Teton Backcountry Guides

What Teton Backcountry Guides does

Teton Backcountry Guides (TBG) is a family-owned backcountry adventure guiding company headquartered at 1110 Alta North Road, Alta, Wyoming. Founded in 1999 and now in its 25th operating year, TBG is the first backcountry ski tour service in the Teton Range and operates the only backcountry hut system in the Tetons, comprising five winter yurts (Baldy Knoll, Commissary Ridge, Plummer Canyon, Rammell Mountain, and Teton Canyon) plus a summer yurt at Rammell Mountain. Co-owners Jeff Jung and Diane Verna lead a small team of AMGA-certified professional mountain guides who live in the Tetons year-round and provide guided backcountry skiing, snowboarding, avalanche education, hut-to-hut traverses, and summer hiking and backpacking expeditions across Teton Pass, Grand Teton National Park, and Grand Targhee.

The company's revenue model is direct-to-consumer and exclusively service-based, with no intermediaries or third-party distribution. TBG sells private guided day tours (priced $265-$567 per person), fully catered multi-day guided yurt trips (starting at $2,000 per person for groups of six), self-guided DIY yurt rentals ($550-$879 per night), multi-day backpacking trips ($795-$1,295 per person), and day hiking tours ($475-$795 per group). Bookings flow through the company website's reservation request system, an availability calendar, phone, and email, with no disclosed app, API, or platform integrations. TBG holds a Caribou-Targhee National Forest permittee designation and is an authorized winter concessioner of Grand Teton National Park, providing exclusive regulatory access to the operating terrain.

The company has been recognized by SKI Magazine (2024 Travel Award, Bucket List Trips for Skiers), National Geographic Adventure (Best American Adventures, Best Backcountry Ski Huts), ESPN.com (10 Top Backcountry Huts), Powder Magazine, and maintains a 5.0 TripAdvisor rating. With five total employees, no disclosed institutional capital, and no M&A or partnership activity, TBG operates as a mature, founder-controlled lifestyle business whose scale is constrained by guide availability, permit terms, and winter seasonality rather than demand-side factors.

Name

Teton Backcountry Guides

Legal name

Teton Backcountry Guides

Website

https://tetonbackcountryguides.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Teton Backcountry Guides is a family-owned, AMGA-certified backcountry ski and adventure guiding service in Alta, Wyoming, operating the only hut system in the Tetons and serving individual adventure travelers via direct-to-consumer bookings of day tours, multi-day yurt trips, and summer hiking and backpacking expeditions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adventure Tourism Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Guided Backcountry & Off-Piste Services (Ski Touring, Splitboarding, Heli/Cat Skiing) (THAAAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hiking, Trekking & Mountain Guiding (THAJABAA), Wilderness & Backcountry Lodges (Remote/Off-Grid) (THAGAIAB), Technical Outdoor Guiding Services (Hiking, Trekking, Mountaineering) (THAAALAA)

Keywords

• Backcountry ski guiding
• Mountain guide services
• Yurt-based adventures
• Avalanche safety training
• Wilderness expedition services

Headquarters

HQ city

Alta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Guided Day Tours: Private backcountry skiing and snowboarding day tours with dedicated guide, avalanche equipment rental, and optional lunch. Tour duration is full day (8:30am departure, late afternoon return).
2. Guided Yurt Trips: Fully catered multi-day yurt experiences including lodging, all meals, porter services, guides, and equipment. 3-day/2-night trips starting at $2,000/person for groups of up to 6.
3. DIY Yurt Rentals: Self-guided yurt rentals for experienced backcountry parties. Exclusive yurt use with rates from $550-$879/night depending on yurt location and season. Includes wood stove, cookware, sleeping pads, and bunk beds.
4. Backpacking Trips: All-inclusive backcountry hiking expeditions including equipment, meals, permits, and professional guides. Two-day trips at $795/person, three-day trips at $1,195-$1,295/person.
5. Day Hiking Tours: Private guided day hikes with lunch, equipment, and hiking poles. Rates vary by difficulty level from $475-$795 for groups up to 3 persons.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Teton Backcountry Guides is a private, family-run professional mountain guide service that provides guided backcountry skiing, snowboarding, multi-day yurt trips, day hiking, multi-day backpacking, and backcountry skills/avalanche education across the Teton Range. The company operates an exclusive network of 5 winter yurts (Baldy Knoll, Commissary Ridge, Plummer Canyon, Rammell Mountain, Teton Canyon) and 1 summer yurt, offering both fully catered guided trips and self-guided DIY yurt rentals. All experiences are led by AMGA-trained and certified guides who live in the Tetons year-round.

