** At 12:28 PM 3/31/2004, Warren.K.Lail-1 wrote:**

>This summer I'll be driving Billy to Jackson, Wyoming where I'll also be
>attempting
>another feat, climbing the Grand Teton via the Exum Ridge (a big feat for me).
>Twelve pitches at 13,700 feet with several thousand feet of exposure -
>yeah, let's do
>it!  Anyway, that's 1100 miles each way.  So the time has come to test
>Billy's mettle
>(or metal, whichever the case may be).

W.

Very cool.. my wife and I did this ourselves in 1997. Amazing mtn. and
a very cool experience..   You got a partner or you doing with the Exum
guys (guides)?

If you get tired of living in the Westy... the AAC climbers ranch is a
very cool place to hang, catch a shower and get beta.  Of course you
can get all the beta from the climbing rangers there as well... a very
helpful lot.

We spent an exciting night at the upper saddle.. hailstorm, thunder,
lightning.. the works!  then it cleared in the moring and we had a near
perfect day.. just a bit of verglass on the upper pitches..  a long day..
with great weather.. just a bit of snow/ice on the descent... got back to
the tent only to find one of the poles snapped and it ripped through..

packed up in the high winds (it always blows up on the saddle!) then
hiked it out of there that night!  (down to the moraine camp) where we
bivied as best we could for the night.. illegally I might add as we lost our
permit (ripped off the tent)   then hiked all the way out in the morning..

we were back at it two days latter and climbed irenes arete (hiked in
and out in a day)  great route as well!

you'll have an excellent time.. I love the Tetons as well as the
Wind Rivers (check them out as well while you're there!)

cheers,

  -tim