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| Greyskull, Upper Crag South |
Jackson Hole is a climber's paradise but it has always lacked decent climbing or bouldering close to town. Hopefully, this recent discovery changes that.
It's been a dreary spring, so the other day my buddy Bart and I planned to take advantage of a sucker hole over the Elk Refuge to squeeze in a few moderate trad routes at Curtis Canyon. While heading down the Refuge Road we noticed the shoddy looking cliffs about a mile North of the Curtis Canyon pullout and our curiosity got the best of us...
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| Greyskull Prow with Tetons in the distance. |
After an easy 20 minute stroll, we discovered a beautiful zone with quality limestone and no signs of previous climber activity.
Much of the rock in the vicinity is garbage but over a dozen interesting boulders and 3-4 small crags comprised of quality rock serve up everything from very easy to ridiculously hard climbing.
I returned a few days later to scramble around, take some pics and assess the feasibility of "developing" the area. Much of the climbing seems too hard for my tastes and it would be a great deal of work to develop alone. As such, I'm sharing the discovery in hopes that folks get jazzed to explore and climb the area themselves. I'm referring the place as "GreySkull" because there are numerous weathered Elk skeletons in the area... and because the rock somehow reminds me of Castle Greyskull from the old He-Man cartoons.
There are many "first!?" ascents to be had: boulder, sport, and trad. Bring typical cleaning tools and a strong work ethic to guarantee you'll get to attempt whatever catches your eye. Since it has yet to be developed, watch out for loose rock and sketchy landings.
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| Main Lower Crag: Mostly Crap Rock... |
Much of the rock in the vicinity is crap but don’t be deterred. The high quality rock is hiding in and around the woods above the biggest crag. It’s about a half hour bike ride (10 minute drive) and 20 minute walk from Downtown Jackson. Bring multiple pads for maximum fun and safety. Again, watch out for loose rock… it’d be a long mile back to the bike/car with a broken ankle.
Though it's less than a mile from the road, the area is close to the perimeter of the National Elk Refuge and sees little human traffic. During the two trips I've made there, I've seen Elk, Deer, a Coyote, Red Tail Hawks, Mountain Goats, Marmots, and countless signs of wildlife. There are nests and burrows throughout the crags and if the place is abused, all that wildlife will disappear pretty quickly. Though dogs are allowed, maybe it's a better idea to leave them at home. Obviously a low-key presence and respecting nesting sites is a good idea as well.
Getting There:
- DO NOT WALK THROUGH THE NATIONAL ELK REFUGE.
- Park your bike/car (it's only ~6 miles from Downtown Jackson) at the Curtis Canyon pullout just before the road turns and begins ascending into the Gros Ventre.
- Follow the main trail that soon crosses the creekbed like you're headed to the Curtis Canyon Crag.
- Veer left about 100 yards before you reach the Curtis Canyon Crag and ascend the short ridge to a faint game trail along the hillside. You'll be walking pretty much straight North.
- Follow the faint game trail until you find a spot good for descending back to the flats OUTSIDE the National Elk Refuge Boundary. Continue ~0.5 mile North towards the biggest crag. You'll find one short wall offering a few high quality cracks on that crag, but most of the rock is crap.
- Scramble around the biggest lower crag and explore ~20 boulders and small crags of high quality scattered in the woods just above it.
- DO NOT WALK THROUGH THE NATIONAL ELK REFUGE.
Here's a little eye candy to whet your appetite for exploration...
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| Short but Sweet Overhanging Offwidth On the Biggest Lower Crag |
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| Another View of that Offwidth and Other Good Cracks Nearby |
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| Really Good Rock Above the Lower Crag |
