Paul Kiesow Petzoldt (January 16, 1908 – October 6, 1999) was an American mountaineer and wilderness educator known for establishing the National Outdoor Leadership School in 1965.
Early life
Petzoldt was born in Creston, Iowa. The youngest of nine children, he lived on an Iowa homestead but his father, Charles, died in 1911. He left with his mother, Emma, to farm in Idaho. Along with Glenn Exum, he founded what is now Exum Mountain Guides, the oldest Alpine guiding service in the U.S. He developed several techniques mountaineers still use such as specific voice signals and a snow-climbing belay system. Created by Park Ranger George Waters, it is some of the earliest North American climbing footage in existence. fighting on the Italian Front. He also helped train the ski and mountaineering troops.
In 1955 Petzoldt sold his portion of the guide school to Exum.
He testified in favor of the Wilderness Act which created a formal mechanism for designating wilderness. The growing interest in the wilderness paired with little training inspired Petzoldt to create his own school. Noted in his introduction to The New Wilderness Handbook, his experience in NOLS, Outward Bound, and love of the wilderness evolved into the Wilderness Education Association. Started in 1977,
Petzholdt climbed Grand Teton more than 300 times. He received the Banquet of the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement. It highlights the legacy of Petzoldt and follows Exum guides on the Grand Teton and NOLS students in the Wind River Range.