Southern Exposure

The Grand Teton's Exum Ridge and Owen-Spalding routes are coveted climbs, and for good reasons—they’re aesthetic, fun, and provide the two easiest ways to the top of this iconic peak. But the Grand is home to more than 90 other routes, and multiple seasons can pass without a single ascent of many of these alternate avenues. Moreover, though snowfields and icy winds are still factors, some of these routes are among the sunniest on the mountain. Next time you’re heading up Garnet Canyon—the approach to the Exum Ridge and Owen-Spalding—consider one of these alternatives for an off-the-beaten-path adventure and quality alpine climbing.

Lower Exum Ridge (III 5.7)
Jack Durrance, Kenneth Henderson, 1936
In their focus on the summit, the majority of climbers bypass the Lower Exum Ridge, a solid 5.7, and scramble up another thousand feet of easy terrain to reach the Wall Street traverse ledge, gateway to the Upper Exum Ridge (II 5.4.) But in doing so, they miss six pitches of excellent climbing.

The route is best known for the Black Face, a gorgeous, 80-degree wall on the fifth pitch that delivers big-time exposure as well as plentiful placements for your hands, feet, and pro. Take note: In their excitement over the steep, stellar climbing, more than one climber has continued up too far, forgetting to begin a diagonal traverse to the right after ascending about 15 feet. Look for a series of pitons to know you’re on track.

As you dance your way up, look east at climbers ascending the Petzoldt Ridge—an unforgettable view. Continue up a corner system to Wall Street, the famous catwalk used to access the Upper Exum. Either descend via Wall Street or continue another 1,200 feet of easier climbing to the summit.

Numerous variations exist along the way, including Unnamed (III 5.7), Direct Start (III 5.8), and Direxum (III 5.9). Perhaps best known is Gold Face, put up by Renny Jackson and Jim Woodmencey in 1988. This 5.10 route ups the ante with the full gamut: a chimney and dihedral, delicate face climbing, and a 5.10- crack of varying size leading up through a section of gorgeous golden granite.

Direct Petzoldt Ridge (III 5.7)
Willi Unsoeld, LaRee Munns, James and Rodney Shirley, Austin Flint, 1953
This 5.7 variation to Paul Petzoldt’s 1941 ridge climb is said by one local guide to be “one of the best routes in the Tetons—as good if not better than the Lower Exum.” The route shoots up the ridge’s nose, passing a unique arch and a scare-yourself-silly pitch with massive exposure. For geology buffs, there’s the added intrigue of garnet chunks embedded in the rock. Keep your eyes peeled for the smooth, angular lines of these blackish-brown nuggets as you climb. The time to cowboy up comes on the second pitch, which forces you to put all your faith in a massive chicken head (match your feet) and gets your heart going with nauseating exposure. (“Bring your adult diapers,” recommends one climber.) The fourth pitch (or fifth, depending on which guidebook you’re using) ends just short of the Window, a granitic arch that’s an anomaly in the Tetons’ rockscape of cracks and pillars. Work left for the thrill of climbing over the Window on the sixth pitch. Once atop the ridge, rappel 30 feet into a notch and traverse west to join the Upper Exum Ridge directly above the Windy Corner.