Northwest Ice Couloir  5.6 AI2-3

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Type:  Trad, Ice, Alpine, 3 pitches, 1000 feet, Grade II Consensus:  5.6 AI2-3 [details] FA:  June 16, 1961. Peter Lev and James Greig. Season:  Spring thru fall. Late summer and early fall are best. Submitted By:  Frosty Weller on Aug 31, 2010 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (5) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

Keen Butterworth lavishing in late August conditio...

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Description 

The Northwest Ice Couloir is a great alpine outing that involves moderate rock, snow and ice climbing in an outrageous setting. It even tops out a literal hex toss distance from the summit of the Middle Teton.

The route gets icier (and better) later in the season.

2-6 pitches. Depending on how you choose to run the pitches, this could go in as little as 2 with a lot of simul-climbing. (We did it in 3 with a big simul in the middle for pitch 2.)

The route apparently has the nickname "Harry's Highway". (Curious as to where that came from if anyone knows.)

Descend the Southwest Couloir via Class 3.

Location 

From the Lower Saddle between the Middle and the Grand hike up toward the north ridge. Two large towers will need to be scrambled around to reach a notch before the main wall of the Middle Teton. Pass the first, Pinocchio Pinnacle, on the west. Pass the second higher one, Bonney’s Pinnacle, on the east. From the notch, climb up and traversing right on moderate loose rock ledges to reach the start of the ice/snow couloir. (Note that the couloir itself drops out below you here for thousands of feet.)

Protection 

Crampons, ice axes, small rock rack and 2-6 screws depending on ice conditions and comfort level. Pickets in snowier conditions may be desired. (We climbed it in late August, lots of ice, used 3 screws.)

Photos of Northwest Ice Couloir Slideshow

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Keen high on pitch 1.	Frosty near the top of the first pitch.	Simul climbing the middle section.
Frosty topping out.	Northwest Ice Couloir	Northwest Ice Couloir
Northwest Ice Couloir	Northwest Ice Couloir	Northwest Ice Couloir
Northwest Ice Couloir	Northwest Ice Couloir