Teton Traverse
Late June to Late September
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When 19th Century French trappers saw the Tetons from beaver country in southeast Idaho, they referred to them as "Les Trois Tetones," the three Tetons. The Grand, Middle, and South Tetons are so astonishing and distinct when viewed from the west that at least one party of trappers tried to climb the Grand in 1843, fifty-five years before the actual first ascent. To climb the three Tetons is to climb the namesake of the range. If you are in excellent physical condition, what better way to climb all three peaks than in one traverse.

Our adventure begins by riding the Jenny Lake boat to the west shore and hiking with porters to carry our gear up Cascade Canyon. We leave the Cascade Canyon trail after about six miles and bushwhack into Dartmouth Basin, a hidden cirque tucked under the west face of the Grand Teton. The porters set up camp and carry our camping equipment back out Cascade Canyon the next morning while we make the traverse with light packs.

We start by climbing the Dartmouth Couloir, a long sliver of snow that gains the Owen-Spalding Route near the Black Dike. It is best to attempt this traverse in spring or early summer so that the Dartmouth Couloir and the rugged slopes in Dartmouth Basin are in fact covered with snow. We then climb and descend the Grand Teton via the Owen-Spalding Route and take a break for hot soup at the Lower Saddle Exum Hut.

Only late morning at this time, there is still plenty of time to climb the Middle and South Tetons provided the weather holds. We embark south from the Exum Hut and tackle the north ridge of the Middle Teton over easy to moderate fifth-class climbing. A descent of the southwest couloir brings us to the South Saddle, from which the South Teton is easily climbed via its northwest couloir. We finish the adventure by hiking back to Jackson Hole via the south fork of Garnet Canyon arriving by early to mid evening.

Please see our current rates for this traverse.