Product overview

Teton Backcountry Guides operates as a year-round professional backcountry guide service offering guided outdoor adventure experiences. The company provides a diversified portfolio of services including: (1) Backcountry day tours and ski clinics across three primary locations - Teton Pass, Grand Teton National Park, and Grand Targhee Resort; (2) Skill-building backcountry camps including avalanche education, skills progression, steep terrain, and women's-specific programs; (3) A network of five winter yurts (Baldy Knoll, Commissary Ridge, Plummer Canyon, Rammell Mountain, and Teton Canyon) offering both guided and DIY rental options; and (4) Summer activities including day hikes and multi-day backpacking trips. The company is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024 and is recognized as the first backcountry ski tour service in the Tetons, with guides certified through the American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Teton Pass Backcountry Tours Private guided backcountry skiing and snowboarding day tours on Teton Pass with terrain for all ability levels, from open bowls to expert-only chutes, including avalanche safety equipment and a dedicated private guide.
• Grand Teton National Park Backcountry Ski Tours Private guided ski and split-snowboard tours within Grand Teton National Park, offering access to challenging terrain with up to 3,000-foot vertical descents for advanced skiers and riders.
• Grand Targhee Backcountry Ski Tours Backcountry skiing tours departing from outside Grand Targhee Resort, offering north-facing powder and south-facing corn skiing with views of the Tetons.
• Avalanche Course Level I Professional avalanche education course teaching essential skills for safe backcountry travel in avalanche terrain, designed for skiers and riders seeking formal Level I certification.
• Backcountry Skills Camp Multi-day skill-building camp designed to help skiers and riders develop their backcountry proficiency and safety awareness with AMGA-certified guides.
• Steep & Deep Camp Advanced backcountry camp focused on steep and deep terrain skiing and snowboarding techniques for experienced backcountry participants.
• Women's Backcountry Skills Camp Specialized backcountry skills camp designed specifically for women to develop confidence and proficiency in backcountry skiing and riding.
• Backcountry Progression Program Seasonal progression program designed for skiers and riders with touring experience to develop their own structured process for backcountry travel in avalanche terrain.
• Guided Yurt Trips Fully catered and guided multi-day backcountry ski trips staying in mountain yurts, including all meals, AMGA-certified guides, porter services, and avalanche safety equipment.
• DIY Yurt Rentals Self-guided backcountry yurt rentals for experienced parties, with nightly exclusive-use rates from $550-$879 including wood stove, cookware, sleeping pads, and bunk beds.
• Baldy Knoll Yurt Winter backcountry yurt accommodation at Baldy Knoll, offering access to ski terrain with rustic comfort and solitude as part of the company's five-yurt Teton hut system.
• Commissary Ridge Yurt Winter backcountry yurt offering exclusive use for groups up to eight skiers, with wood stove heat and full kitchen amenities, featured in ESPN.com's top 10 backcountry huts list.
• Plummer Canyon Yurt Winter wilderness yurt rental providing backcountry access with all-inclusive amenities including firewood, propane, and quality cookware.
• Rammell Mountain Yurt Year-round yurt accessible by vehicle, featuring a bathhouse with hot running water, designed for families and glamping-style backcountry experiences.
• Teton Canyon Yurt Backcountry yurt accommodation in Teton Canyon offering access to pristine ski terrain with exclusive group use within the five-yurt Teton hut system.
• Day Hiking Tours Private day hikes with professional mountain guides catering to group pace and ability, including deli-style lunch and equipment, with difficulty-tiered pricing from beginner to advanced.
• Grand Teton Backpacking Trips Family-friendly backpacking adventures in the Jedediah Smith Wilderness with all equipment, meals, permits, and fees included in the per-person price.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25 years of guiding experience in the Tetons
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Mountain Guides: Bellingham, Washington–based AMGA-certified guide service offering backcountry skiing, alpine climbs, and expeditions worldwide. Comparable in guiding credentials, premium multi-day trip structure, and skill-building curriculum (including avalanche courses).
• American Alpine Institute: Bellingham-based AMGA-accredited guide service offering backcountry skiing, mountaineering, and avalanche courses. Comparable in curriculum depth (multi-day avalanche education, skills camps) and target customer (skill-development seekers), though not yurt-based.
• Exum Mountain Guides: Long-established guide service operating out of Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole, offering backcountry skiing, mountaineering, and climbing courses. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping service lines, the same operating region, and a similar AMGA-certified guide model.
• Mountain Trip: International mountain guide operation offering guided backcountry skiing, ski mountaineering, and hut-based trips (including cat skiing and hut traverses). Comparable in premium multi-day backcountry trip structure and AMGA-certified talent model.
• Alpenglow Expeditions: Tahoe-area backcountry ski guiding and avalanche education operator running multi-day tours, yurt trips, and AIARE-certified avalanche courses. Comparable product mix — guided ski touring plus hut-based experiences and structured avalanche education — and similar premium positioning.
• Jackson Hole Mountain Guides: Jackson Hole–based backcountry ski and alpine climbing guide service offering day tours, multi-day trips, and avalanche education in the Tetons. Direct peer with the same target customer (backcountry skiers and climbers visiting Jackson Hole) and overlapping product portfolio.
• Colorado Mountain School: AMGA-accredited guide service based in Estes Park, Colorado offering backcountry skiing, avalanche education, mountaineering, and climbing courses. Comparable in guiding certification standards, course catalog, and premium experiential structure, although operating in a different mountain range.
• Sierra Mountain Guides: California-based backcountry ski and alpine guide service operating in the Sierra Nevada with similar private-tour model, avalanche education offerings, and small-team guiding format. Comparable in direct-to-consumer booking model and target customer profile.

Emerging players

• Backcountry Babes: Women-focused backcountry ski education and guiding company offering multi-day camps and clinics. Comparable in the women's-only skills programming niche — directly competing with Teton Backcountry Guides' Women's Backcountry Skills Camp — though smaller scale and shorter track record.

Regional players

• Utah Mountain Adventures: Utah-based backcountry skiing, avalanche education, and AIARE course provider. Comparable in backcountry ski guiding and avalanche course curriculum, but operating in a different mountain range (Wasatch, Uintas) and therefore not directly competing for the same terrain as TBG.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/teton-backcountry-guides

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Teton Backcountry Guides