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TETON SUCCESS 2024
Grand and Middle Tetons
Meet the patients we climbed for in the Tetons!
Climb of the Grand and Middle Teton 2024
This was our second Climb 4 Kidney Cancer trip to Teton National Park. See our other trip at this link. However, we had a few new climbers this go around and we love these mountains so much that we decided to return for a 1-2 combination, attempting to climb the Grand Teton and the Middle Teton on successive days. We had 6 known patients we were climbing for (Robert, Eric, Jim, Milton, Norma, and John) and we carried an extra medal for a future patient that we have not yet met.
We arrived June 29th and spent two days hiking and getting accostomed to the thin air of the tetons. We spent some time on Shadow mountian, and went atop the Bridger lift at Jackson Hole ski resort and hiked the ~1000 feet up to the life atop of Corbet’s Couloir, if you haven’t seen this ski run in the winter, you should watch this video.
On the snowfield below the summit we worked on crampon work, self-arrest with an ice ax and glisading. That day June 30th was hot and sunny and didn’t prepare us for the next day on the Grand Teton.
We had stayed two days at the American Alpine Club’s Teton climber’s ranch during our two acclimatization days and on July 1st started up from the Lupine Meadows trailhead. Our packs were 30-50lbs because we needed, 2 days of food, tents, sleeping bags, boots, climbing shoes, cooking stoves, climbing gear, crampons, ice ax, ropes, sleeping pads, first aid kits etc. The 7 miles up and 5,000 feet of elevation gain were hard with that kind of weight on your back. But we made it to the lower saddle in the late afternoon just as a storm was rolling in.
The wind began to blow, and hail came down like little balls that fill bean bags. Setting up a tent in a hail storm is quite the challenge. As soon as we got the poles up, on person had to jump inside to keep it from blowing away off the mountain ridge, while the other person, finished setting up the tent and got the gear inside the tent. The person inside the tent had to keep shoveling out the hail stones and try and keep the inside of the tent dry.
One the tents were up, we huddled down inside our sleeping bags and tried to get warm. The wind rattled our tent and you could hear a constant pelting of the tent with hail, hoping it would hold up. After about 45 minutes to an hour, the hail stopped and the wind died down. We emerged from the tents to see a blue sky and the wind had blown most of the hail away. It was looking like it would be a spectacular day to summit the Grand the following day.
We made dinner, laughed, picked out our route along the southeast ridge, the Exum route and got back into our tent around 9 pm. As we attempted to get to sleep early, anticipating a before sunrise start towards the summit. However, the wind picked up again as the sky went dark and here came more precipitation. We couldn’t see what it was in the darkness of the tent and suddenly a tremendous flash of light and immediate Thunder. The sound as head-splitting. Wow, that lighting must have hit very close. We continued through the night to try and sleep, but the tent was shaking all night. The temperatures plunged well below freezing and we used every bit of clothing, beanies, coats and socks that we had to try and fend off the cold. At some point in the dark night, you just start hoping that morning will come so you have something to do, and some hope of getting warm again. Finally around 4 am we put on our headlights and looked out. We couldn’t believe our eyes! It as as if Elsa from frozen had come in the night and coated everything with snow and ice!
The rock next to us meant to be as a protection was encased in icicles and a sheet of ice called verglass. The grand was covered in a couple of inches of snow with some areas having 6 inches of drifted snow. Two of our team members didn’t get their boots under enough cover and were filled with ice and snow. We tried repeated to get our stove to work and it wouldn’t, so no warm oatmeal, no warm tea. In fact at this point, nothing was warm. We recognized that given our team’s gear, experience and the current conditions, we were not in a position to safely attempt the last little bit of the Grand Teton. We felt quite discouraged given the months of training we’d put in, but as they say in mountaineering, “When you dance with the mountain, the mountain always leads”
We decided to head down, discouraged, disheartened, frustrated by not meeting our goal to get to the summit. It was cold, and still dark and the storm was still going, but not with as much gusto as the night before. In this rather low state of mind, in such a high vantage point, the sun rose on the eastern horizon and the clouds began to part. With the mists of the clouds incompletely covering the striking ridge line of the Grand Teton, and the glitter of the new ice and snow twinkling in the early morning light, we all stopped and watched as we witnessed one of the most beautiful sunrises of our lives. It wasn’t what we had planned for, it wasn’t what we had trained for or set our hopes on, but it was so beautiful and peaceful. We felt that all the effort was worth it after all. We took that moment to snap a photo with the medals we carried 5,000 feet up this mountain and thought of the journeys of each of our patients. Their journeys too may not have gone they way they thought or planned, but just hold on, the sunrise may be the best one you’ve ever seen.
