Climbing in a Flow State on The Grand Teton

Move after move, far above my last piece of gear, stemming off a thick sheet of rime ice, I felt like I couldn’t fall. Climbing 5.4 off the ground is no accomplishment on its own; but in some of the most adverse climbing conditions I’ve ever faced. And at 13,000′ and going on 12 hours of climbing, it’s something I wanted to look into. I’m no 5.12 climber or experienced mountaineer, but why was I making every move with pure confidence? I attribute it all to being in a flow state. Flow is something most adventure and action sport athletes …

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Failing to Summit The Grand Teton

The Grand Teton as a special place in my heart. Ever since my buddies and I did it back in 2019, I’ve always thought about taking Courtney up it. Sure it’s massive and an excruciatingly long day, but she’s strong I and I knew she could do it. Fast forward to the end of August 2020, when nearly out of the blue, she says to me, “Let’s go climb the Grand in September!”Needless to say, I couldn’t have been more stoked. We had about e weeks to prepare, get it more specific climbing shape, and get the best beta we …

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Climbing Owen Spalding Route on The Grand Teton | Technical Pitches Beta

If I had known it was going to take us 20 hours to complete, I’m not sure if I would have left the trailhead. But after taking those final steps onto the summit, it would make the entire effort worth it. Everything from the 1:30AM start, the trek in the dark, the struggle with the altitude, the ice all over the climb, the broken crampon and subsequent fall, and even the encounter with a huge black bear. It was all worth it. We climbed the Grand Teton. Zachary KenneyHi there, my name is Zachary Kenney and I’m an adventure filmmaker …

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Gear List Required to Climb The Grand Teton

On July 20th, 2019, three of us climbed the 13,770′ Grand Teton via the Owen Spalding Route. We headed out from the parking lot at 1:30AM, in the pitch black of night, and didn’t reach the truck again until 9:30PM. Car to car in 20 hours (just 17hrs off the FKT). Granted, this was our first time up this mountain, finding the route, and mountaineering in general. We were physically prepared to climb the mountain in the snowy and icy conditions that were ever-present on the route; however, the mental aspect of such a long day in the mountains was …

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The Grand Teton via Owen Spalding Route: Full Trip Report

11:30 PM After grabbing a late burrito dinner in town at Abuelitos, we finally entered Grand Teton National Park. The plan was to catch a couple hours of sleep next to the truck before heading out. I can remember getting into my sleeping bag with a cool breeze rolling down from the mountainside across my face. I fell asleep immediately. That is, until the moon rose up and lit up the entire sky. Zachary KenneyHi there, my name is Zachary Kenney and I’m an adventure filmmaker & photographer.  My passion is to tell stories that will hopefully motivate you to …

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10 Things They Don’t Tell You Before Climbing The Grand Teton

Here are 10 things that they don’t tell you about before you climb the Grand Teton via Owen Spalding Route: Zachary KenneyHi there, my name is Zachary Kenney and I’m an adventure filmmaker & photographer.  My passion is to tell stories that will hopefully motivate you to go live a more adventurous life. Whether that is to experience the view from the summit of a mountain, or wandering through a new town on a road trip. Currently based out of Park City, UT. www.zacharykenney.com

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