EXUM Mountain Guides

11/01/2024

Michael remains a pillar of the Exum community. His larger than life presence still inspires and touches everyone who had the fortune of knowing him. Many of his climbs and descents are storied. In a community full of legends, Micheal stands tall. Yet, for many, his vibrant and passionate nature are what made him a vital part of the communities lucky to know him.

He had a magic about him that makes us all want to laugh more, try harder, love deeper and do it with unquestionably good style.

Michael has left a unfillable void, but the Tetons will always hold the Gardner spirit and we will cling to the inspiration and joy he left with each of us.

There is a gathering to celebrate Micheal and all the light he brought to this world. Saturday, November 2, 2pm at the Huidekoper Ranch.

09/15/2024

We are thrilled to wrap another season with the annual trip up the Grand Teton with the JHHS Mountaineering Club. With lucky September weather and an amazing group of enthusiastic high schoolers, we snuck in a few more trips to the summit and managed to take down most of our summer high camp. Thanks to all of the awesome students who participated in this year’s trip, all of our incredible guides, and the ring leaders of this trip that double down as TCSD school teachers and Exum Guides! You all are an inspiration and continue to make such an impact on students and climbers alike in this valley.

09/03/2024

We are excited to collaborate with and to host Mending Relationships in Communities, a workshop by the Wind River Community Alliance ().

This workshop aims to deepen our collective knowledge of the history of the indigenous people who lived in the greater Jackson Hole area. The more we know and understand the history of the this area and our neighboring communities, the better we can represent the importance of this place to everyone who calls it home.

Join us on Thursday, August 4th, 5:30 pm, at the Black Diamond store for an evening with Cherokee Brown, a member of the Nothern Arapaho tribe and representative of the Wind River Reservation.

06/28/2024

Interested in exploring the incredible alpine climbing in the Tetons? We are pleased to offer a variety of climbing trips throughout the range. Whether it is a summit or long multipitch rock climb you seek, our guides will happily find the perfect climbing experience for you.
 
Some ideas to get the creativity flowing may include: Irene’s Arete or the Corkscrew in Garnett Canyon, the Buckingham Ridge to the summit of the Middle Teton, the Snaz or Dihedral of Horrors in Death Canyon, the Southwest Buttress on Mount Moran, or come to us with an alpine climbing dream of your own!

06/24/2024

Exum x Arc’teryx Clinic Series Summer ‘24
 
To kick off a great summer of climbing, we will continue hosting our free summer clinic series. These clinics are FREE and are designed to help you build better technical skills for the mountains. Suggested gear is listed below, but we will have extra gear on hand. Come and observe, take notes, ask questions and meet fellow Teton climbers!

When: Thursday, June 27th, 6pm-8pm
Where: Teton Boulder Park
What: Tech clinic #2 of our summer series
Who: Everyone!
Cost: Free

CLINIC DESCRIPTION
Releasing an auto-blocking belay and basic hauling

This clinic is designed to teach you how to properly release a loaded auto-block belay device once your partner has fallen onto it. An example would be that you are belaying off the anchor with a Petzl Reverso or Black Diamond ATC Guide, your partner has fallen, they can’t unweight the rope and need to be lowered or raised. They may not be able to get back on the rock or they may be injured. There are several methods and considerations for each technique. You may need to lower them a short distance or longer distance back to a ledge. Learn which methods to use for each situation and HOW TO BACK THEM UP! Exum Guides will walk you through the different considerations and steps to help you manage these situations. You will also have the opportunity to practice hauling someone with a 3:1 raise. Both lowering and hauling are fundamental skills for basic rock climbing rescue and are foundational to being better prepared to travel in the mountains. Join us to learn more!

GEAR NEEDED
Petzl Reverso, Black Diamond ATC Guide or similar plaquette style device
-3 locking carabiners
-1 small locking carabiner
-1 double length (120cm) runner
-1 small prusik
-1 climbing harness
Reach out with any questions.

