Upper Exum Beta

I'm planning on Free-soloing upper exum in a couple weeks. Is there any way to bypass rapelling on the descent so I don't have to carry a rope, possibly even down climb Owen Spaulding.

Thanks,
Daniel

Dan L wrote:down climb Owen Spaulding

You just answered your own question.

Have fun!

Easy to downclimb Owen-Spaulding & might be faster if there is a line at the raps. Last time I climbed it, I had a 50m rope but was able to rap on someone else's cord (well, mine and theirs for one long rap vs. 2 short ones), so that's a possibility.

FYI: tetonclimbinggrand.blogspot…

Dan, I might add that the last time I was on the Grand (2007?) it was early July and the OS was still pretty iced up. This past winter was average or better snow-wise in the Tetons so you might find the same conditions up there. The majority of the Exum faces south and dries out early so you could be in for a little bit of a surprise should you attempt to "downsight" the OS.

Bryan Gartland wrote:Dan, I might add that the last time I was on the Grand (2007?) it was early July and the OS was still pretty iced up. This past winter was average or better snow-wise in Tetons so you might find the same conditions up there. The majority of the Exum faces south and dries out early so you could be in for a little bit of a surprise should you attempt to "downsight" the OS.

See link in my post above

For many, down climbing the OS is fairly standard regardless of the ascent route. I have probably down climbed it as many times as I have done the two raps. Regardless of whether one has a rope or not the OS can be a scary descent. Some parts are hands in one's pockets and while it is easy to see the snow and ice it is the veri-glass that will get one tossed off the hill, down the west face, and split out the black ice gully.

Given the current conditions the OS will require one's attention and it would be prudent to take rope as the two gullies will probably be icy for sometime to come.

In my opinion it's really bad form to not carry your own rope but fully expect to rap someone else's line that they've lugged to 13,770. Last summer on my trip there (we did the OS) we passed a party of two at the Lower Saddle who asked if we'd wait on the summit for them so they could rap on our lines. Umm, nope!!

Planning to climb Upper Exum July 31st.
What is the liklihood it will be relatively snow/ice free by then?

Jim Fox wrote:Planning to climb Upper Exum July 31st. What is the liklihood it will be relatively snow/ice free by then?

Should be pretty dry by then. But there's always a risk of verglas early in the day.

Martin le Roux wrote: Should be pretty dry by then. But there's always a risk of verglas early in the day.

Thanks.
Weather forecast for Jackson looks hot and dry for next couple weeks.
I hope it melts off by the end of July. \

Has anyone been up the Grand? I'd like to solo Upper Exum this week. It sounds like there's still ice on OS. I don't mind bringing a rope so I can rappel, but I'd like to be sure the downclimb from the summit to the raps is ice free.

Allen Sanderson wrote:Regardless of whether one has a rope or not the OS can be a scary descent. Some parts are hands in one's pockets and while it is easy to see the snow and ice it is the veri-glass that will get one tossed off the hill, down the west face, and split out the black ice gully. Given the current conditions the OS will require one's attention and it would be prudent to take rope as the two gullies will probably be icy for sometime to come.

Good advice. I'm not sure I'd recommend onsighting the downclimb of the OS especially in early season conditions.

Most folks carry a harness and rappel device so they can rap if someone's nice enough to let them. As well, a couple of slings to clip into that pinch on the bottom of the OS which can protect that steep move back to the ledge by the belly crawl. If you popped off right there, it'd be surely fatal (and has a history of fatalities there too, some fairly savvy climbers included).

Sound like the OS will be an icy decent for another week or two at least...

I've always just hitched a ride. If the weather's nice there will be plenty of folks up there.

http://tetonclimbinggrand.blogspot.com/p/lower-saddle-approach-2013.html

Anyone been up there recently? Sounds like conditions are poor...

tetonclimbinggrand.blogspot…