Best Teton Guidebook?
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I'm hoping to do some climbing in the Tetons this summer and I was wondering about which guide is better, the Ortenburger or the 50 classics? I'm looking to climb classsic rock routes, |
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I prefer the Ortenburger guide, aka the Bible. The Rossiter guide has out dated information as it is fairly old. The Ortenburger guide is awesome, and has lots of information, but it does take a while to figure out how it is organized. |
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For just the classic lines, I would recommend Rossiter's guide. Sure it is older than Ortenburger/Jackson but the climbs don't change much. The Ortenburger/Jackson guide is much more comprehensive, but it can be hard to find the info because there is so much more. For example if you climb the N Face of the Grand, descend the OS, and then do the Black Dike Traverse the info is all there but you need to look in at least three sections of the book. Come to think of it, though, I'm not sure Rossiter mentions the Black Dike Traverse. |
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Finding the approaches seems more to the task than the routes themselves. |
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The Jackson/Ortenburger guide is the one you want. The other basically scoops info off the J/O. All the interesteing info, as well as the pertinent info, is in the O/J guide. Also, Renny Jackson deserves your support for being the guy who saves your life out there. He has spent 40 years in the Tetons (I think Rossiter lives in Boulder) with much of that time spent pulling people out of places where they got in over their heads. I believe he is the only person to win the Congresional Medal of Valor for mountain rescues... |
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Sam, I think that's gonna be either the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor or Presidential Medal of Freedom (Congress pertains to the Medal of Honor - for military). |
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I think the best way to go is getting up there as a team and just figuring it out. |
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The Jackson/Ortenburger guide is worth buying even if you never climb in the Tetons. The historic tales and photos document the golden age of North American alpinism as well as anything anything out there. |
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This may be a stupid question, but is there any sport out there? I am going out for a short while in a week and would love to do some routes, but dont want to bring all my gear. |
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You want Forest Dramis' guidebook to Jackson Hole. Nothing in the Tetons, really (unless you count the ski area), but it covers Blacktail Butte and the other area very well. If you like technical vertical climbing, Blacktail is the bomb. |
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On the subject of the Dramis guidebook. It can be purchased in-town at Teton Mountaineering, Skinny Skis....in Moose, WY at Moosely Seconds and also at the Enclosure Climbing Gym located just south of town. |