Grand Teton – Owen-Spalding Route
Tetons, WY
Elevation Profile
Current Conditions
Bottom Line
No storm incoming and winds are dropping dramatically Tuesday — the Owen-Spalding window opens Wednesday. Daylight is your biggest constraint at under 10 hours, so plan your summit push to hit the upper mountain by 10 AM and be descending by 1 PM. Stream gauge data is from California and irrelevant to this trip.
34°/20°F · Sunny
No Rating (0/5)
0" depth
Elevated flows · 5 gauges
No active fires within 50 miles
9h 52m daylight · Sunrise 7:12 AM · Sunset 5:04 PM
Full Briefing
Winds are the lead story today and tonight — NWS is forecasting 15-25 mph at the valley floor, which translates to roughly 30-50 mph at the 13,775 ft summit. That's not a go on the upper mountain today. The good news is the forecast breaks sharply: Tuesday drops to 3-9 mph surface winds, putting ridgeline winds in the 6-18 mph range — entirely manageable for the Owen-Spalding. Wednesday night ticks back up to 5-10 mph SSE at the surface, so if you're doing a two-day push with a high camp, you've got a clean window Tuesday into Wednesday before conditions nudge upward again Thursday night.
Snowpack is essentially non-existent — SNOTEL at Annie Springs (6,021 ft) is showing only 1 inch of snow depth with 0.1 inch SWE, and lower stations are bare. No avalanche rating has been issued by the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center, which is consistent with early season conditions where there simply isn't enough snow to generate avalanche problems. That said, the BTAC discussion is a standard early-season advisory: watch for any new loading on steep terrain and be alert to cracking or collapsing if a surprise snowfall occurs. Right now that's not a concern.
What this actually means for the route: the Owen-Spalding in early November with no snow is a mixed mountaineering objective. Expect dry rock on the lower slabs with ice or verglas in shaded chimneys and couloirs above 11,000 ft, particularly on north-facing sections near the Upper Saddle. Overnight lows of 20-24°F will keep those icy features locked in through the morning. Crampons and ice axe are non-negotiable for the upper mountain even without meaningful snowpack — thin ice on rock is the hazard, not avalanche debris.
Daylight is a hard constraint this time of year: 9 hours 52 minutes, with sunset at 5:04 PM. The Owen-Spalding is a long day even in summer. You need to be leaving the Lower Saddle no later than 6:30 AM to have any margin on the summit push. Plan your descent to clear the technical terrain above the Upper Saddle before 2:30 PM. Tuesday's calm winds make it the strongest weather day of this window — that's your summit day.
Waypoints
Lupine Meadows Trailhead
Main trailhead. Start well before dawn on summit day.
6,801 ft
Garnet Canyon Meadows
Meadows in Garnet Canyon. Trail steepens significantly above here.
9,501 ft
Lower Saddle Bivy
Bivy site at the Lower Saddle. Cramped platforms with incredible views.
11,601 ft
Upper Saddle
Base of the Owen-Spalding route proper. Rope up here.
12,999 ft
Grand Teton Summit
Summit at 13,775 ft. Sign the summit register. Descend same route.
13,776 ft
Route Details
Distance
13.0 mi
Elevation Gain
7,001 ft
Elevation Loss
7,001 ft
Max Elevation
13,776 ft
Estimated Days
2
Trailhead
Lupine Meadows
Best Season
July through September. Route may hold snow early season.
Permit Required
Climbing permit required from Grand Teton National Park. Register at Jenny Lake Ranger Station.
About This Route
The Owen-Spalding route is the most popular climbing route on the Grand Teton (13,775 ft), the iconic peak that dominates the Jackson Hole skyline. This classic mountaineering route involves sustained scrambling, a few moves of low 5th class climbing, and significant exposure. The approach follows the standard Garnet Canyon trail to the Lower Saddle at 11,600 feet, where most parties bivy for the night. From the saddle, the route climbs through the Black Dike, traverses the Upper Saddle, and ascends the Owen-Spalding couloir to the summit ridge. The final moves to the summit involve exposed scrambling. The route requires basic rock climbing skills, comfort with exposure, and excellent fitness. Most parties hire a guide for their first ascent. A climbing permit is required. Start from the Lower Saddle before dawn to avoid afternoon storms and to have the mountain to yourself.
Plan This Route
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Plan This Route