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Climbing Grand–Climbing Day

Waking up to the darkness on the mountain, there are other climbers moving around getting ready to hike out of camp. I begin to imagine what this day will be like and all the work put in to get here. All of those early mornings of getting up when I really didn’t want to for a run before heading to work. Running is not my thing but it was the best way I could think of for preparing for the altitude of these mountains. Putting training packs on for Saturday hikes to begin to acclimate our bodies to this extra weight. Exercising to build strength needed for climbing. What seemed like endless stairs with a backpack  that continued to get heavier and heavier as the climb got closer. Accumulating the needed gear over the past 9 months and using it so we would be more use to it in the mountain. This day is why I pushed through all of this preparation and here it is. Would it all be worth it? Was it enough? I couldn’t tell which was more dominate – my excitement to do this or my anxiety over preparedness. It didn’t matter now. The only thing that I needed to focus on was spending this experience with my family and keeping us all safe while trying to enjoy every piece I could. This may be the last opportunity to climb a mountain for me.

The day begins in the dark

The gear for this day was packed, my layers where on, and I was exiting my tent. The only light besides my headlamp were the houses residing over a mile below. Unfortunately it was cloudy so not even the stars where shining. Rain was forecast for later in the day capping how much time we had to climb. I was the first of our group to reach the main tent housing our kitchen here on the mountain. Water was being warmed for my tea and breakfast burritos being steamed for a little energy to tackle the rigorous trail ahead. A few minutes to use the outdoor bathroom and more of our group had arrived ready to go. We all grabbed something to drink, topped off our water bottles, and mentally prepared to achieve our goals for this day. Each of us had different goals and needed to work together to accomplish them. Our time had arrived to hoist the daypacks upon our shoulders and hit the trail. Every step required careful placement being illuminated only by the lights on our head. This first part was what I looked forward to least as it was maneuvering on loose rocks making up a gravel trail. Surprisingly we covered a large amount of ground and were at our first climbing point fairly quickly.

Sunrise from the saddle

We connected our ropes and one by one climbed up this first wall of stone. Once above this spot we noticed something floating through our beams of light. Was that snow? It was at this point I first realized how cold it was and that I was shivering. I really didn’t think much about being cold as I knew we would soon be warming up from the hard work yet to come. With all of our climbers off the ropes we continued on the trail to the saddle between Middle Teton and Grand where another base camp existed along with a ranger tent. Reaching this camp a short time later, we all agreed that the views here were incredible but so was the wind. That would be a little more miserable to deal with all of the time. Our base camp was better protected making the environment more enjoyable we determined. From here we continued on the trail as it continued steeply higher to a series of rock walls to the top. Keeping one foot in front of the other we arrived at larger boulders signaling the base of the peak for Grand.

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This marked the goal of some of our group and they had reached it as daylight continued to illuminate the landscape around us highlighting the path we had taken. After a few minutes of discussion we decided to split into two groups. One would continue the climb while the other made the journey to camp invigorated by reaching their objective on this morning. While I continued on with my cousin, each group kept in touch over radio so they could know how the other group was doing.

For me, the fun part of this adventure was about to begin. The trail steepened and boulder scrambling started putting my physical abilities to the test. Soon the scrambling was complete and it was time to put on the ropes for more serious rock climbing. This seemed like a good time to take off a layer or two as the sun was now shining and the temperatures rising.  I never knew until now how much I enjoy scaling rock walls. Maneuvering from hand hold to foot hold kept a huge smile on my face. Well, until I reached a spot requiring me to climb out, away from the mountain creating the sensation of going to fall off. While it took some time, we made it over this section with a big sigh of relief and continued up. There was no option in our minds of quitting and turning back at this point. Word had reached us that the other group was nearing camp by this time while they had heard we were continuing to climb.

On the climb

Every piece of the climb seemed easier after this as we successfully navigated these vertical rocks continuing to increase our elevation. I finally relaxed a little feeling great and that all of my work preparing was paying off. Breathing was easier than I expected and remembered from my climb on Longs Peak in Colorado. Higher and higher we climbed and I realized as I looked over at Middle Teton, we had reached an altitude above its’ peak. The only peak higher than we were now was Grand.

