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The Teton Glacier is the largest Glacier in the Grand Teton range and rests between Grand Teton and Mt. Owen. It is constantly fed by snow at the upper end and melts into cottonwood Creek at the lower end. Teton Glacier moves about 30 ft/year. Considering its lengths of 0.7 miles (3,700 ft) that means it takes a snowflake about 123 years from landing in the west until melting in the east.
Some sources claim that the glacier can be climbed and scrambled without gear via the Owen-Spalding route. We strongly discourage this approach! This route is highly exposed and is only for experienced climbers.
The safest way to see the glacier (and the Mountain Range) in its entire beauty is from a parking lot called "Teton Glacier Turnout" along the main road through Grand Teton National Park. This is where we took all our pictures. The coordinates are listed below.
If you really want to get up close with the glacier, there are two companies in Jackson, WY, JHMG and Exum, offering one or two days of training and a guided tour to the glacier and even the top of Mt. Owen.
Mt. Owen and the Owen-Spalding route are named after the climbers who made the first claimed ascent: William Owen, Franklin Spalding, Frank Peterson and John Shive.
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