South Teton with Emma, dad and mom

South Teton climb with Emma

Dad, Emma and Mom climbed the South Teton in July 1998. As usual life was hectic before the climb and packing was not complete until late the night before we left. We got up at 4 am and drove to the Tetons. The drive was beautiful, even seeing a moose just before Star Valley. We arrived at the Ranger station about 9 am, the day was beautiful, but the Rangers were slow and it took a long time before we got registered. We went back to the car and packed up. About 15 minutes into the hike we realized we had left the camping permit in the car. Dad dropped his pack and went back to the car. Once dad got back we continued to hike, and even though mom is a slow hiker we went made steady progress. We hit the switchbacks and dad reminded us that Chad had called them “the Hill from Heck!” That may be so, but mom hates the bolder field more!! The meadow was very wet, with lots of people in it. We were camping at South Fork so we hiked up the snow to get to the campsite. When we reached the rocks at the top of the snow field we traversed across to our campsite. The site was beautiful, lots of snow and water, but one area was dry. Clouds had moved in so we put our tents up quickly and got inside before the rain came. Emma came into mom and dad’s tent during the storm. It rained, hailed and blew for about 3 hours. When it finally stopped we were really wet. Emma and mom’s sleeping bags were wet, the bottom of both tents were wet. We took everything that we could out of the tent and let it blow in the wind and most of it dried off. Dad got us hot water and the cup o’noodles tasted great.

The next morning we got up at 6 am, a little late for a dad start, but it was just beginning to get light and it was beautiful. We went up the snow and boulder fields. There were still lots of clouds and it rained a little, but we kept going. At one point mom became fatigued and felt like she could not go on. After some rest and water we all continued on. We hiked up the boulders on the side of the last snowfield and then put crampons on and traversed across. We went up the last couloirs and then the last 200 yards to the top. We all made it and it was great!!! Emma was really excited to be on top of the mountain We took many pictures, then began down. We had drunk all the water and we were all very thirsty. There were packets of hail on the snow and rocks and we decided that we could eat them because they had fallen the day before. They tasted so good and were so refreshing, we were all grateful for something wet in our mouths. We slide down many of the snowfields and made it back to camp. It was looking very stormy so even though we were exhausted, we packed up and left camp so as not to get caught in a bad storm. Down the snowfield below camp, toward the meadow Emma and Dad slid, but mom was very cautious and hiked down. Across the boulder field and down the trail, hiking as fast as we could, but Emma and mom were very tired and it was slow going. We went to Wendy’s and then home arriving around 10 pm. Emma used the experience as one of her Young Women 10 hour projects. She gave a talk on it at a Young Women in Excellence. Mom decided that climbing in the Tetons is like labor and childbirth, while you are in the middle of it you hate it, feel that it is very hard and that you will never do it again, but later the memory fades and you do it again!!

The mountains are beautiful and have a draw for mom and dad!

Middle Teton, Dad and Mom July 1995

Middle Teton climb with Steve, Jean

This was the summer that Steve was taking the Teachers in the ward to climb in the Tetons. He wanted to go up early and check it out so we decided that Steve and Jean would climb the Middle a few weeks before. The preparation was intense, with Jean trying to get in shape and get ready for the climb as well as arrange for the kids to be tended. We bought Jean a new pair of boots, an ice ax and crampons!! And she used Christopher’s pack. (Climbing is expensive but mom learned that the equipment is worth it so that the climbers can be safe!) Joshua helped with tending kids, Johanna and Emma spent the time we were gone at Blakeley’s.

We left at 4 am and drove to Jackson, checked in at the Ranger station and began hiking at 9 am. The hike to the meadow was good, except the boulder field for mom. We ate lunch in the meadow and then hiked up to the campsite at South Fork, it was beautiful there with small blue flowers all around. Dad helped mom practice with her ice ax. The wind blew all night, with the tent flapping, so not much sleep, up at 4 am and began hiking up the snow fields with flashlights. Mom would look over her shoulder and wonder how she would get down. It was slow hiking, mostly because mom is so slow. The last coulair was rocks and snow, which was soft. It was hard going. We hiked on the rocks which was easy and hard, more scary, but not as hard as the snow. Once on top the view was breathtaking , however looking over at the Grand mom decided that she would never make it on top of that mountain!! We took a picture on top, setting the camera on a rock and setting a timer. It turned out to be kind of funny, with our faces and clear blue sky, no mountains, rocks, etc!!

Going down was scary for mom and slow because she was afraid of sliding and not being able to stop. Once we arrived at camp we packed up and headed down. Everything hurt as we went down the trail, especially mom’s feet. She was very slow but dad is so patient with her that we finally made it to the car. We went to Wendy’s and then home!