Grand Teton, North Face Variation. It has been clear to several climbers for several years that the few existing routes and variations on the north side of the Grand Teton did not exhaust the logical possibilities of this famous wall. By studying some photographs it appeared to me that a significant variation could be made by crossing from the lower portion of the standard north face route over to the upper portion of the Hossack- McGowan northeast couloir route. On August 24, 1962, Pete Sinclair and I had the opportunity to investigate this unknown section of the north face of the Grand Teton. Having cut steps to the base of the wall the evening before, we were able to make rapid progress up the lower pitches of the north face route. About four or five leads above the snow, at the point where one ordinarily turns right to reach the First Ledge, we turned left (east). The first leads of this upward traverse to the east went without great difficulty. When we reached the small ice chute protecting the east corner of the north face, a lead up its right side was made before crossing. The final lead by Sinclair, up and around the corner into the northeast couloir, was very difficult. An exposed inside corner with smooth walls yielded only by use of a piton in the moss at the corner for a bit of aid; in the process the moss also yielded so that it was not available for the second man on the rope. We then scrambled up the huge northeast couloir and reached the east ridge just above the Second Tower. If some modification of this route can be found which avoids the difficult inside corner, then this will definitely be the least difficult, but still interesting, route to the summit of the Grand Teton from the north.

Leigh Ortenburger