Word had come over the radio that the other group was now safely back in camp recovering and preparing for the descent the next day. Unfortunately time was not on our side now. It would be unlikely for us to reach the summit this day as we were about 30 minutes from the time we would need to turn around and head back towards camp before storms once again were predicted to engulf the area. Still we continued higher just enjoying the experience and the scenery surrounding us. By this time our other group was beginning to get a little nervous that something happened as they hadn’t heard anything from us for awhile. We were just trying to keep going and not in a great spot for communication to go through surrounded by stone walls.

Reaching a nice plateau, we decided this would be as far as we would go and took some time to sit and reflect on our surroundings and our climb that morning. We radioed back to the other group our location and the return back was about to begin. They sighed with a little relief hearing all was going well and we were ok.

Getting above Middle Teton

Taking some time to get a little to eat, something to drink, and taking a few photos from this place on the mountain, we heading back towards the ledge we had just climbed to get here. What seemed like just a few minutes earlier we climbed up this ledge and now we would begin our descent from here. The trip down always seems to be faster and in a short time we were making our way back over the rocks we climbed and were back at the saddle where we split into two groups.

In just over an hour we would be back in camp, finishing our day of climbing on Grand Teton. While we may not have made it all the way to the top of Grand, I felt fortunate to have this experience and share it with my daughters, cousin and his daughter. Adventures like this have a lasting impact for the rest of our lives and just getting this far is an achievement.

Back at camp a guide asked how our climb was. I responded with it being a great experience with lots of beautiful sights. We may have been the least able climbers on the mountain that day but at least we were on it doing what we could. I was glad to be reunited with our group and begin sharing this experience with each other at camp while grabbing some nourishment and rehydrating, waiting for storms that never formed.

Enjoying the views of the landscape around us

Climbing Grand–Training Day

It was Saturday morning, the day after hiking 7 miles and gaining around 5,000 feet in elevation. The rain and wind had been pounding at our tents for much of the night but now had settled down. This was to be our training day in the mountains with breakfast starting us off at 8am. We were all tired and quite stiff, unsure of how much energy our bodies still had for climbing activities but we were here and wanted to climb Grand. With this motivation we got dressed and collected near the Kitchen – a larger tent with a rounded roof for hot breakfast burritos to start the day. It was cloudy and cool but at least the rain wasn’t falling. For how long we weren’t sure as the forecast called for more storms to develop as the afternoon continued so we needed to take advantage of the dry morning.

Getting our climbing gear fitted and put on

The first step was getting climbing gear fitted and put on which included day packs, helmet, harness, and carabineers to attach ropes to. Everything we would bring with the next day for our main climb. My expectation for this day was to fit our gear and an introduction on how to use it including attaching ropes, terminology, and climbing techniques on rocks or boulders nearby. Once the gear was on and tightened correctly we headed for a few boulders just above us to begin to learn how to use and trust our approach shoes. These were new to all of us so I didn’t realize the bottoms of these shoes have different tread for different climbing uses. Our guide showed us what these different treads were for and then headed for a rock slab to put them to use. None of us were ready to work on this slab as it was still wet from rain the night before. There’s no way we would get up it without slipping and injuring something. After a lot of convincing from our trusted guides, we began to move up and down the slab using techniques and body position to move up and down this slab sticking to it with our rubber bottomed shoes even though it was wet. From here we moved on to a boulder which had a square corner and again used climbing techniques with body position to locate hand and foot holds which at first didn’t appear to be there. Amazing how we learned to move up and down this rock also!

About to attempt our first class 5 climb

Soon we were on a trail to the peaks in the top photo. Arriving at the base, our guides began to pull out ropes and remove a few layers of clothing in preparation for teaching us how to go up the mountain. Taking this lead, we also began to remove a few layers as we would begin working more and getting quite warm. At this time it was a good opportunity to drink some water and eat something. You burn a lot of calories while climbing and require more water to remain hydrated in the dry mountain air. In a few minutes we were all attached to ropes and instructed on the path to take up this steep rock. From a distance these peaks appear to be straight up and down and quite intimidating. Once you begin to study them up close you can often find paths using ledges and crevices and begin to figure out how to move towards the top. Again, trusting our guides, we tried to follow their paths and all worked together to locate places to put our hands and feet that were secure in order to push ourselves up the rock. Even though we were attached by ropes, none of us was interested in seeing how well they were holding us and relied solely on our hand and foot holds. I didn’t really expect to get into this level of training. It almost felt as though we were thrown right into some major mountaineering.

