Grand Teton Ski Descent
Tetons, WY
Elevation Profile
Current Conditions
Bottom Line
No avalanche rating yet from Bridger-Teton — the season hasn't opened. SNOTEL at Annie Springs (6,021 ft) shows 0 inches of snow depth. There is no skiable snowpack on the Grand Teton right now. This trip needs to be rescheduled.
31°/17°F · Sunny
No Rating (0/5)
0" depth
Elevated flows · 5 gauges
No active fires within 50 miles
10h 10m daylight · Sunrise 7:02 AM · Sunset 5:13 PM
Full Briefing
The snowpack data tells the whole story: every SNOTEL station in the data set is reading 0 inches of snow depth, including Annie Springs at 6,021 feet. The Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center hasn't issued a rating yet — not because conditions are ambiguous, but because there's nothing to rate. Early November in the Tetons means the season is just getting started, and right now it hasn't started. The Grand Teton ski descent, which requires a committed couloir approach above 13,000 feet, needs substantially more snowpack before it's in play.
The weather is clean and the temperatures are right — highs around 30°F, lows in the teens, light winds under 10 mph through Wednesday, and mostly sunny skies. Thursday brings a slight chance of snow showers (24% precip) that could start building the base, but we're talking about trace accumulations, not a meaningful loading event. The freezing level is sitting well below the summit, so whatever falls will be snow, not rain — good for future snowpack quality, but irrelevant for a trip starting today.
The BTAC bulletin discussion note about watching for unstable snow signs, cracking, and audible collapsing is the standard early-season language they post when the first patches of snow appear on high terrain. It's not a green light — it's a heads-up that the earliest, sketchiest, unconsolidated early-season snow is forming in isolated pockets, not a skiable continuous snowpack.
The stream flow data listed is from California gauges and has no bearing on this trip. Daylight is limited at 10 hours 10 minutes with sunset at 5:13 PM — worth noting for future planning when conditions do come in, since a Grand Teton descent is a long day. Come back after a few good November storms have loaded the range. Check Annie Springs — you want to see that station posting 24+ inches before this objective is realistic.
Waypoints
Lupine Meadows Trailhead
Main trailhead for Grand Teton climbs. Large parking area.
6,801 ft
Garnet Canyon Junction
Junction where the trail enters Garnet Canyon.
9,501 ft
Lower Saddle
Bivy site at the Lower Saddle (11,600 ft). Most parties spend the night here.
11,601 ft
Grand Teton Summit
Summit of the Grand Teton at 13,775 ft. Begin ski descent from here.
13,776 ft
Route Details
Distance
13.0 mi
Elevation Gain
7,201 ft
Elevation Loss
7,201 ft
Max Elevation
13,776 ft
Estimated Days
2
Trailhead
Lupine Meadows Trailhead
Best Season
Late April through mid-June. Requires consolidated spring snow conditions.
Permit Required
Climbing permit required from Grand Teton National Park. Register at Jenny Lake Ranger Station.
About This Route
Skiing the Grand Teton is the ultimate objective for advanced backcountry skiers in the Tetons. The Ford-Stettner couloir and Stettner couloir provide the most popular ski descent routes from the 13,775-foot summit, requiring expert mountaineering and skiing skills. The approach begins at the Lupine Meadows trailhead and ascends through Garnet Canyon to the Lower Saddle at 11,600 feet. From the saddle, the route climbs through increasingly technical terrain to the summit. The ski descent involves sustained 45-50 degree slopes with exposure. This is a serious mountaineering objective that requires perfect conditions, expert skills, and fitness. Most parties stage at the Lower Saddle bivy site. Spring is the preferred season when the snow is consolidated but before it melts out. A climbing permit is required.
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