![Smiling in th e warm valley, not knowing the storm that was awaiting us](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/633aeb27-0bab-417d-b59e-ae04ca55e95c/dhpTRJCsRWWbEFwJKsM0tA.jpg)
Smiling in th e warm valley, not knowing the storm that was awaiting us
![High alpine meadow on the training climb on Shadow Mountain](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/82916883-1643-4d4e-8b32-789fc939b764/2k1lj2UdTOiUg30iiVbyCw.jpg)
High alpine meadow on the training climb on Shadow Mountain
Alpine flowers
Alpine flowers
![South Middle and Grand Teton's in the background](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/0aaa3598-3eab-405e-b2b9-e2fa9f4730b0/8fks15TpRles7zspBOZmaQ.jpg)
South Middle and Grand Teton's in the background
![Moose grazing with the Grand Teton in the background](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/9a5b9d2b-56c7-4012-a7e3-3a8ffb04ca45/ilP0UDCfSFaF4%2B14nNWmxQ.jpg)
Moose grazing with the Grand Teton in the background
![Mother moose with her calf](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/658815e3-89ad-44a7-9e33-f437f18d2bc9/YjgehhtaS%25GrTqPZZ5I09A.jpg)
Mother moose with her calf
![Morning sunrise at mormon row in Teton National Park](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/524b7876-30e6-4d90-88f8-67dfb58e2bf9/7MbEnSHHT1eNaO%2BXHvW3rA.jpg)
Morning sunrise at mormon row in Teton National Park
![Sunrise in a small pool surrounded by grass](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/b1e963e3-d265-4d04-8da6-4f7ab46c67d8/ADBeCVrtRp66aBQ77JpHJQ.jpg)
Sunrise in a small pool surrounded by grass
![Long shadows in early morning light](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/a56cfa1e-8547-44b2-99a4-c7601df6ae67/K%2BofLkayQUOQRNDzsjzZiA.jpg)
Long shadows in early morning light
![Classic photo of historic barns and Teton mountain range, made famous by Ansel Adams](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/a41bbc2a-bc78-4496-983b-96f8fc33e797/KWklXB1TSSury07k9Mh7dA.jpg)
Classic photo of historic barns and Teton mountain range, made famous by Ansel Adams
![Jenny Lake looking at Mt. Teewinot](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/d12dcaf8-c311-412e-8929-227880dc5d01/ftyJuIMhR6qaZBKdK2v7dA.jpg)
Jenny Lake looking at Mt. Teewinot
![Sunrise on Jenny Lake](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/d006f9c5-421f-4337-9ea3-11cd0ec9eab3/wSUufMR2Tb2D%2BDm6rlgVog.jpg)
Sunrise on Jenny Lake
![Here we are with our packs ready to head up the Grand](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/a6810134-c305-42b6-ad85-255e595e95f3/tKX8mfY6Tjy2sakCAhX7ow.jpg)
Here we are with our packs ready to head up the Grand
![The lower saddle, with the summit within reach](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/effa5946-e365-4e83-ab63-e42749eca4b8/SKF3tndSStSWi%25KK%2BepkIw.jpg)
The lower saddle, with the summit within reach
![Our view after a night of wind, snow and ice](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/fd069de9-4c81-489d-8f02-aa30bcfb09ff/cnGyHTLkTCW7i2n%25M8EMHw.jpg)
Our view after a night of wind, snow and ice
![Sunrise was magical and though not the summit, filled us with awe and a sense of beauty](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/5ccfd4cd-638a-4465-9650-31463293951f/ULv16M4LTnedDR%25IxWm0Rw.jpg)
Sunrise was magical and though not the summit, filled us with awe and a sense of beauty
Dr. Christopher Weight in the frozen landscape with the medal for Milton Weinstein.
