Exum Ridge

Your first goal is to reach Wall Street, a giant ledge leading to the crest of the south ridge from the west at around 12,800'. This ledge can be easily viewed from the Lower Saddle if you know where to look. Begin from the Lower Saddle as for the Owen Spalding, passing left of the smooth pinnacle known as "The Needle", then up the gully on the right, close to the Needle. If you are lucky you will find the tunnel above here known as "The Eye of The Needle", but it is not necessary to pass through this feature. Above here your route diverges from the Owen Spalding as you traverse right, crossing a broad and relatively easy couloir to the start of Wall Street. This couloir drops straight down from the Upper Saddle and has led to disaster for many tired climbers descending from the Upper Saddle, assuming it is the way down (it cliffs out). Take note of it.

The Wall Street ledge is huge and easy to walk along, until the very end where it suddenly becomes exposed and narrow. Rope up here, unless you feel like repeating Glenn Exum's famous leap. Actually, I've never seen anyone leap to span this difficulty, as you can simply make a long step or hand traverse. Still, it is very exposed and only climbers in a great hurry will do this unroped.

Next comes the Golden Stair pitch, which ascends directly up the ridge up a steep, knobby face. This pitch looks harder than it is, because it is very exposed and the protection is not abundant. Plenty of knobs make the climbing enjoyable. After this pitch the difficulty eases and if your party is experienced you may want to pack the rope for a while, or simulclimb. Follow a horizontal section near the ridge crest, then move left to gain access into a gully which slants up and right. This is called the Wind Tunnel. This leads, after a number of pitches, to the base of the Friction Pitch.

When the Wind Tunnel gully begins to lean back to the left, this is the point where you exit it straight up to the base of the Friction Pitch, which is back on the crest. If you follow the gully too far, it turns into more of a ramp and eventually ends. This is easy to do as it is the path of least resistence. If you make this mistake, either backtrack to the Friction Pitch, or head straight up to the crest up a chimney, rejoining the route above the Friction Pitch.

The Friction Pitch is called by some the crux of the route, it is not well protected but the difficulties ease shortly. Above here scramble for 2 more pitches, following the line of least resistence. Look for a section above where you can cross back to the west side of the crest to avoid a slabby tower.

Above you is the "V" pitch, one of the most exposed on the route. Climb the obvious SW facing dihedral above, with excellent protection. I feel this section is the crux of the route. After this pitch the ridge levels out and is quite easy for a short section. The next difficulty encountered following the crest is called the Petzoldt lieback pitch. When I last did this pitch in September it was covered with ice and quite a challenge in rock shoes. Above here you can climb a small 10' tower directly via a crack and in another 100' the ridge becomes broad and nearly level. Here you can unrope and scramble to the east of the crest to the summit.

The Exum Ridge is the south ridge of the Grand Teton. The steep lower portion of the ridge is included as a separate route, and makes an excellent direct start. However it is significantly harder than the Upper Exum.

Standard light rack. You do not need to bring 2 ropes.