August 12, 2013 at 6:37 pm Painted Buffalo Inn
For those who follow our blog, you may remember that I wrote about my attempt of St. John last summer. The trip was horrendous. It failed on multiple levels – group communication, leadership, route finding and we had a injury to boot! So when one of my friends who accompanied me on the trip last summer asked if I was up for round two I decided that I couldn’t let a mountain like St. John keep me down. I agreed to pick her up at 5AM the next morning.
I have to say, I really have this early morning wake up to go climb a mountain thing down pat. When I rolled out of bed at 4:30AM I get dressed in the clothes I laid out    the night before, throw the peanut butter banana oatmeal I made with walnuts in the microwave and take the dog out. By the time I’m back the oatmeal is done and all I have to do is jump in the car where I have already put my pack and boots. Done in 15 minutes.
After picking up my friend Crista and reaching the trail head we strapped on our boots and turned on our head.. wait a minute.
We didn’t even need a headlamp. At 5AM it was already bright enough to pick out the trail. We cruised along the Jenny Lake trail until we reached the trail to the Lake of the Crags. That’s when the real hike began. The trail is steep right from the get go. While it was exhausting there is one benefit to a steep trail – it’s shorter. The trail also provides beautiful views of Jenny Lake below. As we started to ascend the canyon clouds formed from the lake and chased us up the valley.
By 8AM we reached Ramshield Lake and the Lake of the Crags. 
It was so beautiful so early in the morning with the soft glow from the sunrise and the stillness of the water. We took a break to refuel and rehydrate. We both discussed the route and where we think that we went wrong the last time. We headed up the couloir, checking for signs of kairns or small trails. Fortunately, we found some kairns so we knew that we were on track. It was amazing how much easier it was the second time around. Maybe it was because we knew where “not to goâ€, maybe it was because it was just two of us instead of four, either way it was almost embarrassingly obvious which couloir we should ascend.
Once we 
reached the steep scree in the couloir it was slow going. However, the views kept improving with every step so we didn’t mind taking short breaks to catch our breath and take in the scenery. The most breathtaking view was when we reached the top of the couloir and had a view direct into Paintbrush Canyon and of Jackson Lake. It was only a short scramble to the top from that point but it was definitely the most challenging part of our hike. The exposure was overwhelming as we shuffled along a small rock ledge. Then we had a class 5.2 climb to the top – without protection and with some serious repercussions. If you are afraid of heights this is not the hike for you.
Aft
er a few deep breaths and some technical maneuvers we reached the summit. And what a glorious summit it was! The view of Jackson Lake, the valley as well as the Grand Teton 11,430 feet were stunning – one of my favorite views in the park! We both ate our lunches that consisted mainly of peanut butter and some bread product and reflected on how frustrating our first attempt at the summit was.
The descent was steep and surprisingly took almost as long 
as the ascent. Since the scree is so loose you need to hike slowly to make sure that you don’t misstep and send yourself tumbling down the hill. The day was gorgeous – clear and sunny so we didn’t mind the slower than normal descent. I have to say, if you are looking for a first time summit objective in the Tetons Mt. Saint John is a great choice. Aside from a few technical maneuvers on the summit cone the hiking is pretty straightforward and relatively (though steep) easy. We were able to hike it in 8 hours from car to car. Not bad for a summit hike in the park! Just be sure to bring bear spray and have some knowledge of route finding since the trail is barely marked once you leave the Lake of the Crags. “A Climber’s Guide to the Teton Range†is a book a recommend to anyone interested in getting into climbing or mountaineering in the Tetons. Just be safe and have fun!
Entry filed under: Hiking, National Parks, Summer Activities. Tags: “Mount Saint John”, Climb, grand teton national park, Hike, jackson, Jackson Hole, wyoming.
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