Roping up on Teewinot

On the East Face route, I am curious about those who have roped up for Teewinot. I am a pretty conservative climber, and I was curious how it was for those who actually pitched out a few sections going up, and rapped those sections down. Most of my Teton adventures have been on-sight experiences, but it was pretty clear if I needed a rope or not. I'm kind of on the fence on Teewinot, so I'm leaning towards just taking a rope anyways. I guess I am looking for some sounding boards here.

Its beyond mellow. I wouldn't bring one if your sole intent is just the East Face. There was some steepish snow near the top when I did it many years ago, but this late in the season it will be slush. Have fun dude!

BigNobody wrote:Its beyond mellow.

Yes, but:

NPS Morning Report:

Grand Teton National Park (WY)
Two Climbers Suffer Fatal Fall On Teewinot Mountain

Jenny Lake rangers, a Teton interagency contract helicopter, and emergency medical personnel swung into action just after 11:00 a.m. yesterday to assist two separate parties. The first and more serious accident involved a party of three climbers attempting to reach the summit of Teewinot Mountain. Two of the climbers suffered a fatal fall of approximately 200 feet. The two climbers were Tyler Strandberg, 27, originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, and Catherine Nix, 28, originally from Port Chester, New York. Both women were residents of Jackson, Wyoming.

At approximately 11:15 a.m. Teton Interagency Dispatch Center received a cell phone call for assistance via 911 from Rebecca Anderson, 26, also of Jackson, Wyoming. Anderson reported that the two other members of her climbing party, Strandberg and Nix, had fallen and were now out of sight. She made repeated attempts to yell down to her companions, but received no reply. Anderson was stuck on a small ledge and could not move to see her companions.

Upon receiving the call, rangers quickly developed a plan to reach the three climbers. Three rangers were inserted via short-haul to Strandberg and Nix’s location, a rocky ledge at an elevation of about 11,500 feet located just above the “Worshipper” and “Idol” rock towers. On arrival, the rangers assessed the condition of Strandberg and Nix, who were both unresponsive after taking an apparent fall of 200 feet. They were pronounced dead at the scene by the rangers in consultation with the park medical director.

The rangers then turned their attention to Anderson, who was stranded above the scene. Two rangers climbed steep and technical terrain for about an hour to reach Anderson, who was uninjured, and prepared her for an evacuation. She was short-hauled with an attending ranger to the Lupine Meadows Rescue Cache at 4:19 p.m. The remaining ranger then rappelled back down to Strandberg and Nix’s location.

...

The three women were attempting to ascend the East Face of Teewinot Mountain. The East Face is the typical route to the summit of Teewinot and also the easiest. It is rated a class 4.0 climb, meaning that it consists of exposed rock climbing but is not considered technical in nature. Though the route is frequently climbed without ropes, the terrain is very steep and good route-finding skills, mountaineering experience, and caution are essential. The climbers were well off the East Face route and in much more difficult technical terrain when the fall occurred. They were not using ropes at the time of the fall and were apparently trying to find the proper route.

[Submitted by Andrew White, Public Affairs Officer]

About fifty years ago in early July I climbed the East Ridge of Teewinot and came down the East Face couloir unroped (without having gone up it). There were several snowfields to be descended, and we had carried axes up the East Ridge because of them. Of course, we had ropes from the ascent and could have used them if anyone felt the need.

There have been many accidents to descending parties on these snowfields over the years. I don't recall any issues in unroped downclimbing of any of the rock, but it is possible that some tricky rock parts were under snow.

I've climbed this route a few times, never with a rope. I have seen guides short roping clients on it, but in reality of one dude fell at the wrong time they would probably be toast. There is one 10-20' stretch of 4th class slab that is easy on the way up but really exposed when looking down while descending. I've not found any place immediately nearby that section that would take an obvious piece of gear.

My condolences to the climbers’families.

The Ortenburger/Jackson guide rates the East Face as 4th class (exposed) and reinforces the need for caution and judgment in the route description. There is a faint trail above the Worshipper and Idol pinnacles, but as this accident suggests, it’s possible to get off track and end up on sloping ledges with loose rock and scree.

I’ve never used a rope on this route (and that includes a moonlight climb to catch a summit sunrise) but where’s the harm in putting 30m of line in your pack? Also why not ask the climbing rangers or folks who been up there recently to see if you’ll need an ice ax? That’s something I have found useful most every time.

According to tetonclimbingteewinot.blogs…, the East Face is now "dry," meaning, I assume, no ice axe needed.

In addition, there is, at tetonclimbing.blogspot.com/,

Late summer conditions. August 19th, 2015

Late August can produce a variety of weather patterns compounded by shorter, cooler days. Conditions may be dry today, winter tomorrow, dry by the end of the week. This is a condition report that you should expect to hear until we move into a more predictable weather pattern. Climbers should expect that the likelihood to encounter afternoon storms in the Tetons to be fairly high. These storms can create and maintain alpine conditions like snow, ice and verglas. Remember that rockfall hazard increases with precipitation. Keep an eye to the sky, stay mindful that conditions are constantly changing up high and come prepared for anything. Groups of over 3 climbers will take quite a bit longer for an ascent and could put the group in jeopardy of being caught in an afternoon storm, please plan your route options carefully. Be prepared for cold ascents in the morning hours.

If you plan on going way off route then bring a rope.

Unhelpful and disrespectful of the two deceased young women. No one plans on going way off route. (Not quoted so you can delete the post, at which point I'll delete this remark.)

Nielsonru, I think that if you aren't going to take a rope, you shouldn't be wrestling with the doubts you have, so I'd say take a rope. But note that Lucander found it hard to get any gear in certain places, which might also mean you can't just rap anywhere you want.

Having guided the route recently, I would say if you're asking this question, you might consider bringing 30-40m rope along. It can't hurt. Where there's rope, there's hope.

Just use it on the 4th class sections, then put it away, then take it back out for the descent. then put it away. That said anchors are hard to come by, but a couple of slings, a green and red camalot, and 3-5 small medium wires may be helpful for alpine anchors. It's likely that seated hip belays will be suitable for the exposure, blocks and horns are limited in the 4th class sections. The 4th class sections are probably more like 5.2.

It would be inadvisable to just simply belay the whole upper mountain, you will knock rocks down on each other, and it'll take days.

It's a great route, have fun.

I have a slightly different view than Matt in that I think it can be dangerous to have a rope. If you stay on route... IF YOU STAY ON ROUTE IN THE CORRECT CENTRAL GULLEY, the climbing is 3rd class and then 4th class right at the top. The problem with a rope is everything is filled with scree. Every ledge, every crevice... it is scree, this route. So the rope dislodges it. If I were you I would carry a short one as he says and then use it only at the very top and only if the belayer is out of the drop zone. Just my thought.
Sam