Grand Teton (WY)

Wyoming, US

The Grand Teton (13,770') is the second highest peak in Wyoming and one of the most iconic summits in the United States. It is a technical climb by any route. FKT attempts are usually by the Owen Spalding route (YDS 5.4), which also serves as the standard descent route.

Bryce Thatcher, who held the FKT for the Grand for 29 years from 1983 until 2012, recounts some history of speed records on the Grand Teton here. Amazingly, just 10 days after Kilian Jornet finally bested Thatcher's record, Rocky Mountain National Park ranger Andy Anderson beat Jornet's time by just 59 seconds. An interview with Anderson on his Grand and Longs Peak (CO) records is on irunfar.com, and an outstanding podcast Episode with Andy is here on this website.

The National Park Service has emphasized that cutting switchbacks on this route is a violation of the park service regulation 36 CFR 2.1(b), "Shortcutting a switchback along a trail is prohibited,". Any future attempts to cut switchbacks will result in complete rejection, and the NPS intends to pursue criminal charges against athletes who engage in this behavior.

Belt Buckle Route

Rickey Gates and partner Elizabeth Thorp have created a series of custom belt buckles commemorating some of the most iconic and hotly contested FKT routes! This route certainly qualifies. Each buckle is awarded to the FKT holder, and passed on when that FKT is superseded. Currently this buckle is held by Andy Anderson for the men. Gates & Thorp are still working to create a buckle for the women.

GPS Track

Skill_Issue.gpx866.76 KB

FKTs

TH-to-TH

Male

Unsupported
Andy Anderson		2h 53m 2s	2012-08-22
Kilian Jornet	Flagged	2h 54m 1s	2012-08-12
Bryce Thatcher		3h 6m 0s	1983-08-26

Mixed-gender team

Unsupported
Emelie Forsberg, Kilian Jornet		Flagged	3h 51m 0s	2012-08-11

Female

Unsupported
Jen Day Denton		Flagged	4h 15m 27s	2022-09-07

This route on the old FKT site

http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/358/grand-teton-wy

Comments

I had a wonderful in-person conversation with Jock Glidden, who had the FKT for many years prior to Creighton King, whose time was bettered by Bryce. Here is the summary:

Jock Glidden, age 84, Salt Lake City, November 12, 2019

Date/Time: 1972, 4hrs 11mins r/t
Previous FKT: 1939, Hawks and Holyoke, 5hrs, 40mins (not sure)
Shoes: Adidas running shoes - "pretty much in shreds."
Hydration: Only drank out of streams. Giardia didn't exist or we didn't care. "Cleaned it up with Wylers".
Food: Didn't bring any. Begged for it. Ate two Mars Bars on summit.
Comments: "No one believed them (Hawks and Holyoke). No one believed me either. Ortenburger was at the bottom when I finished, but he didn't mention it in his book because he didn't like it."
(Leigh Ortenburger, author of the epochal "Climbers Guide to the Teton Range")

FKT recognition has changed dramatically since then (for better or worse)!

Jock Glidden

I am here at Grand Teton National Park today and in awe of this mountain. Will try to either summit Grand Teton or try the Teton Circumnavigation this weekend/this week. Will make attempt at unsupported FKT on the Circumnavigation, no shot at FKT on the summit though. Can’t challenge Andy and Kilian.

Report: Jock Glidden passed away on Wednesday, July 29th, 2020, at his home in Ogden, after the balance of pains outweighed the sum of pleasures, and he determined that there was no longer any purpose in continuing the struggle against Parkinson’s Disease.

In 1972 he established the early FKT on the Grand Teton, was a great person and climber, and lived and died consciously. A week prior to his passing he decided it was time to go, and announced he would refrain from eating or drinking. May we all have a fraction of his accomplishments.

I attempted the FKT in August 2023. Time was 3:02:30.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9660318076#3126927982591567292

There is also a bit of a competitive scene skiing the Grand. FKT was set in 2011 by Jared Inouye, Jason Dorais, and Andy Dorais in 5:17 RT from Lupine TH in late June.

http://slcsherpa.blogspot.com/2011/06/grand-teton-ski-descent-speed-rec…

This beat the record set just a couple weeks before by Nathan Brown, 7:15:33 RT.

https://www.tetonat.com/2011/06/26/grand-teton-ski-descent-speed-record…

Looks like it was a heavy snow year.

Route: Grand Teton (WY)

FKTs

Comments