Thanks to generous donations from Four Pines Physical Therapy, Women in the Tetons and Dawn Rucker—a participant in the 2024 all-female guided ascent of the Grand Teton—three local climbers will now have the chance to climb the iconic Grand Teton in late August 2025 as part of an all-female guided climb.
This extraordinary opportunity, offered by the Teton Climbers’ Coalition in partnership with Exum Mountain Guides, celebrates inclusivity, empowerment, and the legacy of Eleanor Davis, who made the first known female ascent of the Grand Teton on August 27, 1923.
The selected participants will embark on a 4-day adventure that includes two days of climbing school to learn essential mountaineering skills like bouldering, rappelling, and multi-pitch climbing, followed by a two-day summit attempt with a night of camping at Exum’s high camp on the Lower Saddle. This isn’t just a guided climb—it’s a team effort, fostering camaraderie, accomplishment, and empowerment that lasts long after the adventure is over.
2024 Grand Scholarship recipient, Zuri Vasquez Bedolla of Driggs, Idaho, offered her reflections on arriving at the summit of the Grand Teton during a Scholarship Information Session and Women & Femmes Climb Night at the Teton County/Jackson Recreation Center Climbing Gym. “I was just flooded by a wave of emotions,” says Zuri, “that meant so much to me, meeting all of these beautiful people and people who also hadn’t climbed previously.” Zuri is now helping others get more involved in climbing by helping organize BIPOC climb nights with Camina Conmigo and Teton Climbers’ Coalition.
The third annual Women’s Grand Scholarship is open to women and gender-diverse individuals who identify as femme, are 18 or older, and reside in Wyoming or Teton Valley, ID. No prior climbing experience is required—just a willingness to learn, prepare, and embrace the challenge.
Created to honor Eleanor Davis’s historic climb and inspire a new generation of women and femmes, the scholarship commemorates her legacy while making climbing more inclusive and accessible. In 2023, the program celebrated the 100th anniversary of Davis’s ascent with an unforgettable all-female climb, and this year, we’re thrilled to continue the tradition for the third year. Sponsors for the 2025 scholarship include Women in the Tetons, Four Pines Physical Therapy, and Dawn Rucker.
Applications for the 2025 Women’s Grand Scholarship are open until March 31, 2025. For more details and to apply, visit https://tetonclimbers.com/womens-grand-scholarship/.
Who Can Participate?
The Women’s Grand Scholarship is open to:
- Women and gender-diverse individuals who identify as femme.
- Applicants must be 18 or older and reside in Wyoming or Teton Valley, ID.
- No prior climbing experience is required—just a willingness to learn, prepare, and embrace the challenge.