A Life Outside: American Mountain Guides

Overview

A gripping look at mountain guiding and its deep roots in the legacy of Paul Petzoldt — founder of the National Outdoor Leadership School and North America’s oldest guide service, Exum. The film weaves the story of a modern climb gone wrong with the life of Petzoldt, a pioneer who scaled K2, set records on the Matterhorn, trained soldiers to fight Nazis in the Alps, and defined adventure itself. Featuring today’s mountain guides alongside rare archival footage and breathtaking cinematography from Wyoming and France, this feature-length documentary explores risk, grit, mentorship, and the enduring call of the mountains.

Details

Status

Released

Release date

January 17, 2026

Original language

English

Countries

United States of America

Production

Alpheus Media,Wyoming PBS

Cast

Paul Petzoldt,Glenn Exum,Jessica Baker,Brenton Reagan,Morgan McGlashon

Director

Mat Hames

Producer

Beth Hames,Laura Utt,Joanna Kail,Judd Rogers

Budget

Not recorded

Revenue

Not recorded

IMDb

View on IMDb