Grand Teton, Wyoming. photo: david harvey nationalgeographic.com
On June 25, 2011 Nate Brown set the solo speed climb/ski record (that’s the time taken to climb & ski the route) on the Grand Teton’s Ford/Stettner route at 7 hours and 15 minutes.
Two days later, on June 27th, Andrew & Jason Dorias teamed up with Jared Inouye cut Nate’s record time down by two hours completing the route in only 5 hours and 17 minutes.
“The skiing traffic on the Grand Teton this year has been unprecedented, with multiple descents every day for the past three weeks,” says longtime Jackson local and TetonAt.com founder Steve Romeo. – powdermag.com
Bill Briggs first skied the Grand on 6/15/71 and people didn’t believe him. Virginia Huidekoper, a local news reporter, took a plane up to see for herself. This is what she saw. Photo: Virginia Huidekoper powder.com
The Grand Teton was first skied on June 15th 1971 by Bill Briggs. Bill also made first descents of the Middle Teton, South Teton, Mount Moran, & Mount Owen. The guy is a legend and was recognized as such in 2008, when he was inducted into the U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in Michigan.
Skiing the Grand Teton is widely considered the most challenging extreme skiing feat available in the Lower 48 of the USA. It’s rarely in form to ski, but this year, it’s looking fat and many an extreme skier has answered its call. They are killing it, too as I haven’t heard of any problems occurring on the Grand this year. Props. Especially to these guys doing the speed records because we know that they are pushing it by not protecting themselves at all in some very hairy places. Be careful out there guys.