04/01/2024

We are thrilled to announce our 2nd annual Women’s Grand Teton Climb!

This climb will take place on August 22-25 and include climbing school followed by a 2-day climb to the summit with a night of camping at our high camp. Join other motivated women and an incredible team of guides on an unforgettable Teton adventure.

Registration is now open. To reserve your spot, please call our office at (307) 733-2297.

Who’s excited?!

03/25/2024

We’ve had humans in some wild places the last few weeks.

Highlights include Mt. Moran, Teewinot, Mt. Owen, the Grand Teton, the Middle Teton, the South Teton and all the nooks, crannies, and couloirs in between.

Photos captured by our guides:

12/28/2023

As we bring 2023 to a close, we’re reflecting on our 94th year of guiding in the Tetons and some of the highlights that came with it. Notably, we were thrilled to pull-off an incredible celebration of women climbing in the Tetons with an amazing week of events and back-to-back all women ascents of the Grand Teton in August. The event celebrated the 100th year anniversary of the first female ascent of the peak in 1923 by Eleanor Davis as well as all of the phenomenal female climbers that have dedicated time to climbing in the Tetons since.

Another highlight of the week was a panel discussion at the Jackson Hole Historical Society & Museum hosted by Exum historian Kimberly Geil and featuring an all-star cast including including Irene Beardsley and Catherine Cullinane, the first female guides at Exum; Sue Miller and Georgie Stanley, two of the first female guides at Jackson Hole Mountain Guides; and Bev Boynton, local climber extraordinaire. A video of the panel discussion, a version of the talk turned into an article, the Wyoming public Radio pieces , and re-cap of the events can all be found in our bio.

Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate with us and participate in a memorable week!

09/19/2023

30% of Teton County’s population is Latino. We think it is vital to have that representation in the mountains too.

Last weekend, in conjunction with and , we were able to have 4 local members of the community from Camina Contigo climb the Grand Teton. It was snowy, icy, and certainly more than a walk in the park, but the group was able to navigate the conditions safely for a successful trip up the mountain.

Check out what Camina is up to on their instagram .jh and find ways to get involved.

08/21/2023

This week marks the start of the centennial celebration of the first female of ascent of the Grand Teton by Eleanor Davis in 1923. In addition to our women’s Grand Teton climb, we have a number of other events that are open to all! Please swipe to see a schedule of events and join us for this momentous occasion.

08/02/2023

Come one, come all! Exum is teaming up with the Grand Teton Climber’s Ranch, the Teton Climbers' Coalition, Women in the Tetons, and the Jackson Hole Historical Society to celebrate the centennial anniversary of Eleanor Davis's first female ascent of the Grand Teton at the end of August! We will not only highlight Eleanor but the many other women who have pioneered climbing in the Tetons. In addition to the climbing, it will be a memorable week celebrating the rich history and bright future for women in mountaineering. We will be releasing sneak peaks each week leading up the party so stay tuned for more details to come. You won't want to miss it!

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07/14/2023

07/01/2023

☀️ SUMMER CLINICS ARE BACK ☀️

In partnership with the Town Pump, Arc'teryx will sponsor a series of clinics taught by EXUM Mountain Guides. These clinics are FREE and are designed to help you build better technical skills for the mountains. Our 2nd clinic of the summer will focus on multipitch rock climbing transitions. Come and observe, take notes, ask questions and meet fellow teton climbers!

When: Thursday, July 6th, 6pm-8pm
Where: Teton Boulder Park
What: Tech clinic #2 of our summer series
Who: everyone!
Cost: free

CLINIC DESCRIPTION
Multipitch Rock climbing transitions
This clinic is designed to help you improve your efficiency and security between pitches on multipitch climbs. This will include transitions on the ascent, descent, and from up to down or down to up. Exum Mountain Guides will be on hand to show you techniques they use to help reduce risk while increasing efficiency with thoughtful systems and gear.

