Climbing the Grand Teton with Dr. Michael Campsey
By Sara Campsey
“Three weeks before we were to climb the Grand Teton, a guide fell to his death while guiding a group on the trail we would soon climb. So, I was thinking, can I do this? Or even should I do this?”
Just a few weeks before Dr. Michael Campsey was to set out to climb and hike the 13-mile route of the Grand Teton in Wyoming, he heard of this tragic death. Knowing very well this could be his same fate, anxiety and excitement were buzzing in his head as the day of the climb approached.
Michael would not be facing this daunting overnight climb alone. His two guides, John and Danny, as well as three of his other longtime friends, Chris, Tim, and Kuppoto, would be joining him. Only three out of the four friends would finish the entire climb to enjoy the incredible view from the top of the Grand Teton.
Campsey claims he yearns for a “sense of adventure” which is what inspired him to climb to the top of the 13,775 feet in elevation of the Grand Teton. The idea for this specific adventure came from the group’s previous fishing trip.
“We were sitting outside, and my buddy said how about we climb the Grand for my 50th birthday? Once he planted that seed in my head, I just ran with it.”
Clearly the crew succeeded in planning this trip considering their first day of the hike was upon them.
The Boys at Basecamp
Winding through an array of switchbacks on a rocky path, the crew carried backpacks full of food, clothes, climbing equipment, and a mind full of nerves and excitement. They hiked the first six miles of the trip before spending the night at base camp. With wind up to 40 miles per hour on the day of the hike, the group used careful footing to navigate the wind on small, uneven paths.
Later that night as the group arrived at base camp, they set up to sleep early. The camp was pretty bare, containing guide tents, a restroom that was more of a hole in the ground, and areas to make food.
Believe or not that restroom is one of the best in the world, according to Campsey, or at least it had the best view.
As suspense grew the night before the climb, one guide gave a preview of what would lie ahead for the crew the following day. Gathered around the guide with only their headlamps to light up the sky, John told the crew, “You will see three types of exposure tomorrow. Primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary risks a slight sprain, secondary risks a break or fracture, and tertiary risks death. Okay, go to bed.”
The crew’s eyes widened as they imagined the next day.
The group was tucked in guide tents sleeping fifteen strangers shoulder to shoulder. The crowded tent combined with the howling of the wind shook the tent and led to a restless night’s sleep.
The Climb
An early morning wake-up call at 3:30 a.m. led to the start of the awaited day ahead. Waking up the next morning with the fear of uncertainty and heights, Michael quieted his anxiety by repeating to himself, “I’m here; I’m gonna do this.”
Before they headed up the mountain, the guides sat the crew down and asked if they all truly wanted to continue. One of the group members, Chris bailed because his legs were shaking from the physical excretion the previous day.
“They’re asking if you wanna go, and your buddy says I’m out. What do you think I wanted to say? I wanted to bail. But I didn’t, and it was 100% worth it,” Michael said.
The guides split the group up, and Michael joined his guide and Kuppoto up the Exum Ridge route. Reflecting on this part of the trip Michael explains, “Climbing has taught me that the anxiety of uncertainty is more fear producing than the actual height itself.”
Knowing the 13 pitches up the mountain lie ahead of him, he was anxious, but excited.
As a climbing team, the guide went up first helping to belay Kuppoto. When Kuppoto reached the next pitch, he belayed Michael up as Michael collected the rest of the gear. Belaying is important so the climbers are tied to the mountain, in case they fall.
Certain pitches were easier than others; some were hiked; some were climbed; and others were a combination of both.
“Wall Street was probably the most exciting pitch because there’s a certain part of the pitch where you literally step over nothing and lodge your foot around to the other side.”
To most people, Wall Street pitch sounds terrifying, but to the group only Friction pitch was slightly paralyzing.
Friction pitch had almost no handholds and no footholds, but instead just little nubs on the rock wall. Picture this: your body is limp with exhaustion, and you find yourself on the side of the mountain clinging to the wall. Having experienced this moment himself, Michael explained, “It’s a combination of you doing everything you can, using every muscle in your body to hold onto that rock and him (Kuppoto) pulling you up.”
As High As The Clouds
Victoriously making it through all 13 pitches, the feeling of pride and achievement is almost as amazing as the surrounding view on the top of the Grand. Michael described, “I have a picture of Kuppoto with his arms out at the top of the mountain. That’s a moment I will probably never forget.”
The crew wallowed in peacefulness at the top of the mountain and admired the endless joy they felt from being as high as the clouds.
A Long Way Down
Reaching the top of the mountain, although an enormous feat, is not the end of the climb. The descent is equally as challenging as it feels unnatural to climb backwards.
The unspoken death of the previous guide lingered in all of their minds as they took the first step of the descent. Michael said, “That moment was playing in my mind when we did the repel until we finally passed the spot where the guide died.” Winding down the face of the mountain took only a few hours before the crew arrived at the base camp and hiked the 6 miles to their cars.
The Next Adventure
Relief rang through the crew’s bodies as they prepared to rest and reminisce on the amazing experiences of climbing the Grand. Having experienced something as amazing as this brought the four friends closer together and inspired the group to plan for their next adventure.
Since climbing the Grand Teton, the group has climbed four of the other Tetons, making for a grand total of completing five out of the seven of the Tetons. But they are not satisfied yet, as Michael and his friends plan to climb the last two Tetons over the next two summers.
“I think I was inspired to climb all seven tetons,” Michael Campsey said, “when they told me there were seven tetons.”
