Grand Teton Pack List

S Andersonwrote:

I'm still looking into consolidating to one pair of gloves  (my fleece gloves are not durable enough to stand up to a long rap but my belay gloves are finger less and not very warm

Just don't wear gloves for the rappels...there are only 2, not that long, your hands will be fine with no gloves then.

R K wrote:

Did you send? 

I'm planning on leaving sometime in the second half of this month based on weather and permit availability..

If you’re bringing your phone, ditch the route description. Just take pictures of it and look at that as needed. If you’re bringing garbage or trash compactor bags then no need for a pack cover—just line your pack with the trash bag. You may want to go a little heavier on the rack, some hand size cams perhaps. I would make the rain jacket a game-time decision at the TH based on the forecast. Looking at your lighter pack, why do you need tent stakes if you’re just bringing a bivy? Lastly, I would highly recommend a BeFree combined with the Hydrapak 2L offering—makes your entire water system UL and less bulky in the pack. I would also bring earplugs for the bivy, if you end up getting a lower saddle permit. Definitely do not bring both belay and fleece gloves; I did it yesterday with full-finger leather belay gloves and was fine in the hand warmth department. Also, perhaps this goes without saying but I didn’t see it in your lighterpack—sunscreen.

Sean Postwrote:

If you’re bringing your phone, ditch the route description. Just take pictures of it and look at that as needed. If you’re bringing garbage or trash compactor bags then no need for a pack cover—just line your pack with the trash bag. You may want to go a little heavier on the rack, some hand size cams perhaps. I would make the rain jacket a game-time decision at the TH based on the forecast. Looking at your lighter pack, why do you need tent stakes if you’re just bringing a bivy? Lastly, I would highly recommend a BeFree combined with the Hydrapak 2L offering—makes your entire water system UL and less bulky in the pack. I would also bring earplugs for the bivy, if you end up getting a lower saddle permit. Definitely do not bring both belay and fleece gloves; I did it yesterday with full-finger leather belay gloves and was fine in the hand warmth department. Also, perhaps this goes without saying but I didn’t see it in your lighterpack—sunscreen.

Ok I can ditch the route description.  And will probably ditch either the trash bags or the pack cover.  I will be bringing BD cams from .5-3, sunscreen, map, compass, a couple more draws, and bear spray they will just be in my partners pack.  The stakes are to make sure my bivy doesn't blow away when I'm not in it.  We were up there last year and our tent wanted to blow away whenever we weren't in it and that was staked down.  The bivy has a couple loops at the head and foot to stake it down and the stakes only 16 grams. Cutting a pair of gloves, pack cover or route description will all save nearly double the weight.  And I have a rain shell on my list definitely required.

S Andersonwrote:

Ok I can ditch the route description.  And will probably ditch either the trash bags or the pack cover.  I will be bringing BD cams from .5-3, sunscreen, map, compass, a couple more draws, and bear spray they will just be in my partners pack.  The stakes are to make sure my bivy doesn't blow away when I'm not in it.  We were up there last year and our tent wanted to blow away whenever we weren't in it and that was staked down.  The bivy has a couple loops at the head and foot to stake it down and the stakes only 16 grams. Cutting a pair of gloves, pack cover or route description will all save nearly double the weight.  And I have a rain shell on my list definitely required.

Ditch the map and compass.  Stay left at the end of the switchbacks (don't take the trail to the lake) and go right at the meadows on the trail to the right of Spaulding Falls.  You really shoudn't need a map.  I've never carried bear spray or felt the need for it (seen gobs of bears on the trails...let them eat the slower tourists...ha ha).

Use rocks to weight down your bivy.  Leave the stakes.  Girth hitch your stuff sacks for "stakes" and weigh them down by stacking rocks on them.  I've never used tent or bivy stakes in the Tetons.

Take a rain shell that doubles as a wind layer.  Can't think of a time I left a shell behind on a summit day in the Tetons. 

Good luck up there! 

Following....Do keep up posted :)

hoping to do the same

Drop: Fleece, #3, GPS (you have your phone with a pic of the map and important route features (wyoming whiskey website is crucial)), trekking poles (unless you are old or out of shape), dry sack, stuff sack. Make sure all shared gear is split evenly (bivy system, rack, rope, cookware, etc). 

On my first attempt on the UE, I brought all kinds of cool shit because I had it-failed miserably. Second go, brought only what was required and nothing because it was neat or high speed-success.

I'm gonna gently push back against some of the light is rightness.  

