Skiin the Grand

    It's amazing how a famous line like the Ford/Stettner couloir on the Grand Teton can go from the "maybe one day" category to stepping into your skis on the summit in less than 72 hours.  But in the alpine world when the snow conditions, climbing conditions, weather, and time off lines up; you pull the trigger.
   Such was the case last week, when a call from Pete with some ski ideas and a little beta quickly turned into a packing afternoon and a drive to Jackson the next morning.  Rocking a two day itinerary with a recon evening ski we managed to sort out the complex route and were on the way up Wednesday morning.  Despite the stable weather and complete lack of wind some moisture from the valley formed just enough light clouds to hold the sun's heat off the slope.  The lucky weather allowed a later than planned summit with snow conditions still hovering at perfect corn.  The ski was a blast, with mind boggling exposure, great snow, and steep slopes.  And after some connecting rappels we were on the tepee glacier for some bonus steep vert and then back down Garnet canyon to camp.

Hiking into Garnet Canyon, Middle Teton in the background with the black dike in the center

Pete on the way up for evening route finding

Skiing back to camp at dusk on day one

Ready for some hot food

Looking east from Teepee Spire

Pete eyeing the exposed traverse to glencoe col

Suckin wind on the summit snowfield

Pete rollin into the ford couloir

Approaching the pinch in the ford couloir

Starting the rappels through the ice flows of the Chevy Couloir