⚙️ GEAR NEEDED
-climbing harness
-Petzl Reverso, Black Diamond ATC Guide or similar plaquette style device
-locking carabiners
-non-locking carabiners
-double length (120cm) runner
-cordalette
-small prusik
-personal tether

Contact- [email protected] or [email protected] with any questions.

06/10/2023

We are thrilled to announce the GRAND scholarship recipient in collaboration with and !

Congratulations Wanna Johansson and thank you for such inspiring words. We can’t wait to climb with you!

From Wanna, “I deeply love the Tetons, as we all do. There is great care that goes into conservation, climate advocacy, and responsible recreation. It's a wonderful community of inspiring people that lift each other up and care passionately about this land. Still, I have been seeking an answer to a more persistent question:

Despite all our good intentions and resources, why is there still a huge lack of diversity in the mountains while all of us continue to recreate on stolen land?

Making space for this conversation was my primary focus when I applied for the amazing scholarship for this year’s all-female climb of the Grand Teton hosted by Exum. I have much gratitude to Women in the Tetons and the Teton Climbers Coalition for having the courage to embark on this expedition, to do the tricky work that it takes to make change, and have faith in me although I may not fully resemble those who came before. I promise to make you proud, and a big shout to those who came before:

I recognize that the land on which we gather is the ancestral homelands of the Mountain Shoshone People.

I honor Eleanor Davis who made the first female ascent of the Grand Teton on August 27th, 1923.”

04/28/2023

A quick reminder that GRAND scholarship applications are due this Sunday, April 30th. Apply for the opportunity to participate in our Women’s Grand Teton Climb this summer as a part of the centennial celebration of the first female ascent in 1923 by Eleanor Davis.
 
Thank you to our community partners for putting together this amazing opportunity: Women in the Tetons () and the Teton Climbers Coalition ().

03/29/2023

Long-time Exum office staff member, Kimberly Geil, has embarked on a wide-ranging history project about early Exum guides. Based on hours of oral histories and other communications, she has written profiles of several of the early guides and prominent members of the Exum community.

Here is a taste of Kimberly’s hard work and the Exum History Project:
Former Exum guide Bill Briggs holds the distinction of being the first person to ski down the Grand Teton - a feat accomplished in 1971. More than 50 years after this historic achievement, he still skis occasionally and performs regularly with the Stagecoach Band, refusing to let his fused hip slow him down. Some photos of Bill Briggs who guided from the late 1950s to early 1980s.
1. A summer portrait near Hidden Falls
2. Briggs instructing climbing school in August 1971
3. Briggs on top of the Grand Teton circa mid 1960s with a client. Notice the plaque on the right which proclaimed Owen and Spaulding as the first ascendants- the plaque was mysteriously removed in 1977.
4. Briggs glissading in the Tetons circa 1970s.
All photos courtesy of Bill Briggs or Berg Briggs (son).

For the full profile as well as other Exum history stories, visit the Exum History Project. Link in bio.

03/21/2023

Though we love powder skiing, safe to say most were elated to see the sun for a few days last weekend. Guides and skiers flocked to the high peaks to soak up some rays before heading back into March storm skiing for first day of spring.

01/22/2023

A week of high pressure in the Tetons has us walking higher into the mountains. Does anyone recognize this iconic spot from the summertime?

01/03/2023

Happy New Year and welcome to 2023!

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the first female ascent of the Grand Teton by Eleanor Davis on August 27th, 1923.
In the spirit of Eleanor, to celebrate our incredible female guides, and because we love supporting women in the mountains, Exum will be hosting an all-female climb of the Grand Teton.

This climb will take place from August 24- 27, 2023 and include climbing school followed by a 2-day climb to the summit with a night of camping at our high camp. There will evening events throughout the 4 days in the Tetons.

Registration is now open. To reserve your spot, please call our office at (307)733-2297.