Counting on perfect weather and perfect conditions and nothing going wrong is a gamble lots of people take and are no worse off for it.  How much of a gamble depends a lot on how fast you are, and even then there is a distinct possibility of being held up on the climb and/or the descent.  Unexpected bad conditions can also change the equation significantly.  Superlight superfast experts like Killian Jornet have had to be rescued because they set out with gear that proved inadequate for the conditions and their meager clothing was not keeping hypothermia at bay.  Weather forecasts can tell you about major systems but are totally unreliable about thunder storms.  I've been in continually bad storms in the Tetons and Winds that lasted several hours, not 30 minutes.  That's plenty of time to become dysfunctionally hypothermic without enough gear.  This depends to some extent on your cold tolerance---mine is terrible.  So I would not ditch the rain jacket, which is also an effective wind barrier, especially if you are ditching the fleece and relying on a puffy.

Whether the Connect Adjust is going to be useful or not depends at least partially on whether you plan to stay roped for the entire ridge.  The last times I've been up there (coming by way of the lower Exum), we climbed the upper Exum unroped except for the friction pitch and the open book (and both of those to protect a slightly less-experienced second).   If you are climbing unroped or are simulclimbing, being able to instantly tether into an anchor with the correct length is a time and energy-saver.  I'd keep the Connect if that's going to be your style.

Maybe I'm just a wuss, but I've taken to carrying rock shoes on scrambling that might, perhaps accidentally, involve fifth-class climbing.  The extra precision and security I get, especially since I'm typically in effective soloing ground, outweighs the extra weight penalty, and because I'm more secure and confident I move faster too.  I've been super-glad to have had the shoes on some Teton adventures, even though most of the time they sit in the pack unused.  On the Exum ridge, you might enjoy rock shoes on the friction pitch.

I prefer bringing rock shoes on easy 5th scrambling type stuff, if only because it's just more fun that way even if it's a little bit of unnecessary weight. I'm sure I could have done Upper Exum Ridge with sneakers or approach shoes, but I had more fun with rock shoes, and at the end of the day, that's what it's all about, right?

If you get super solid in your approach shoes its a huge bonus. . weight kills. especially at my age.  ditch the real harness and go with a coular ultra light. i love my petzl connect but too heavy for easy mountainering.   ultra light sling with light locker is just fine.  If you practice in the approach shoes they get pretty comfortable. 2016 I only had sandals, approach shoes and rock shoes in my possession for the whole summer. i got super solid with them and led some 5.8pitches , did a ton of easy scrambling and soloing in them. 2018 same shoes felt super solid in them on the NE ridge of Buck.  for me weight is important enough that I don't want to even try lower exum. i would need a full rack and real shoes for that.   Uper Exum I hope to get up it someday in approach shoes. I will not skimp on the rain shell though.  I carry fleece, ultra light puffy and rain shell up there.. 

did the upper exum car to car a few weeks ago in 13 hours

did the full exum last week, camping the night before and after climbing.

id drop the PAS and clove into anchors, drop the prussik as it's 2 rappels, drop the bear bag as there are metal bear boxes at the camp spots, and one of your pair of gloves. 

About the prusik--you're gonna be bringing slings for slinging pro long, just use one of those slings as a prusik instead.

Scott Gregorwrote:

did the upper exum car to car a few weeks ago in 13 hours

did the full exum last week, camping the night before and after climbing.

id drop the PAS and clove into anchors, drop the prussik as it's 2 rappels, drop the bear bag as there are metal bear boxes at the camp spots, and one of your pair of gloves. 

Hey buddy! Looks like I just missed you and Mandy. Heading there on Friday, looking to do the same. 

Just got back my pack ended up at just over 30 pounds. It was a lot better load than last year thanks to everyone for all your help.

Did you summit?

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

Did you summit?

Unfortunately no. My climbing partner started to feel nauseated and unwell the night before at the moraine. So we decided to take it easy and do OS We hit the upper saddle around 7:30  it was cold and very busy at the start of the belly roll. My climbing partner had developed a nasty cough, was shaking and loosing coordination. So we turned around. We decided to drop all the way back down to the car that night rather than spending another night at the moraine. He started feeling better as we dropped down to the meadows.

S Andersonwrote:

Unfortunately no. My climbing partner started to feel nauseated and unwell the night before at the moraine. So we decided to take it easy and do OS We hit the upper saddle around 7:30  it was cold and very busy at the start of the belly roll. My climbing partner had developed a nasty cough, was shaking and loosing coordination. So we turned around. We decided to drop all the way back down to the car that night rather than spending another night at the moraine. He started feeling better as we dropped down to the meadows.

The pack is supposed to be lightweight, not your partner. 

Carolinawrote:

The pack is supposed to be lightweight, not your partner. 

You can’t fault a guy for getting sick - happens - better to find out on something local and low commitment.  Maybe his partner needs to do some day hikes at altitude to get his body used to it and see if the problem comes back.  

Still a little bit of season left - rally with a new partner and try again?

Carolinawrote:

The pack is supposed to be lightweight, not your partner. 

Ouch! 

Yeah,  that's a bit  harsh.   Getting sick  sucks and the only  cure is going down.