Grand Teton in May

I'm planning a trip to GTNP for May, and am looking for some Grand Teton beta. I understand that depending on conditions some of the more traditional rock routes like the Owen-Spalding and The Upper Exum can be pretty icy that time of year. Would it be more prudent to shoot for something a little more snowy/icy like the Black Ice or the Ford-Stettner?

I seem to recall may being a tough month for climbing the grand? Black ice all snow? at that time of year. Ford-stettner can be good but can be av danger? It's a alpine time of year to be climbing there for sure. So if that's what you're after I think you'll find it.

It's been 10 years since I spent a summer in the tetons worked at the climbers camp in May and got june rent for free! Great deal.

I'm very aware that conditions and weather can be fickle that time of year. More or less just wondering where others have had success and/or failure in that time frame.

GTNP will have lots of snow still. Last summer, OS was still icy into July. Might be a good time to do one of the glacier routes on the Middle or Moran if you're into that kind of thing. That being said, I haven't personally climbed the Grand so I don't know what the routes would be like.

I'd say just ask the Jenny Lake rangers/people at the climber's ranch/exum guides what the conditions are like and stay flexible, May could really be anything.

Matt Swanson wrote:I'm planning a trip to GTNP for May, and am looking for some Grand Teton beta. I understand that depending on conditions some of the more traditional rock routes like the Owen-Spalding and The Upper Exum can be pretty icy that time of year. Would it be more prudent to shoot for something a little more snowy/icy like the Black Ice or the Ford-Stettner?

Really depends on the conditions when you get there, I suppose.

I climbed the Stettner-to-Ford in early July on a big snow year, and, it was a fun romp, and, climbed really fast on great, easy conditions. Was neve, which, I'm not sure you'd get all the time in May (early enough for bottomless powder snow still, maybe).

I've had fairly good luck climbing lower elevation routes in May (Irene's, Guide'w Wall, Symmetry). Also had the crap scared out of me with avy conditions in May too.

You could climb rock on the Grand, in the sun, that time of year (weather and conditions dependent for sure), but, almost be guaranteed a snowy/icy decent.

As far as success/failure in May? I've had better success on sunny, lower elevation rock climbs than higher up on alpine snow/ice stuff. It'll be a crap shoot, but, I don't usually bother driving up there if the weather is going to be poor, or, conditions don't at least sound somewhat enticing.

.....At that time of the season, it is almost a certainty that the Owens-Spalding route would be iced-up; but, even so, I would venture to say, it would still be the easiest route to the summit of the Grand Teton; the only circumstance, in my eyes, that it would not be the easiest route would be if the upper Exum route were dry and snow-free and the O-S was iced-up, then the upper Exum would likely be easier (which would most likely not be the case in May, but with global climate change, who the hell knows for sure!)
The Owens-Spalding route is a worthwhile, relatively easy and fun route to do when it is iced-up (I have had the pleasure of doing it several times in such conditions); the inherent nature of that particular route lends itself to being quite an enjoyable climb when it is iced-up; that is assuming that whoever is climbing it is competent on and enjoys climbing on mixed ground with crampon points and ice pick sparking off of rock as they penetrate the glaze of ice and also that the climber is one who enjoys the physical body being in the cold of the shaded and often windy exposure that that route presents.
I would enjoy doing it again. There are also several other routes on various peaks that I would be intetested in doing at that time of the year in the Tetons. Let me know if you are in want of a partner, when your time to do it gets closer; I might be able to go with you.
Cheers!

if there is ice...there is a friction pitch that's low on gear placements on the upper exum. That'd be my concern.