The Enclosure, North Ice Couloir. Immediately west of the central north buttress of the Enclosure, the west sub-summit of the Grand Teton, is a prominent ice couloir which joins the northwest ridge of the Enclosure at the first great step high above the Ortenburger Traverse. The couloir is well viewed from Mount Owen. The first climb of this couloir was made on July 22 by Al Read, Pete Lev, and Jim Greig, by following the Ortenburger Traverse from the Lower Saddle to its junction with the northwest ridge. Rather than descending downward toward Valhalla Canyon, we traversed directly across the north side of the Enclosure on steep snow and easy rock for several hundred feet to a wide belay ledge. The couloir, which contains 1200 feet of steep ice and snow climbing, is nowhere excessively difficult although several ice screws may well be desired. It is subject to falling ice and rock but not to the same extent as the neighboring Black Ice Couloir; in the event of bad weather an exit to the rock ledges to the west may be easily made. Upon regaining the northwest ridge, we followed the excellent rock to the summit of the Enclosure.

Al Read