Guided climbs · The Grand Teton, 13,775 ft

Guided Grand Teton climbs, compared

Only two companies may guide the Grand: Exum and Jackson Hole Mountain Guides. Both start you with climbing school, then two days on the mountain. Here is what each one sells and charges, and when you lose your deposit.

2companies compared, 6 programs

$1,490cheapest published price, per person

1–4 daystrip length

2companies the Park Service lets guide the Grand (contracts from 2024)

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Exum Mountain GuidesClassic Grand Teton Climb4 days

$1,490

Experience neededNo climbing experience. You must pass the instruction days. At minimum, you should comfortably hike 2,000 vertical ft in about 2 hours. Snow School ($610 for 1, $405 each for 2) is usually required for climbs starting July 10 or earlier.Includes Multi-Pitch I and II climbing schools plus the 2-day climb. If you end up the only climber, the price is $1,690. Guides can change each day and you can't request one. Exum's Lower Saddle hut supplies sleeping bags and pads. Snow School, which may be required, costs extra.

See dates ↗

Exum Mountain GuidesExum Grand Teton Climb (private, 4-day)Owen-Spalding or Exum Ridge (chosen with guide above the Lower Saddle) · 4 days

1 climber $3,220; 2 climbers $2,410 each

Experience neededNo experience. You must qualify during the instruction days.2 instruction days plus a 2-day climb. Snow School is not included.

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Exum Mountain GuidesExum Grand Teton Climb (private, 3-day)Owen-Spalding or Exum Ridge (chosen with guide above the Lower Saddle) · 3 days

1 climber $2,740; 2 climbers $2,135 each

Experience neededFor parties with some climbing experience. You must qualify on the instruction day.1 instruction day plus a 2-day climb. Snow School is not included.

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Exum Mountain GuidesGrand Teton One Day Private ClimbOwen-Spalding or Exum Ridge · 1 day

Not published, ask

Experience neededExperienced, fit climbers only. Requires a checkout day of valley climbing first.You meet your guide after midnight at the Exum office and climb from the valley in a single push.

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Jackson Hole Mountain Guides (The Mountain Guides)Grand Teton 4-Day ClimbPownall-Gilkey or Exum Ridge (guide's choice) · 2027 price · 4 days

1:1 $3,280; 2:1 or 4:2 $2,750 pp; 3:1 $2,100 pp

Experience neededNo prior climbing experience. Recommended training: an hour or more of cardio about 3 days a week, plus uphill hikes carrying a 20–30 lb pack. Summit day is about 2 mi and 2,700 ft, usually 5–7 hours one way.Four days and three nights at Corbet High Camp (11,200 ft). This is the only JHMG option that keeps a second summit attempt in reserve for weather.

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Jackson Hole Mountain Guides (The Mountain Guides)Grand Teton 3-Day Climb & 1-Day PrepPownall-Gilkey or Exum Ridge (guide's choice) · 2027 price · 4 days

1:1 $3,280; 2:1 or 4:2 $2,750 pp; 3:1 $2,100 pp

Experience neededNo prior climbing experience. Everyone takes the 1-day Grand Teton Prep Class.Same price as the 4-day climb. A 3-day climb plus the prep class still takes 4 days.

See dates ↗

Copied from each company’s own pages on Oct 19, 2026. Every “See dates” button opens the page we used. Where a page says which season a price is for, we show it. Prices change; the operator’s page wins if it disagrees with this one.

Free · no guide

Climb The Grand Teton yourself

Everything above is for hiring a guide. If you have the skills, this is what you need to do it on your own, free. Facts come from the summit’s own page on PeakSeeker, with sources.

Normal route: Owen-Spalding Route
Grade: II, 5.4
How long: 2-3 days (approach, summit day, descent)
Best season: Mid-July to early September
Permits: A backcountry permit is required for overnight camping in the park's designated zones (most parties camp at the Lower Saddle); no separate permit is needed for a single-day ascent from the valley.
Start from: Lupine Meadows Trailhead, 6,732 ft (2,052 m)
Climb from there: 7,043 ft (2,147 m) of ascent over 7 mi one way
Getting there: Climbers drive to the Lupine Meadows Trailhead inside Grand Teton National Park, then hike roughly 6-7 miles and 5,000 vertical feet through Garnet Canyon to the Lower Saddle camp before a summit push. Nearest airport: Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), Wyoming.
Hazards: Afternoon thunderstorms, loose rock, exposure on traverses, rappel anchors that see heavy traffic
Gear: Mountaineering boots, helmet, harness, and rope are standard even on the easiest route; many climbers hire Exum or Jackson Hole Mountain Guides for the technical sections.

Owen-Spalding Route

2,097 m9.8 km

9.8 km+1,720 m climb2,051 → 3,838 m

Line from OpenStreetMap; profile approximate. Map and GPX download →

Full route, map and live conditions →What to bring

Sources: nps.gov ↗

Read this before you pay a deposit

Only Exum and JHMG may guide the Grand. Any other company selling it is reselling one of these two or operating illegally.

Exum's Classic, at $1,490 per person in a group, is far cheaper than any private option ($2,100–$3,280 per person). The trade-off is that guides change each day.

JHMG's 4-day trip costs the same as its 3-day-plus-prep trip and includes a built-in weather day, so the 4-day is the better buy.

Exum's refund rules are strict. After June 1, you get no refund for any reason, including weather, so buy trip insurance.

NPS selected exactly two companies to guide climbing in Grand Teton NP: Exum Mountain Guides and The Mountain Guides, Inc. (dba Jackson Hole Mountain Guides). The 10-year contracts started January 1, 2024. nps.gov ↗
NPS lists the guided climbing season as early June through mid-September. nps.gov ↗
You don't need a permit to climb. Overnight climbers need a backcountry camping permit to camp or bivouac. nps.gov ↗
Backcountry permits cost $20 each (non-refundable) plus $7 per person per night. You pick them up in person no earlier than 1 day before the trip. nps.gov ↗

The companies

Exum Mountain Guides

Since: 1931
Programs: 4
Deposit: Before June 1: $500 per person for Grand Teton and all multi-day climbs. On or after June 1: you pay the full trip cost when you book.
Refunds: Cancel before May 1: you lose $250 per person, and the other $250 is refunded or transferable. Cancel May 1–31: you lose the full $500 deposit. Cancel on or after June 1: no refund for any reason. Date changes need more than 21 days' notice and depend on space. No refund if a climb is cut short, including for weather.
Private: Private Grand climbs run June 10 to September 10. Climbs before the last week of June are 1:1. Private parties can have up to 14 people.

Visit Exum ↗

Policy from: exumguides.com, exumguides.com, nps.gov

Jackson Hole Mountain Guides (The Mountain Guides)

Since: 1968 · Jackson, WY
Programs: 2
Refunds: More than 2 months out: deposit refunded minus $70 (multi-day trips) or $50 (single-day trips). 31–60 days out: you lose 50% of the deposit. Within 30 days or no-show: you owe the full trip price. Waitlist cancellations get a full refund.
Private: Grand Teton prices depend on party size: 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, or 4:2.
Contact: 307-733-4979
info@themountainguides.com

Visit JHMG ↗

Policy from: jhmg.com, themountainguides.com, jhmg.com, reservations.jhmg.com

Get an email when bookings open

Exum opens 2027 bookings in January. Get an email when both companies post 2027 dates and prices.

Before and after the trip

Most programs start in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. Lodging is extra on nearly all of them.

Places to stay in Grand Teton National Park ↗

The Grand Teton on PeakSeeker → routes, live summit weather and permits.

More comparisons

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