Teton Range

During the past summer the writer served as guide in the Grand Teton National Park, and succeeded in making two new routes up the S. face of Symmetry Spire, as well as one on the S. side of Storm Point. A second ascent of Teepe’s Pillar was also made, a variant of the Henderson-Underhill route of 1930.

In the latter part of July, Fred Brown, David Davis and the writer left Jenny Lake at 7 a.m. for an attempt on the ridge to the E. of the great couloir that cuts in half the S. face of Symmetry Spire. This route had been examined from the regular S. face route (made by Durrance and Spofford in 1936) a few days previously, and seemed to be possible, with the exception of the lower 200 ft. of the ridge. Reaching the base of the cliff at 10 a.m., the ridge itself proved impractical, and the entire bottom part of this face seemed extremely forbidding. The climbing on the first 200 ft. to a small gully consumed four hours, as it proved to be relatively holdless and free from piton cracks.

After reaching the gully, our objective was the crest of the ridge ; a traverse to W. looked out of the question, so we had to continue on up, but by bearing constantly to the left, we eventually reached the ridge. On the pitches below the grassy ledge we had to use pitons for safety, and thought that now our troubles were at an end, but nature had other plans and soon we were using the piton hammer to great advantage once more. We reached an overhang that precluded further advance, without the use of artificial means. After surmounting the overhang, the climbing was difficult for three more pitches, when the crest of the ridge was reached. The next 300 ft. went quickly and without difficulty. Having reached a point 300 ft. below the summit, the ridge suddenly steepened, and ended 150 ft. above in a real overhanging mass, projecting about 8 ft. The entire S. face of this mountain is similar, and all routes up it must finish through some flaw in this section ! We had our choice of two cracks, both sloping outwards, and after an unsuccessful attempt, on the more westerly of the two, the easterly was tried.

As I pulled myself up onto the top a few raindrops fell, but Fred Brown and Davis were with me at once, and after building a cairn we sat under a rock and kept dry until the rain squall passed. Then, going to the summit, we descended by the regular route in the oncoming darkness.

Five days later Walter Spofford stopped at Jenny Lake, and we planned to climb the S. W. ridge of Symmetry Spire. Leaving at 7 a.m. the following morning we set out up the gully leading to the little col between Storm Point and the Spire, and started climbing the ridge at 11 a.m. Interesting, but not exceptionally difficult for the first five or six pitches. We soon reached a chimney that barred further progress until we discovered that by descending and making a short traverse to the right (E.) we could proceed up a little crack and eventually get back to the upper part of the chimney and then out onto a broad ledge. We had now climbed the lower two-thirds of the ridge, and the last and most difficult third lay before us. It was necessary to go out onto the steep W. face, and then proceed up a shelf, inclined at a high angle across the S. face for about 100 ft. As it was exposed and had to be done mostly by friction, I drove in two pitons, but not haying good footing, they were not solid enough to give anything but moral support. By now, our choice of route was narrowed down to the very edge of the ridge itself, as we approached the great overhang that goes across this entire face. Fortunately this was cleft by a square chimney with a knife-blade of rock projecting from the center. The last three pitches leading to this were spectacular, and the way the rope disappeared underneath my feet made one feel very much alone. However, on reaching the top of the chimney our difficulties were at an end, and after making a cairn we proceeded to the summit, which we reached at 3 p.m. and then descended by the regular route, reaching Jenny Lake about 5.30.

On the second Sunday in August, William Rice, of the Sierra Club, William Bigelow and the writer left to try the S. side of Storm Point, leaving the trail three-quarters of a mile up the canyon from the boat dock. After a short scramble over talus, we put on the rope. The first 500 ft. were not difficult, the only interest being a tunnel made by a chockstone through which we crawled for 40 ft. and eventually came out on a ridge that was to be followed for the rest of the climb. This ridge is conspicuous from the road about a half mile N. of the Jenny Lake campground.

The first part gave no trouble until we came to a tower approximately 100 ft. high which was climbed direct by its S. side. It was much exposed, and it seemed that one could drop a pebble onto the trail 1200 ft. below. Trouble next appeared in the form of a huge overhang nearly 150 ft. high. It looks like the curved beak of an eagle when seen from across the lake, and the impression that one got by standing underneath it was that it was about to crush anyone standing there. It developed a flaw that permitted us to climb directly up it for about 70 ft., then make an exposed traverse to the left and ascend it by its W. edge. Above this the climb presented no difficulty, and after reaching the top at 4 p.m. we descended by the regular route and reached Jenny Lake in two hours.

The following Sunday morning, William Rice, William Bigelow, Harry Kornberg and the writer left Garnet Canyon at 8 a.m. to make the second ascent of Teepe’s Pillar, the sharp pinnacle that can be seen from the road one mile S. of the Jenny Lake store. Henderson and Underhill made the first ascent in 1930, and their account was our guide, so after reaching the S. E. face of the needle we searched for the chimney which they used, but somewhere during the climb got off their route. After the first four pitches it was necessary to make a delicate and exposed traverse to the left, into a narrow and unfriendly-looking chimney, with a small overhang at the top which led into another of the same variety, bring us onto the E. ridge.

Thence we continued straight up following the crest of the ridge for 100 ft. and then making another exposed traverse to the left and onto the S. face. From here a great variety in choice of route is offered, and at 2.30 we reached the summit.

Bert Jensen (Dartmouth Mountaineering Club).