Getting near the top

In what seemed like a very short time we had climbed a significant distance and having fun doing it. I was so concerned the altitude would prevent me from climbing at a reasonable speed and was pleasantly shocked to find it wasn’t much of a factor in my ability to keep a good pace. Keep in mind were were above 11,000 feet. This wouldn’t seem all that difficult except we normally live at 1,000 feet in elevation. For those that haven’t experience higher altitudes before, this is a huge change and really affects getting adequate oxygen into your body. I’ve been told it’s a good comparison for people with asthma because it feels like you’re constantly gasping for air while exerting energy at this elevation. At least until you adjust to it.

Learning to trust the ropes and harnesses

Becoming more comfortable with our gear and climbing abilities, we moved up the rock reaching higher ledges with more spectacular views. As I was really starting to have a lot of fun I reached up for the next ledge to climb, bringing myself on top of it only to realize this was the summit. There was no where else to climb up. We sat on top enjoying the view of the mountains and valleys around us while other members of our group worked their way up. At first I couldn’t believe we did it and now I was amazed at how quickly we seemed to make it to the summit. Unfortunately it meant we were also done with this part of the training. I wanted to do more! As the rest of our group made it to the top, we began to make preparations for the descent.

Getting re-hooked back up to the mountain on different ropes, we were instructed that this was the part designed to learn how to trust our equipment. The guide told us to move towards the ledge and lean over putting all of our weight on the harness and ropes. For those of you who haven’t tried this, looking over a ledge that is essentially straight up and down for hundreds of feet below with nothing but sharp boulders to land on, putting all of your trust into a single rope is not easy. Eventually, while hanging out over this ledge, we managed to put our full weight on this single rope and began to repel down the mountain we had just climbed up.  Getting more comfortable repelling, it became fun to move down the rock quickly using less effort and soon we were back on the lowest ledge needing to hike to the next area on which to descend. In a short time we were back hiking towards camp reflecting on this mountaineering we had learned and achieved. What a fantastic experience which was now over all to quickly! It was time to rest up and re-energize for our main goal of climbing on Grand Teton the next day.

Successfully made it to the top of this one

Climbing Grand– The Hike Up

After several years of planning, our most challenging adventure yet had arrived – climbing Grand Teton. I shared this adventure with my two daughters along with a cousin and his daughter. We were all very nervous about whether or not we were physically able to do this but also excited for a chance to climb this challenging mountain. While it may not be as tall as many in Colorado, it’s every bit as demanding. If not more so. My biggest concern was the altitude and what effects it would have on everyone including myself. The last time I climbed a mountain (Longs Peak) I found I would begin to black out if I moved too fast at the higher elevations and I knew this time I would need to keep a good pace in order to be successful. My training had been more intense for this adventure so hopefully that would make a difference in my abilities at the top of the mountain.

On the Trail

We began our journey to our camping location about 8am uncertain about what was ahead of us besides 7 miles of up hill climbs in order to reach our camping destination. Leaving from the Lupine Meadows trailhead, the ground was flat but soon turned up. The first mile went by quickly and seemed rather tolerable. The second mile was more of the same keeping our pace at a nice clip towards our destination. Between here and mile three there was a surprise. A black bear was gorging on berries near the trail. It really didn’t appear to have much interest in us other than wanting us to continue moving on so it could eat in peace. We cautiously continued up the hill after watching this bear for a short time without incident. Several other hikers ahead and behind us did the same. The bear became a topic of conversation for a brief moment at camp with other climbers as it seemed to stay there for some time.

