Renny Jackson

// By Rachel Walker

Renowned alpinist, climbing ranger, and guidebook author Renny Jackson has dedicated his life to the mountains. Born in 1952 and raised in Salt Lake City, Renny grew up watching local climbers in Utah’s Big Cottonwood Canyon, spawning his fascination with scaling high peaks. At 18 he took his first climbing course, setting down a path that would define his career, passion, and relationships. 

Jackson’s professional journey as a climbing ranger begin in 1976 in Grand Teton National Park. From 1976 to 1989, he worked as a seasonal climbing ranger and spent winters ski patrolling, first in Utah, and then at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. “The jobs were complementary, and they kept me in the mountains year-round with time to climb on my own during the spring and fall,” he says.

His 34-year career with the National Park Service included roles as a mountain rescue and helicopter short-haul rescue specialist in both Grand Teton and Denali National Parks, and his exceptional service earned him three Department of Interior Valor awards.

Throughout his climbing career, Jackson achieved notable ascents and first ascents. In 1984, he was part of the team that made the first ascent on the north face of Cholatse, elevation 21,128 feet, in the Himalayas. In 2004, he completed the winter Grand Traverse in the Tetons, climbing 10 peaks with a total of 25,000 vertical feet. He’s also climbed nine routes on Yosemite’s El Capitan and made an early alpine-style ascent of the Cassin Ridge on Denali in 1979. 

With his late climbing partner, the preeminent Teton climbing historian Leigh Ortenburger, Jackson coauthored the definitive A Climber’s Guide to the Teton Range, now in its fourth edition, and he’s served on the board of directors of the American Alpine Club. Perhaps most significantly, he met his life partner climbing in the Tetons. Catherine Cullinane was the first woman guide with Exum Mountain Guides, and their adult daughter is also an avid climber. “The Tetons and Jackson Hole have provided me with a fantastic life,” he says. “I met my wife here, we had our only child here, and we were able to raise her in the small village of Kelly. This place is everything to me—as I am sure it was to the Indigenous people before we all took it over.”

“The Tetons and Jackson Hole have provided me with a fantastic life. I met my wife here, we had our only child here, and we were able to raise her in the small village of Kelly.”

Here renny shares some highlights from his Jackson Hole Life.

Petzoldt Ridge to Upper Exum, Grand Teton, Grand Teton National Park

Considered one of the best climbing routes on the south side of the Grand Teton, this classic, challenging climb begins with a fourth-class ascent on sustained, exposed rock before connecting to the Upper Exum with a 50-foot rappel. Famous pitches like the Golden Stair, Wind Tunnel, and Friction Pitch lead to the crux, the V Pitch, an exposed southwest-facing dihedral, followed by the Petzoldt Lieback near the summit. Rated 5.7 in difficulty, the climb showcases the rugged mountaineering, superlative views, and great rock qualities of the Teton Range.

Kelly, Wyoming

I am among an estimated 225 residents of this small historic town located in Grand Teton National Park that’s named for local rancher Bill Kelly. The town was nearly destroyed in 1927 when a dam formed by a massive landslide broke, and the Gros Ventre River flooded the area. Today it’s a quiet, rustic community renowned for its wildlife viewing, dispersed and campground camping, and unimpeded Teton views.

Valhalla Canyon, Grand Teton National Park

Valhalla extends from the northwest flanks of Grand Teton and Mount Owen to Cascade Canyon. The remote one-and-a-half-mile-long canyon is my cathedral. With its loose rock and potential ice, Valhalla Canyon is not a casual spot for an easy hike. But for those who are up for the challenge, it’s a reverence-inspiring destination of towering granite walls and cascading waterfalls.

Dornans in Moose

Arguably the best bar in the world, Dornans is a blend of rustic laissez faire and astonishing Teton views. Since 1948, it has fed and watered climbers, skiers, ranchers, and anyone else who wandered in. For nearly three decades, it’s hosted the Jackson Hole Hootenanny, an open mic night for musicians of all abilities. Plus, it has one of the best wine shops in the West. (Editor’s note: In the winter, the Hoot is at the Silver Dollar bar in Jackson.)

North Side of Maverick Ridge, Grand Teton National Park

Flanked by Teton peaks like the Grand Teton, Mount Hunt, and Static Peak, this prominent ridge has long attracted backcountry skiers with its protected north-facing aspect. It’s one of my favorite ski spots. Remember that while the skiing and the views are spectacular, backcountry skiing requires proper equipment, knowledge, and awareness of avalanche conditions. JH