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Best Approach to North Ridge of the Grand?

Original Post
Austin Baird · · SLC, Utah · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 95

Everything I've seen on the Valhalla Traverse looks miserable. It also seems like it's the only possible way to hit the North Ridge car to car. Is the VT as bad as it seems? Is there a better option to approach the North Ridge?

Taylor-B. · · Valdez, AK · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 3,186

The Serendipity Arete on Mt. Owen to the Grand Stand.

Martin le Roux · · Superior, CO · Joined Jul 2003 · Points: 401

Here's some information on other options: mountainproject.com/v/north…

It's not unusual for the Cathedral Traverse (Teewinot/Owen/Grand) to be done in a day by fast climbers (not me).

Andrew Carson · · Wilson, WY · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 1,520

Try Valhalla Canyon, then up onto the ledges on the nw side of GT, with the top one leading to the Grandstand. Mostly scrambling, depending on snow/ice presence. You could do some route on Owen as suggested above. If you're into that traverse, you might consider Crescent Arete to N Ridge, a little more interesting than Serendipity.

Pete Cutler · · Des Moines, IA · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 5

Do the cathedral traverse. You won't regret it.

George Bell · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 5,050

We did the Italian Cracks in 14 hours car2car by ascending the east side of the Grandstand from the Teton Glacier. We avoided any rockfall by staying to the right side of the Grandstand. The problem with this approach is that the glacier changes from year to year, and our ascent was 25 years ago, so it may no longer be feasible.

Brad White · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2006 · Points: 25

I concur with my former boss Andy Carson (hey Andy, hope you and your family are well) that Valhalla Canyon is a good way to go. It's been nearly 3 decades ago, but when I did the Italian Cracks car-to-car, I remember not roping up until we got to the first pitch of the N. Ridge. There was some rockfall, but it seemed to be falling in a predictable area that one could easily avoid. The trickiest part was crossing the stream in Cascade Canyon to get up into Valhalla.

Double J · · Sandy, UT · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 3,931

The traverse is a loose pile of shit and the way to go. Round the NW ridge of the enclosure just after first light and you will be happy. You will want light to take the ramp down off from the traverse to get to the BIC. That ramp is super loose and we just slid all the way down it. After that, the rock gets better and we only roped up for about 20 meters to get over one rock step that was wet below the snow that we ascended to the ledges on the west side of the Grand stand. Maybe an hour and a half from the saddle if I remember correctly as that was route finding time as well.

Erik Syrstad · · Logan, UT · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 0

Agree with George on the glacier approach. We also did Italian Cracks car-to-car a few years ago, in September (not in 14 hours!! That's smokin' fast...), even though we pitched everything out and roped up for much of the approach. We had minimal difficulty gaining the Grandstand from the glacier. The Grandstand itself is big and loose, but if you've climbed much in the Tetons away from the trade routes you'll feel right at home.

I really don't understand why most folks are so turned off by this approach. It's direct, aesthetic, historic (FA went this way), and puts you in a spectacular location far from the hordes in Garnet. Going up and over the Grand and seeing so much varying terrain in a day is just too much fun...

Allen Sanderson · · On the road to perdition · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 1,203

The three options have been posted up:

Traditional via Teton Glacier - great location, quick approach but the moat may be an issue.

More common via Valhalla Traverse - can be a rocky horror picture show - may require an ice axe.

Less common via Cascade/Valhalla Canyon - a bit of hump up in to the canyon but via the ledges or from BIC works - may require an ice axe

I have done all including a couple of car to car my preference would be via the Teton Glacier cause is just too cool of a location. Second would be via Cascade/Valhalla Canyon. Third via Valhalla Traverse.

Paul Gagner · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 71

Done all three ways.

Valhalla Canyon would be the best, and coolest way.

Paul

Taylor-B. · · Valdez, AK · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 3,186
alpinist.com/doc/web13x/new…

Lots of rock fall this season in the Tetons.
RKM · · Alpine, Utah and Almo, ID · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 2,233

I agree with George, Erik and Allen. Fastest approach is up the trail to Amphitheater Lake and down onto the Teton Glacier. Glacier could be interesting, but I've always crossed it in running shoes.

I've gone up the Grandstand near Gunsight Notch (north) and also hugging the North Face (south). Hugging the North Face is better, easier and safer if you scramble fast.

Seems to me you can get to the top of the Grandstand about as fast as you can get to the Lower Saddle. I've only done the Valhalla to get to the Black Ice and I thought it to be a long haul.

Car to car is not bad, light rack, short thin rope . . . and run!

Austin Baird · · SLC, Utah · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 95

Thanks for all the advice from everyone. We got ambitious and decided that the Cathedral Traverse offers the most bang for our back and (weather and Kaballah Monster permitting) we're going for it.

I've been looking at this topo here and it seems fairly straightforward. Any particularly tricky routefinding issues to be aware of?

Taylor-B. · · Valdez, AK · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 3,186

Don't descend/rap down the fist big notch off of Mt. Owen(Koven route) like Pataclimb suggest. Instead keep traversing the ridge south until you come to another notch with rap anchors, this way is less loose and more direct to the Gun-sight.

Eric D · · Gnarnia · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 235

The Valhalla traverse is fine. It gets a worse reputation than it deserves. At the end of the traverse make sure to head up the correct ramp to access the north ridge. We walked a long way that morning (from the car) only to turn around once we botched the choice of ramps.

Rolo Garibotti · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2007 · Points: 10

I agree with Taylor B that traversing the ridge to the south is safer, but it is not a more direct way to the Gunsight and it is far more time consuming than dropping down on the first couloir on the right as suggested in pataclimb.com. If you keep traversing the ridge you will have to make a good number of rappels, whether if you drop on the first couloir you do a single rap and then a 15 foot one into the Gunsight. Obviously everyone will have their prefered route, but continuing on the ridge is by no means more direct and is surely slower.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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