Adventurers. Rebels. Teachers. Meet the people behind Exum Mountain Guides – the oldest and most experienced mountain climbing school in the United States. Over 90 years of history and counting. Untold stories to be shared. And here is where you can find them.
Paul Petzoldt Historical Photo Campaign
The World Premiere of A Life Outside: American Mountain Guides is Sat, January 17, 2026 at the Center for the Arts in Jackson, WY. This Wyoming PBS documentary features Petzoldt’s story and the impact of the two organizations he founded: Exum Mountain Guides and the National Outdoor Leadership School. Once we raise the funds to save the photos (see below), the museum will license them so they can be included in the film!
Help us save a treasure trove of photos of Paul Petzoldt, the founder of the Petzoldt School of American Mountaineering, now known as Exum Mountain Guides. The photos include his first climb of the Grand Teton with Ralph Herron at the age of 16 and many other historical events related to climbing and guiding in the Tetons. Learn more and donate through the History Jackson Hole Museum.
Check out the Exum History Project on:
