Teewinot with a kid??

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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath

Social climber

SLO, Ca

Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 11, 2016 - 01:57pm PT

I'm going to be in the Tetons next week and want to do a peak scramble with my 11 year old. Something fourth or low fifth class, hopefully with a roped section or two for added excitement. I've been looking at Teewinot and Disappointment Peak. The Internet is all over the place on the difficulty of Teewinot so I'm assuming route finding might be hard?

Any thoughts on these or other suggestions?

johntp

Trad climber

socal

Aug 11, 2016 - 02:39pm PT

Only been there twice and was years ago. Teewinot is good. Mt. Moran might be another option. The approaches can be burly. On both peaks the routefinding is pretty straight forward if you scope them well.

edit: no clue about Disappointment.

clode

Trad climber

portland, or

Aug 11, 2016 - 02:45pm PT

Moran is a BIG adventure, with a huge approach, huge descent, and non-trivial technical climbing. Teewinot is a much more reasonable day adventure. There is even a class 4 way to the top. You might also consider Buck Peak, in the southern part of the range. A mellow, yet 12K+ high point, with great views. Ah heck, they ALL have great views! Just watch out for Tuolumne-like afternoon T-storms!

johntp

Trad climber

socal

Aug 11, 2016 - 02:55pm PT

clode-

That may be the reason I failed on Moran. I was tuckered out by the time I got to the base of the real climbing. Was just giving this a bump. Locals can provide better info than I can.

jgill

Boulder climber

The high prairie of southern Colorado

Aug 11, 2016 - 02:56pm PT

Teewinot is a LONG grind (for normal human beings), so hope your son is up for that. My suggestion would be a route on Symmetry Spire, which has a much better defined and less aerobic approach + a nice boat ride across Jenny Lake and excellent views from nice rock.

But then I never had the energy nor capability to romp up Teewinot in two hours.

Curt

climber

Gold Canyon, AZ

Aug 11, 2016 - 02:58pm PT

Teewinot is good fun. Check and see if you'll want an ax to cross the snow field. It was recommended when I did it years ago and lost his ^^^ :-)

Curt

jgill

Boulder climber

The high prairie of southern Colorado

Aug 11, 2016 - 03:01pm PT

^^^ He bought me a new and better one!

;>)

clode

Trad climber

portland, or

Aug 11, 2016 - 03:04pm PT

Teewinot is definitely the full meal deal, a dawn-to-dusk adventure for most mortals. The Symmetry Spire suggestion is a good one, and if you're fast you can add in Ice Point and Storm Point for a great peak-bagging day.

norm larson

climber

wilson, wyoming

Aug 11, 2016 - 03:08pm PT

East ridge of Buck would be a nicer excursion with an 11 year old . It has much more diverse hiking than Teewinot which is a head down slog. The east ridge has a pleasant exposed feel for part of it. Big view from the top down in to Avalanche canyon and beyond.
Symmetry is a good choice as well but doesn't have a big mountain feel like buck.

clode

Trad climber

portland, or

Aug 11, 2016 - 03:12pm PT

Right on Norm!^^^

ontheedgeandscaredtodeath

Social climber

SLO, Ca

Topic Author's Reply - Aug 11, 2016 - 03:21pm PT

Thanks all!

I've climbed Moran- one of my all time favorites but it's way too big of an outing for a family vacay and my son! The East Ridge of Buck looks just about perfect--some scenic scrambling with a section or two justifying breaking out a rope for my kid.

StahlBro

Trad climber

San Diego, CA

Aug 11, 2016 - 03:22pm PT

Teewinot is good. Mostly hiking, but there is some 4th/5th toward the top depending on route finding. You get a great view of the Grand, and the summit is nice. Not a bad day if you get going early.

We did run into a cow moose with calves in the evening. Made for an interesting finish ;-)

johntp

Trad climber

socal

Aug 11, 2016 - 03:27pm PT

We did run into a cow moose with calves in the evening. Made for interesting finish ;-)

Tell us the story......

thebravecowboy

climber

The Good Places

Aug 11, 2016 - 03:29pm PT

[heavy breathing]

NutAgain!

Trad climber

South Pasadena, CA

Aug 11, 2016 - 03:36pm PT

Thanks for this thread gang. I almost took my kids to Tetons this summer, will probably do so next summer. It's always tricky to find something that is a big commitment to appropriately challenge kids for their level of development vs. a traumatic experience that turns them away from more of the same.

I'm bookmarking this for specific objectives next year.

StahlBro

Trad climber

San Diego, CA

Aug 11, 2016 - 04:11pm PT

While we were coming down the trail in the dark (late start and no headlamps), we thought we noticed a particularly large, dense, black, shape in the trail ahead. We came to a halt, and peered into the darkness. As our eyes adjusted and the silence became almost complete, we could hear snorting, and see the outline of a really big moose (no rack) dead ahead. Soon, some smaller shapes appeared milling about behind the rather imposing hulk. We very quietly considered our options:

A. Go straight forward and probably get stomped. Tempting, in that we really needed herbs, beer and food (in that order)
B. Go back up the trail and hope to find a fork (could not remember how far back and up that would be, or where it might lead)
C. Quietly slip off the trail and down the slope to the left, bushwhacking through brambles, deadfall and whatever, and then try to regain the trail below, sans pissed off mama moose

We chose C, and figured the scratches and extra time were a good trade off to getting pummeled.

Postscript

This was supposed to be our "rest day" during a trans-continental bike ride. While relaxing at Jenny Lake in the morning, we kept looking up at Teewinot and saying "damn, that looks nice..." It was a spontaneous decision, and we didn't really think it all the way through ;-) That being said, it was a great day, and definitely worth it.

thebravecowboy

climber

The Good Places

Aug 11, 2016 - 04:45pm PT

cool story! betcha carry a headlamp religiously since!

mcreel

climber

Barcelona

Aug 11, 2016 - 07:37pm PT

I did the E ridge of Buck when I was a kid, maybe 15 or so. It was not too long or difficult, as I recall. Saw a couple of horned owls on the walk through the forest. Also did the ridge on Moran that the plan crashed on (NE?). That was a _long_ outing.