Rod Newcomb’s 55th Season with Exum

Rod Newcomb’s 55th Season with Exum

Rod Newcomb  Photo: Mark Newcomb

Rod Newcomb on the Grand Teton

Exum owner and guide Rod Newcomb celebrated his 55th season of climbing the Grand with a one day ascent on July 2nd.  Rod, 75 years young, and his 42 year-old son Mark, left the Lupine Meadows parking lot at 2:30 a.m. and topped out on the Grand around 11:15 a.m.  Rod kept the hammer down the entire trip, taking only short breaks and leading a couple pitches on the Owen-Spalding route.  The only other folks on the mountain that day were five other Exum guides and their ten clients, all of whom were on or near the summit as Mark and Rod topped out.


Around 4:30 p.m. they were greeted a couple miles from the trail head by Rod’s oldest daughter, Lisa, her husband Max and their two boys, Kaelen, age 6, and Tristan, age 9.

About The Author



  • Arc'Teryx
  • Black Diamond
  • Virginian Lodge
  • Samsara
  • La Sportiva
  • Mammut
  • 4FRNT