Endurance training for Grand Teton

Do you think 2 days to acclimatize and climb around and then one to do the Grand would be sufficient?

It just depends how good of shape you are in, what time you leave, what the weather is and how much you carrier. Two days to acclimatize in the valley and doing it car - car? If you are in good shape yea, if not leave super early. A day in the valley, a day in the meadow and bivy? Could be good or you could feel like shit after sleeping at 9k it just depends. Just as a heads up this was late June a few years back

Owen Spalding

That was a big snow year and this was not, but if it is late June your more then likely going to want at least an axe.
If you are coming from sea level it's great to spend a few days in the meadow and not just one night, climb the route and hike out. Spend a night at the ranch, hike to the meadow the next day, maybe climb the middle day three, or Irenes, rest a day and then do the Grand, you should be more then acclimatized and have a great time in the mountains. Yes that is 5 amazing days instead of 2 quick ones and bagging the peak, to each his own.

If you decide to go in a day, leave early and stomp out the first 2 hours fast while you have a good trail and its cool. Finding trail from the caves to the upper saddle can cost you a lot of time if you don't know the way.

Also as a way to gauge it, try to do 7-10 miles on your 15% treadmill, at sea level you probably want to be able to do 15-20 minuet miles to have a safe chance of doing it from the valley in a day.

I don't think sleeping at the Lupine Meadow parking lot will acclimate you. I've always done it car to car but if you need to acclimate nothing short of staying higher up will help.

Yea late June it's very possibly to still hit snow getting to the lower sattle, and very possible to still see it on the route. The OS is west facing and doesn't see the sun as often as the upper exum. One the Jenny Lake rangers get the conditions blog going again, keep watching it to see what changes.

OS will be full of ice in June and the approach will most likely still be on snow at the upper saddle. Prime season is late August to early September.

Ray Pinpillage wrote:I don't think sleeping at the Lupine Meadow parking lot will acclimate you.

Not to mention that the OP should know that its illegal.

Three days? Two to acclimate? Hmmm. Probably not.

If you go out and do a long day like the Middle Teton, my experience has been that it takes me some time to recover from a day like that. Doing the Middle, rest day, then the Grand-in-a-day would hurt and I can't imagine you'd be better off.

I dunno. Late June? Hmmm. More'n likely there'll be snow/ice on the approach even given the relative lower snowpack this season. Could be too early for a quick, easy romp.

If you have a week...that'd be better. Plenty of lower elevation routes can be in good nick in late June and getting familiar with the area over a week might be prudent. Disappointment, Middle, Symmetry, Buck, maybe a scramble up Nez Perce, Cloudveil, Wister...tons of venues.

As I recall, this was a fairly big snow year in late July a couple seasons back:

Still some ice and snow on the approach.

If you climb the Middle as a prep day you'll also get a pretty solid view of the approach to the upper saddle and what conditions are like.

Example: From summit of Middle Teton, July 2nd. Granted last year was a record snow year

Brian in SLC wrote: Not to mention that the OP should know that its illegal.

Rangers will let you stay over night in the parking, more than one night and you'll probably be asked to leave.

The chimney is going to be an ice flow in June. If you have no axe, crampons, or related experience, you'd be better served elsewhere.

Ray Pinpillage wrote: Rangers will let you stay over night in the parking, more than one night and you'll probably be asked to leave.

Nope. From the GTNP reg's:

"Camping is not permitted within the park along roadsides, in overlooks or in parking areas."

I've known folks who were super knackered after climbing and got to their car late, and, camped at Lupine Meadows. Ranger woke them up and asked them to leave. Ditto folks who bivy'd at their car to get an early start.

Cite a reference from the park 'cause it just isn't so.

this should help...http://strongswiftdurable.com/shop/alpine-rock-climb-training-program/

If you want to simulate a day trip, I would go to the gym and do the stairmaster for 7 hours, then put a plastic bag over your head and continue with the stairmaster for another hour. Then walk barefoot over river rocks for half an hour to simulate the pain your feet will be in when you get back to the car. :)

Brian in SLC wrote: Nope. From the GTNP reg's: "Camping is not permitted within the park along roadsides, in overlooks or in parking areas." I've known folks who were super knackered after climbing and got to their car late, and, camped at Lupine Meadows. Ranger woke them up and asked them to leave. Ditto folks who bivy'd at their car to get an early start. Cite a reference from the park 'cause it just isn't so.

It's not legal. I watched 50 people sleep in the parking lot. Ymmv.