This medal will be auctioned off at the Climb Cleveland Silent Auction
![We climbed for Norma](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/61d7828f-aea0-4f6f-ba37-2ffb3c302663/9ZCSKDGiSlCeZ37iPFO4ug.jpg)
We climbed for Norma
![fullsizeoutput_d7ee.jpeg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/887cfca8-c13f-4b64-9aad-df0f5e6da125/fullsizeoutput_d7ee.jpeg)
![We climbed for John](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/58cda07c-0449-4fee-b7ae-b0965cb80326/2Or4WcjYRtu%2BC0v63EEDKg.jpg)
We climbed for John
![Looking back up towards the Middle Teton and lower saddle](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/1be8ab40-3fdb-45f4-961a-706787fc43ca/dE02B4yKTXmw3J8InbhC%25w.jpg)
Looking back up towards the Middle Teton and lower saddle
![Back to the trailhead, tired, but warm](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/f1f95a11-a469-4171-a63e-ee21a8ec61d8/otOhVH2vSyetDcrc5uHpng.jpg)
Back to the trailhead, tired, but warm
Middle Teton Climb
After the exertion, the cold, the sleepless night etc, most of the group wanted to head back down to the ranch and sleep in a warm, rock free bed. Two of us, still wanted to try the Middle Teton. This mountain is not quite as high as the Grand and a little safer to climb when icy and snowy. So we woke back up at 3 am the next morning and headed back to the same trailhead. We planned to climb this all in one day, therefore our packs were light. We climbed the first 3,000 feet and 4 miles in great time following the Lupine Meadows trail up to Garnet Canyon and then the alpine meadows. This took just 2 hours and we ate breakfast, put on our crampons and got out the ice ax and started up the Southwest Couloir. The snow was solid and we went up the steep northern couloir quite quickly, we reached the saddle and peered down to the beautiful ice-flow lake between the Middle and South Teton by 730 am.. We started up the glacier again and it progressively become steeper. At one point the snow was nearly 80 degrees, but the crampons bit soundly into the snow and the ice ax held firm.
Before we knew it we made it to the summit 12,803 feet! It was cold and windy and we took some photos for the three patients we climbed for, Eric, Bob and Jim. Coming down was tremendous fun as we could glisade (essentially slide down on your back side using the ice ax as a brake). We made it down in 3 hours, when it took us 6 to climb the whole mountain. We were very tired after getting down. During the course of the 4 days in the Tetons, we climbed 12,000 feet up and down, and 40 miles for our kidney cancer patients. You inspire us to keep on climbing.
![High alpine environment, boulders, snow and ice!](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/625e1c0f-979e-4857-9417-bb82cb470f29/KuuqUCggQfGfdGYEyHeqAw.jpg)
High alpine environment, boulders, snow and ice!
![Dr. Chris and Brig Weight at the Saddle looking down at Ice Flow lake in Idaho](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/309bce17-dfbd-4f03-8c88-cb7f59581ecd/SJapbsHmTYyhuwe3FhRdJw.jpg)
Dr. Chris and Brig Weight at the Saddle looking down at Ice Flow lake in Idaho
![Looking north](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/73c21d72-4bc3-4177-86ef-d6f7f7bda732/rnUSm2t8TTygxFnCldtvZg.jpg)
Looking north
![Brig traveling up the glacier with Nez Pierce in the background](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/01927bb8-197d-4467-b973-e6d57c3e7099/%25StoebCdTdm4H9lJAa7R8Q.jpg)
Brig traveling up the glacier with Nez Pierce in the background
![The glacier got steeper and steeper](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/0f3ee709-4776-4fdc-8f92-44f25b82ab23/fullsizeoutput_d7f6.jpeg)
The glacier got steeper and steeper
![Brig smiling because he's about to get off the steep snow](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/7be41d08-f79a-4a33-a2e4-4b47f36a7cd2/fullsizeoutput_d802.jpeg)
Brig smiling because he's about to get off the steep snow
![Brig Climbed for Robert](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/da028df4-2d26-46dc-8829-afc9addfbecf/hxCsdITmQYGZCkv4FS3SHA.jpg)
Brig Climbed for Robert
![Jim's Medal atop the Middle Teton](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/14eb443a-6173-49a8-a7b9-14fee82947c7/rU%254IKUiRuSzVOaZ9oTdYw.jpg)
Jim's Medal atop the Middle Teton
![Dr. Chris Weight climbed for Eric](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/1d91ea61-d87f-417b-9393-431cde3b7047/7gJAMw%2B9SbukhgZEKp10fw.jpg)
Dr. Chris Weight climbed for Eric
![Awesome views of the Grand from the Middle Teton](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/ce3d7da9-67a0-43c8-85ec-74691918d57a/X%2BuDj7CBSQi7ERuFTgdSjQ.jpg)
Awesome views of the Grand from the Middle Teton
![Back down to the meadows, with some weather coming in (it started to rain in the valley about 45 minutes after getting down](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/80054588-55fe-4d2c-85d0-803d152f53e1/QU%25LbUzaRbCattfojpVV3Q.jpg)
Back down to the meadows, with some weather coming in (it started to rain in the valley about 45 minutes after getting down
![We forgot to take a summit photo together so we took one with the middle teton in the background](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/3bd94f3e-bb79-47fc-8029-3c2971c0bf63/CMu96RQgQMO9uNSjlQwQiw.jpg)
We forgot to take a summit photo together so we took one with the middle teton in the background
![The team back together at the Teton Climber's Ranch](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63c60d44c98af85334537583/48f96b5f-d3eb-43d2-987b-a092209e3f5d/ugUgSbZLT7%2B8YQvoBOZP0A.jpg)
The team back together at the Teton Climber's Ranch