Grand Teton Speed Project, version 2.0

Although I realize that the speed game does not appeal to everyone playing in the mountains, summertime presents another seasonal opportunity to test oneself against the clock and others in the mountain environment. We covered this territory several times in blog posts this winter and spring reporting on efforts to climb and ski the Grand Teton and other lines in the range. With the melting of the snow pack, we are left to travel similar ground on foot as we push personal limits.

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Last Go for the Season

Brian Ladd and the Grand Teton from South Teton

Not Quite Right

I should've known better. I spent last Tuesday in bed with shaking chills, muscles aches and every-20-minute trips to the toilet. Brought up bad memories of cheap hotels in Kathmandu where I always had at least one episode like that before expeditions to the Himalaya. But when psyched-up ski partners call inviting me to join them on some aerobic, ski-based sufferfest it's hard for me to say no. 

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Grand Teton Speed Project Update

Jared Inouye and Andy Dorais ski off the GTNate Brown got the ball rolling and the boys from Salt Lake pushed it off the edge. Following Nate's 7:15 car to car effort last week, Jared Inouye, Jason and Andy Dorais showed up on Tuesday and crushed the record in 5:17. Kinda crazy how fast they went. But, having skied with all these cowboys, I can safely say that they are a competitive bunch of aerobic psychopaths. Perfect conditions and serious motivation came together to produce a stunning performance.

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Grand Teton Speed Project

Smiling at the thought of giving the iconic Grand a good go.Well, I guess it's game on now. Nate Brown from Jackson set the "official" time standard on the Ford-Stettner route on the Grand Teton going 7:15:33 car to car this weekend. Nate did this after not really skiing for a month and spending the last two weeks as a tourist in Turkey. Not exactly all guns blazing for him. Still, the local cognoscenti have declared Nate's effort as a starting point for the "game".

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