Owen Spalding/Exum Ridge - Possible to do without a guide?

Hello,

Summitting the Grand Teton is high on my lifetime bucket list, and everyone that I personally know that has done it has used a guide. I'm curious, is a guide 100% necessary? Or maybe a better question would be, what level of experience/skills would one need to have to climb Owen Spalding or Exum Ridge without a guide?  

I'm not at all opposed to hiring a guide, it's just not financially feasible for me at this point in my life, and so I was curious what the response would be. 

Thanks!

Certainly many (most?) people climb it without a guide. It is a real alpine route, so the recommended progression is to get very comfortable on multi-pitch traditionally protected climbs practicing route finding, transitions, gear placements, moving quickly, basic self rescue, etc. If you aren't interested in learning all those skills and practicing them on progressively longer routes then it is definitely best to hire a guide.

I did it last summer without a guide.

Early July, there was snow on the route, and in the wind tunnel (with the breeze) it was probably close to 10 degrees. You want to be able to move quickly. I suspect you should plan to be on the summit before noon because of the afternoon weather. I've heard that some years the Teton doesn't get a summit (not sure if that's true).

Most of the climbing is 3rd/4th class. Be comfortable with simul-climbing.

Edit: I've only done the Upper Exum portion.

quite easy to do without a guide.

if you're asking this question though, you probably need to do some prep work first.

In addition to your experience/skill, you will also want to have a partner with that experience/skill.

So go climb some mountains with your intended partner(s), in a progression of difficulty until similar to those routes on the Grand Teton.

Compare on the basis of length, ratings, and altitude.  For example, you could do one of the easier routes on Long's Peak, near Boulder, CO.  (This is lower than the difficulty of the Grand Teton).

There is no urgency to climb the Grand Teton.  If you like to climb, find mountains with the right level of challenge for you and your partner, and if you keep progressing, eventually the Grand will be on that list for you.

Steve Olson wrote:

Hello,

Summitting the Grand Teton is high on my lifetime bucket list, and everyone that I personally know that has done it has used a guide. I'm curious, is a guide 100% necessary? Or maybe a better question would be, what level of experience/skills would one need to have to climb Owen Spalding or Exum Ridge without a guide?  

I'm not at all opposed to hiring a guide, it's just not financially feasible for me at this point in my life, and so I was curious what the response would be. 

Thanks!

Just clip in to the conga line of tourists at the saddle and they will drag you up. I'm not joking. At the rap be real polite and you can shimmy down one of their ropes. Do it!

Gumby King wrote:

I've heard that some years the Teton doesn't get a summit (not sure if that's true).

Lol, who’s the Gumby that told you that, definitely not true 

All you need is a day, an extra pair of trousers and a bacon sandwich.

Sweet thanks guys!

I'm definitely not where I would need to be right now to do it without a guide, I just wanted to get an idea of what kind of experience progression I would need before I could go for it. Thanks for the tips!!

Not saying that you shouldn't hire a guide but I thought this was pretty cool:

Choss Connoisseur wrote:

Lol, who’s the Gumby that told you that, definitely not true 

Probably Master Gumby

(But tbh, no clue, haha)

The #1 thing to bring with you in the Tetons is fitness. everything else is dependant on it. 

I did the OS with a guide in 2019. If you haven't done alpine stuff, DON'T try the Grand as your first. I sport climb, but I'm an alpine chicken. Some people respond to the alpine just fine. For me, it is a very unforgiving environment where having a professional showing you what to do is well worth it. I have a huge respect for people who do it themselves, but I don't have the skills, mindset, or risk management chops to do it now... maybe not ever.

I agree that fitness is hugely important. If you aren't used to the alpine, the approach to the Lower Saddle will surprise you with its intensity.

The exposure and routefinding are major wildcards for novices. With guides, you have the security of knowing you are on-route and securely protected.

If you have to ask, you aren't ready. Do a big volume of multi-pitch trad leads in the 5.4 to 5.7 range (verglassed, the OS feels stiffer than 5.4 in approach shoes). Get into shape where you could run 10 miles at altitude. Then you'd be ready to lead the OS or UE.

