Teton Beginnings

   Greetings once again outdoor enthusiasts. I am reporting from my new home in Jackson, WY. Over the past few months, I have been frantically getting my ducks in a row for the move. Jackson is proving to be a veritable gold mine of outdoor objectives, and I have only begun to scratch the surface. This is my first post to report on some new projects, one familiar in style and one new.

   Upon arriving in Teton County a few weeks ago, I was eager to get the lay of the land. As I had done most of my climbing and hiking in the Colorado Rockies, understanding the new lay of the land would be my first goal in putting my skills to work. By going on a ranging run, I would be able to explore approaches to climbs that I had my eye on, and get a feel for things like snowpack, weather patters, rock quality and the severity of the climbing relative to what I know. Knowing these things would make it easier when I went to put up the climb for myself. Since many of the choice routes in the Tetons lie in the high mountains, objectives typically require a longer approach, and are often more exposed than simple cragging routes in the front range, where most of my experience lies...

   My first location to check out was the Guide's Wall route in Cascade Canyon, just above Jenny Lake. This route is very popular. The climbing goes at 5.8, is six pitches, and is fairly easy to bail out of if things go awry. This would be a good climb for me to tackle after making some climbing buddies.

Cascade Canyon - Guide's Wall route is on the ridgeline in the orange oval

   Although one can take a ferry across Jenny Lake, I was running low on cash and decided to take the hike around. The weather was very finicky, at times rainy and sometimes snowy. This was good information for me about the climb itself. The season is still early, and further up the hike, I encountered a lot of snow beginning at about 9,000 ft. Although this isn't a problem, it was unexpected. I neglected to bring my snow climbing gear, and had to bail out a little earlier up the snow slope than I would have liked. Steep snow without crampons or an ice ax is typically a recipe for injury.
    I did manage to get a visual on the route, basically hiked the approach and got a good idea as to what would be required to put up the climb. Drier conditions would be more ideal, but on a good day, the snowy approach wouldn't be a problem with the appropriate equipment in addition to the typical technical climbing gear.

Storm Point - Guide's Wall route essentially follows the red line

   In addition to my usual hobbies, I am engaging in some new pursuits. My work for the summer is with a local rafting company. I am their 'jack of all trades' and am working in both offices, as well as cooking for float trips on the weekend. Two weeks ago, they sent me on one of their scenic trips down the snake river. The day was chilly, but me and the other new hires did our best to enjoy the scenery. Our float was on a 16-mile stretch of the Snake River, passing under the Moose - Wilson Bridge. This is the path of my employer's lunch trips.

Our float trip route is marked with the red line, my house is marked with
the red star in the right hand corner  = )

     I am not anticipating picking up rafting as a hobby, but with my job, I am able to go for free whenever I like. Unlike the Front Range, there is a lot of water in Jackson Hole. Rafting is a lucrative trade that employs many people. It was an enjoyable way to see the land in a new fashion.
 
   Stay tuned for tales of adventure...