybe a little better rock climbing on it.

Anthony H · · Seattle, WA · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 90

Thanks for all the beta!

Any idea on how difficult to get a backcountry camping permit on weekdays, especially for garnet canyon? Do I have to wait in line before the ranger station opens? Or there will still be slots available during the day? Is it possible to get permit to enter the same day at all?

Thanks!

rgold · · Poughkeepsie, NY · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 526

If you are up for 5.6--5.7 climbing, definitely do the complete Exum Ridge, not just the upper Exum. The complete ridge is a Teton classic.

The NE Face of Pingora is in a different class from the other routes you've mentioned. It has much harder climbing and is much more sustained. Just so you know.

There's a 5.6ish route on the N. Face of Mt. Mitchell (as well as a nicer but harder 5.8-5.9 to the right). A poster on MP called it a "runout chosspile" but I though it was a decent outing. There are also routes on Block, Watch, and Overhanging Towers (the standsrd route on Overhanging Tower is really just a rest-day scramble) and Shark's Nose and Warbonnet. I don't think any of them is superclassic.

The NW Buttress of Shark's Nose is 5.6. Of all the options, probably the next best moderate route is the South Ridge of Shark's Nose at 5.7. Problem 1: I don't know how hard it is to approach it from the Cirque---I've done it from Shadow Lake on the other side. Problem 2: The only route mentioned on MP is called the "direct SW face" and is rated 5.9. The route line pictured seems to me to go where I thought the South Ridge route went, and the photo of the crux pitch looks very familiar, except we didn't climb anything that seemed even close to 5.9. So YMMV.

BackAtItAgain · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 15
rgold wrote:If you are up for 5.6--5.7 climbing, definitely do the complete Exum Ridge, not just the upper Exum. The complete ridge is a Teton classic.
Lower Exum and Pingora IMO are similar - I found the Lower Exum more difficult - higher elevation - harder approach - longer day. Pingora is awesome! If you dont want to commit to 12 pitches - the K Cracks on the South Buttress make a good easier day. Wolf's Head is a MUST DO as well.

There are no bugs in the Winds this time of year.

CMC is one long ass slog - I think it's close to 7k of hiking / (climbing)
Jason Todd · · Cody, WY · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 1,114
BackAtItAgain wrote:There are no bugs in the Winds this time of year.
Are mosquitos considered bugs?
Martin le Roux · · Superior, CO · Joined Jul 2003 · Points: 401
ahh wrote:Any idea on how difficult to get a backcountry camping permit on weekdays, especially for garnet canyon? Do I have to wait in line before the ranger station opens? Or there will still be slots available during the day? Is it possible to get permit to enter the same day at all?
So long as you're there early in the day you should be okay for a next-day permit. I haven't found it necessary to be waiting in line at 8am. It's often possible to get same-day permits, especially if you're prepared to camp lower down (Meadows or Moraine). Not sure if weekdays vs weekends make much difference since for many people the Tetons are a 4-5 day trip.
rgold · · Poughkeepsie, NY · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 526
BackAtItAgain wrote: Lower Exum and Pingora IMO are similar - I found the Lower Exum more difficult - higher elevation - harder approach - longer day. Pingora is awesome!
The Lower Exum is six pitches to Wall Street, where you can walk off it the weather is bad or you are late or tired. Of these pitches, maybe four are 5.7, one 5.6, and one 5.easy. Then there is an equally long simulclimb up the upper Exum (some 5.4) to the top. Grade III.

Definitely higher, with much longer approach and descent then for Pingora.

NE face of Pingora is 10 pitches, four 5.8, five 5.7, one 5.6. Grade IV. No approach if you're camped at or in the neighborhood of Lonesome Lake, and the descent is easy.

They may well be comparable in terms of overall effort, but in my opinion the rock climbing on the NE Face of Pingora is a lot harder and more sustained than the complete Exum.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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