Also agree that a good partner would be critical.

Good luck, hope you get to summit.  

It's important to bring a wag bag and know how to use it.

imodium... although that might not be good for altitude??? 

I did the grand after eight days of east coast trad climbing experience. It took us 22hr car to car and we were a general shit show the entire way. I don't think we took any huge risks or made any significant mistakes besides spending too long above treeline. We did the wittich crack variation which added some excitement.

Steve,

First off, you don't say if the option is to hire a guide, use protection with a partner, free solo with or without a partner, or solo with protection. And, no mention if you wish to consider the complete Exum Ridge or just the Upper Exum. And no time frame: snowy early-season conditions, one day attempt, etc.

My take:

The Owen-Spalding is a very easy climb when dry. Many climb it in a day without protection and without similar experience (not most). It does have exposure (mental challenge for some) and it does require a heads-up safety mentality. It truly helps to know about the route and its hazards even if following guides. It also helps to be fit but even the unfit have ticked off the Grand; some in a single day but not most. Not knowing you, hard to say how you will manage everything. If you have climbed harder stuff (tick-list says so) consider free-soloing. 

Route finding isn't difficult during the height of summer because you can follow the guides or follow the crowds. And online resources (Owen-Spalding climbing route) cover it in great detail. 

As was pointed by others, the OS has a long history of non-climbers soloing the route.

Hiring a guide for the Complete Exum would make more sense than hiring one for the OS (really not worth the price of a guide, imo). The Complete Exum, or Petzoldt, also seems like a better objective for a guided trip than the Upper Exum. 

i honestly don't see how the grand is possible without fittness unless you are young and have that natural fittness that can come with youth..  Pushing 60 I can't go anywheres in the tetons without doing a bunch of exra speed hiking to get in shape first.. obviously ymmv. 

Teton Climber wrote:

 If you have climbed harder stuff (tick-list says so) consider free-soloing. 

Read his comments on the last few routes. Lots of hanging and thrashing on 5.8 to 5.10. I would not recommend soloing to an "anonymous" online poster with little or no alpine experience. He has little margin for error. OS may seem trivial to the experienced but it can be cold and icy and it presents significant exposure. 

Nick Goldsmith wrote:

i honestly don't see how the grand is possible without fittness unless you are young and have that natural fittness that can come with youth..  Pushing 60 I can't go anywheres in the tetons without doing a bunch of exra speed hiking to get in shape first.. obviously ymmv. 

Many seemingly fit, young people lack endurance, and mental toughness. Lacking fitness doesn't help on this climb but if you take one look at the people climbing the Grand, it becomes clear that many are out of shape, unfit adults. It can be a safety hazard if a weather window is short, or just a very long day in the mountains with nice weather. The hardest part for many is the approach, out and back. I make a distinction between fit and agile. Helps to be both.

ddriver wrote:

Read his comments on the last few routes. Lots of hanging and thrashing on 5.8 to 5.10. I would not recommend soloing to an "anonymous" online poster with little or no alpine experience. He has little margin for error. OS may seem trivial to the experienced but it can be cold and icy and it presents significant exposure. 

There is a difference between consider soloing under dry conditions, and recommending soloing under any conditions. 

The guys who went up the Grand as the second party to summit did so without protection and under icy conditions. They lacked experience on similar terrain. They had no guide, or detailed knowledge of the route. None recommends climbing with that sort of preparation under those conditions. Clearly, some people will get in over their heads. 

Having said that, overstating how difficult the climb is, is a disservice to those who can actually climb it on their own without a guide but never bother to consider that option out of concern that they are unqualified. The OS has been climbed by 6-year-olds, by the blind, the handicapped, the disabled, and by many many climbers with very little experience, and sometimes no experience, climbing. That includes people soloing like the 2nd verified party to summit (see video above), and good ol' Paul Petzoldt who had no similar climbing experience under his belt.