A bear near the trail feeding heavily

Over the next couple of miles we began to hike above the tree line where the terrain became more rocky but the incline was still manageable allowing us to continue moving higher. As the halfway point came and went, altitude began to show its impact as our breathing became more labored and our legs became more fatigued. The scenery was a great distraction of these discomforts with beautiful mountain vistas surrounding us and water running downhill from the melting glaciers above filling the air with calming sounds. Middle Teton could be seen above us now but no sign of our destination near Grand Teton. After a short break we began to climb large boulders which I enjoyed more than the typical trail. These didn’t last long and soon we had reached Lupine Meadows which was incredibly beautiful Mountain scene with flowers, waterfalls, and Grand Teton in the background.

The trail begins to get more rocky as we hike higher up

Pulling off the trail and finding a boulder to sit on, we took a break to eat and re-fill water containers from the mountain stream after filtering it first. I could have stayed here for hours just enjoying the sights and sounds but time was going by quickly and clouds were beginning to build. Storms appeared to be on there way and staying dry was preferred for the last portion of our trail. Repacking our food into our backpacks, we once again grabbed trekking poles and continued putting one foot in front of the other. Only a few miles left to go. Unknown to us at this moment but our trail was about to get quite a bit more difficult as the hills steepened. Our incline became more difficult, the altitude was having a more intense effect on our breathing, and the clouds continued to get darker motivating us to keep hiking up this hill towards camp. Our legs were really wearing out now feeling as though the could just collapse. We had to stop to catch our breath and regain some balance often going up these last few miles but tried to keep moving as much as possible. Finally another mile had passed with only one more to go. Could we make it the rest of the way up this steep hill?

Scenery continues to get more spectacular as the hike progresses

I began to accept that we were going to get wet as thunder could be heard behind us. While this provided some motivation, was it enough to keep our weary bodies moving? Still climbing one step at a time, we continued on our journey wondering if this will ever come to an end. Continuing to slowly move higher, it felt like a snail would move faster up these switchbacks. Each breath became precious trying push energy into our legs which now seemed to have the consistency of Jello. I noticed a few drops starting to fall and tried to climb faster on a seemingly endless trail. When if felt as though our trail would not end it leveled out. Finally some mercy for our legs! A short hike later and we had reached our destination of Corbet High Camp. Thankfully the tents were already set up so all we had to do was race inside with our packs to stay mostly dry. The last hiker entered their tent and zipped it shut before the storms, which had chased us up the mountain, let loose.

The mountain had been kind to us allowing us to reach shelter just in time. We collapsed onto the sleeping mats allowing our aching legs to begin their recovery while bright flashes penetrated the tent walls followed by the loud, humbling cracks of thunder and intense rain smashing all around us outside. Filled with relief for getting here we began to feel the satisfaction of accomplishment for pushing so hard on this difficult trail. But what have we gotten ourselves into?

The most challenging part of the hike is at the end

The Beautiful Grand Tetons

While traveling in between Yellowstone National Park and Dinosaur National Monument, we took a few hours to explore the incredible Grand Teton National Park since we needed to drive through it on our way. There were only a few hours and many places to see so the goal was to hit the major highlights. We entered the park around lunchtime and one of our goals on this National Park trip was to at least grab lunch or dinner in Idaho just to add another state to our list of states traveled to.

Many wildflowers blooming near the tall mountains

According to maps, Idaho borders Grand Teton National Park but roads are another consideration. The nearest road on the map was Grassy Lake Road heading towards Ashton, Idaho so we thought we would give it a go. This road was also a recommended place to potentially see moose which would be fun. At first this road is easy with beautiful surroundings to explore but that soon changes as it becomes a dirt/gravel road with many potholes that seem to be designed to wreck your car. About halfway to the Wyoming – Idaho border we determined this was not a great idea and turned around to grab lunch in Colter Bay Village near Jackson Lake. I guess Idaho isn’t going to be accomplished on this trip.

Fishing under the majestic mountains

After lunch we spent some time exploring Jackson Lake and the beautiful mountains rising up behind it just taking in a great summer day in this amazing place. Eventually we continued south through the park stopping on occasion to take in a different view of Jackson Lake, explore the Jenny Lake area, and see the Mormon Historic District before watching the sun set in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I hope to return here within a couple of years to climb Grand Teton and see more of this incredible landscape.

Mormon row