Kemmerer teen solo climbs peak of Middle Teton

Michelle Tibbetts, Gazette Reporter
Posted 7/17/19

Vineyard goes solo for climb in Teton National Park

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Kemmerer teen solo climbs peak of Middle Teton

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One of Wyoming’s most popular images is the majestic mountains of Teton National Park. So many have seen this impressive jagged silhouette that often appears in magazines, newspapers or other media, but not many are fortunate enough to stand at the top of these peaks.

Local teenager Ty Vineyard recently returned to Kemmerer after making a successful solo climb to the summit of the Middle Teton on July 1. Although it is unofficial, according to the Jenny Lake Ranger Station, he appears to be the youngest climber ever to solo the peak. 

It was dark and cold at 4:20 a.m. on July 1, as Vineyard approached the base of the Tetons. He checked in at the ranger station at Jenny Lake and began his trek. He wasn’t nervous, he said, just focused and aware of his surroundings. There is something extremely intense about being out in the wilderness alone, he explained. It’s just you and the elements, he said. You learn so much about yourself and your limits, mentally and physically.

It takes someone strong at many levels to endure a solo adventure because the only one you have to rely on is yourself. It took Vineyard a solid 12 hours to make the roundtrip climb. He returned to the parking lot roughly at 4:30 p.m.

“Being on top of the Middle was incredible, especially alone,” said Vineyard. “I felt pretty stoked about being up there, even more that conditions allowed it to be safe and the risk lower. I didn’t have any issues, but mentally you always have to manage risk and keep everything in perspective. The highlight for me was overall how good the conditions were.

“I decided to climb the Middle solo just because I didn’t have a partner lined up,” Vineyard continued, “and I still wanted to get out into the mountains. I had only thought about doing the Middle a few days before.”

Vineyard will be a senior at Kemmerer Junior/Senior High School in the fall, and he said he has been rock climbing every day since he was introduced to the sport six years ago. His dad, Justin Vineyard, is the one who inspired him to become a climber.

“He had told me some stories of some mountaineering he had done, and I thought it sounded rad,” said Vineyard, “so I went to the climbing gym one day and never really left, and I got into the rock and alpine styles of climbing. I train all school year in the weight room and climbing gym, so a lot of my physical prep happens there.”

He trains two times a day, in the morning and after school. Vineyard said he loves to train in the climbing gym at the Rec Center. He trains to build power and endurance with lots of work on hang-boards, and you can often find him on the 45-degree wall at his house.

Vineyard said his main goal for the summer is to complete the Grand Traverse (the seven major summits of the Tetons) in one trip. He will have to wait until late July or August because the snowpack is still high currently. After high school, he said he plans to attend Central Wyoming Community College’s Lander campus to earn a degree in outdoor leadership, as well earn a rock guide certification.