A special thanks goes out to Teton County Search and Rescue (TCSAR), who reported 16 climbing-related rescues and/or responses in 2025, all in the Teton Range. This includes Grand Teton and its approaches, Teewinot, Middle/South Teton, Nez Perce, and Garnet Canyon. TCSAR’s list is an effective substitute for our annual NPS Grand Teton National Park report. A recent NPS directive prohibits the sharing of incident information. For more details and a complete report, search: “teton county sar rescue reports”.

In chronological order:

June 14 — Teewinot, East Face: Two of three climbers were injured in a fall on snow. Between them they had one ice axe and one set of crampons. Short-hauled to Lupine Meadow.

Jun 21 — Petzoldt Caves: A male climber (30) had knee injury. Short-hauled to Lupine Meadow.

Jun 30 — Lower Saddle: Two of three climbers fell on snow ascending to the Lower Saddle. A male climber (20) had an ankle injury. Helicopter evacuation.

Jul 24 — Open Book, Garnet Canyon: A male climber (31) had lower-leg injury. The party self-rescued to base. The injured climber was short-hauled to Lupine Meadow.

Jul 29 — Grand Teton: A male climber (57) suffered an open ankle fracture. short-hauled off the mountain and to a waiting ambulance.

Aug 3 — Middle Teton, SW Couloir descent: A female climber (22) suffered a broken ankle. After a night rescue and sunrise evacuation, she was flown to a waiting ambulance.

Aug 6 — Teewinot: A male climber (64) was short-hauled to Lupine Meadow after a helicopter was diverted from a missing-climber search.

Aug 14 — Garnet Canyon: A male climber (35) was stranded in technical terrain. Self-extricated.

Aug 23 — Petzoldt Caves: A female climber (81) suffered a head injury from a fall descending the Grand. Short-hauled to a waiting air ambulance in Lupine Meadow.

Aug 23 — Garnet Canyon: A male climber (21) had a head and wrist injury after a fall on snow descending Middle Teton. Short-hauled to an ambulance in Lupine Meadow.

Sep 3 — Nez Perce: A male climber (19) fell on snow after going off route toward South Teton. Short-hauled to an ambulance in Lupine Meadow.

Sep 5 — Otterbody Chimney, Grand: A male climber (22) became stranded and overnighted at Lower Saddle. Short-hauled to an ambulance in Lupine Meadow.

Sep 5 — Eye of the Needle, Grand: A male climber (57) was injured (concurrent with the Otterbody call). Short-hauled to an ambulance in Lupine Meadow.

Sep 6 — Briggs Slab: A female climber (31) suffered a head injury from rockfall on the Upper Saddle approach. Short-hauled to an ambulance in Lupine Meadow.

Sep 6 — Petzoldt Caves: A male climber (57) suffered a knee injury descending the Grand.

Sep 16 — Grand Teton summit: Four climbers were unable to descend over snow/ice; short-hauled to Lupine Meadow at first light.

Some Factors:

*Inadequate gear: The June 14 Teewinot party had one axe and one set of crampons for three climbers. The single most teachable incident in the set.

*Descent is the danger phase. A majority of injuries occurred descending or post-summit, not on the way up—the recurring ANAC pattern.

*Very wide age range, 19 to 81, had real clustering at both ends: Teens/early-20s had experiential mishaps such as falls on snow and off-route strandings. The 50s–80s group suffered from knee issues and falls on descent. (Source: Teton County Search and Rescue.)