Climb the Grand Teton, Wyoming

Lording over the surrounding Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem at 13,770 feet (4,197 meters), the elegant Grand Teton demands to be summited. Lucky there are countless routes up the iconic peak for climbers of all abilities. In fact, it’s the ideal technical peak for everyone from alpinists looking for new challenges to average folks who just want to be guided to the top.

The most popular route, the Exum Ridge, is an absolute beauty, consisting of incredibly exposed 5.4 climbing that is easy enough for someone with very little experience or a first alpine climb, yet it’s so beautiful that it keeps even hardened rock dogs coming back for more. Those who want more of a challenge can climb the entire Direct Exum Ridge, which begins lower down and requires more difficult 5.7 climbing. For even more seasoned climbers, the North Ridge is a dream trip, encompassing 5.8 climbing on another exposed route. But no matter your experience level or how many times you have stood on top, the view is one of the best in the West, surveying three states, with the other peaks of the Tetons at your feet, and stretching north across the massive caldera of Yellowstone National Park.

Need to Know: Exum Mountain Guides (www.exumguides.com) offers a four-day Classic Grand Teton Climb, starting at $475.

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