I'm going this May to do the Grand and was planning on hopping on the Upper Exum. Is there a good place at the lower saddle to stash overnight gear? Any Theft? Anyways I read in the guidebook thats its 4 pitches but it says here that its 12. I take it the difference in the pitches is scrambling? Anyways, could someone clarify or give a TR? I appreciate it.

Thanks,
Rhett Burroughs

I hope you realize that the Grand will be in winter conditions. You won't need to worry about theft, as there probably won't be anyone else at the lower saddle. Personally, I wouldn't drop gear off at the lower saddle (because there is no reason to). Crossing wall street can be a bit scary depending on the snow levels. Either way, in the conditions you most likely will have, it is not trivial. Once you get onto the upper exum, things are good.

This is a semi serious outing, it is very winter alpine, make sure you know snow safety, etc.

However, I should add, it is a wonderful time to be there. No crowds, beautiful. We used to go every Memorial Day weekend and have the mountain to ourselves. It was magical compared to the summer.

May is Jackson Hole's wettest month.

Very unstable weather patterns prevail, and frequent Spring storms are to be expected. Windows of good weather happen of course, but it would be impossible to plan a trip in advance around them. And when the good weather does come, the snowpack becomes unstable very quickly due to warming each day.

So like John says - a serious but doable proposition in May if you get a weather window and have snow safety awareness.

Rhett
You need to know that the number of pitches, in an alpine environment like the Grand will be in May, means nothing. The conditions will make it so that you could be walking in good snow or on ice from the saddle to the summit. All 4th class could be much harder than that.

You need to be real experienced in moving over solid snow on steep terrain. That means usually no gear, but you could fall and slide to Idaho. Falling on snow, I believe, is the leading cause of death in the Tetons. If I recall, a person wearing Goretex and sliding on a 45 degree slope will reach the same speed after 60 feet as freefalling the same distance...

Every year there is at least one clean up of people who fell on snow and died (or were in such a condition that they wish they had). Make sure you know how to mixed climb and move over snow before doing the Grand at that time of year.

BTW, I love the fact that we have a guy named Rhett from Georgia on MP.

Hey guys, I appreciate it a lot. I was wondering about the snow levels up there. I was up in CO two years ago in May and there wasn't that much snow at 13-14k... on the North face there was of course. I am trying to plan a trip so that my wife can go out and see the western territories and I go climbing. So with that in mind, what would be the best month to go out there? July is filled up for me going to climb Mt. Rainier.

Yeah, that is my real name and I am from S. Georgia to make it even worse.

August would be a good time to get out there. September can be good, but many years there is an early season snow storm that can shut things down for several days with ice. Also, camping up in Garnet Canyon can be tough/impossible on summer weekends, so you may want to plan around it. I'd go on a weekday just to avoid the crowds and have a more pleasant experience. It can be a real show up there on weekends.

Jackson has ahd a huge snow year... There will be snow up there well into July.

September is too late for an out of towner. If you live there, Sept can offer some great days, but the weather otherwise can be very unstable, cold and perhaps dangerous. Any given storm as early as around the last week in August can shut things down for several days, if not the season as mid to late September rolls around.

Mid July to mid August is the high season, for just about everywhere that offers alpine rock in NA.

Sounds like a fun outing but be safe as things are going to be a bit wintry that time of year.

Busy regardless... its all about how many guides are on the mountain.

Im thinking about doing stettner couloir over memorial day weekend. Glime says he used to go at that time and have the mountain to themselves, is this still the case?

I like to go to the Tetons in September, exactly because the crowds and guides suddenly vanish. Sure you can get snowed on but at least you aren't battling everyone else for a camp spot. The weather is never a sure thing, sometimes it is lousy even in August.