So I've been climbing for about 6 and a half years now, and I'm getting closer to the prerequisite requirements for taking the AMGA Guide Certifications. Hoping to pick the brains of anybody who is either enrolled in the program currently, wishing to enroll also, or is currently RIC or higher certified. Currently my resume includes about 10 or so Grade III length multipitch climbs (50 required to take the course), up to 5.9+ in difficulty, in single pitch I climb up to 510c on trad, 5.11d/5.12a on sport, current First Aid certs, highly comfortable with most anchor/belay setups, and all the required knots/hitches. I'm 22, climb between 1-4 days a week (while working full time in an outdoor retailer), and fit. My questions are 1), how does one prove the required number of ascents at said grade and height, 2) what training (physical and technical) should I be pursuing to continue myself and be better prepared for the course, and 3) is there currently any sponsorship/scholarship for financial aid to poor but passionate climbers. It's been a dream of mine to guide since about year 3 or 4 of climbing, and I'll do anything to make that dream a reality. To those who say the financial returns of this profession are measly at best, I'm highly aware, and those that become climbing guides obviously don't do so for the cash. It's a passion and a lifestyle to spend all of ones time on the rock, in the mountains, making sure others have a safe, fun experience in the best rock and alpine settings possible. Any help highly appreciated!

Most anchor setups?

For the second bolding, add:
....mostly doing the same routes over and over with a never ending stream of newbies asking the same questions and making the same mistakes.

I know of one long time guide in the Gunks who has done the same 200' 5.6 over 1000 times.

Why is it that people at RC.com will shit on anyone's ambition to do most anything?

Perhaps because we think it's a good idea for people to fully realize what they might be getting into. It's usually easy to see the glamor - sometimes not so much the down side. With the OP, it might be handy to realize those things if they hadn't considered them already, before the time, $$$, and effort required for an AMGA cert. That might even be construed as caring about a fellow climber. But if someone has a negative attitude, I can see how they might feel that pointing out the potential drawbacks is shitting on someone's ambitions.

1), how does one prove the required number of ascents at said grade and height

And I'm sure, with all your guiding experience, you are well qualified to tell the OP what he'd be getting into?

You know damn well that yours was not a caring post meant to "inform" the OP about the pluses and minuses of guiding. You simply wanted to dump on guiding as a profession. There is a pretty good possibility that some guides might even enjoy teaching new climbers while climbing the same 200ft. 5.6 over 1000 times!

Actually, I did enjoy that particular route every time I did it with newbies, back in the day. I had another friend who tried guiding and despised it after a year because of the repetition. Some take well to that, and some do not.

What route?

So I've been climbing for about 6 and a half years now, and I'm getting closer to the prerequisite requirements for taking the AMGA Guide Certifications. Hoping to pick the brains of anybody who is either enrolled in the program currently, wishing to enroll also, or is currently RIC or higher certified.

Currently my resume includes about 10 or so Grade III length multipitch climbs (50 required to take the course), up to 5.9+ in difficulty, in single pitch I climb up to 510c on trad, 5.11d/5.12a on sport, current First Aid certs, highly comfortable with most anchor/belay setups, and all the required knots/hitches. I'm 22, climb between 1-4 days a week (while working full time in an outdoor retailer), and fit.

My questions are 1), how does one prove the required number of ascents at said grade and height,

2) what training (physical and technical) should I be pursuing to continue myself and be better prepared for the course, and

3) is there currently any sponsorship/scholarship for financial aid to poor but passionate climbers. It's been a dream of mine to guide since about year 3 or 4 of climbing, and I'll do anything to make that dream a reality.

To those who say the financial returns of this profession are measly at best, I'm highly aware, and those that become climbing guides obviously don't do so for the cash. It's a passion and a lifestyle to spend all of ones time on the rock, in the mountains, making sure others have a safe, fun experience in the best rock and alpine settings possible. Any help highly appreciated!

A hard lifestyle, but I ran my own guide service in the South East for awhile, sold it before moving to Asia. Had three guides making good money, a full-time secretary working on the business, and me, all earning very good money. Guiding is a business, how much a guide and guide service makes is based on several factors.

I'll give you the low down from my opinion and experience.

AMGA Certs do not make a guide.

As far as guiding goes, here are some points to think about.

A friend of mine once told me "Robert, of the top 5 things that make a good guide, climbing is number 6 on that list". What he was saying is very true. Guiding is about risk assessment, risk management, people skills, handling groups, leadership etc. Your first and foremost primary job is the clients safety. Oh, and you'd better add patience to the top of your list of skills required. You're gonna need it.

While there are specialty guide schools, most tend to operate in two categories:

1) Classes. These start with "Rock Climbing 101" and "Intermediate" style classes etc. There is a curriculum that you will be working with. Get used to it!

2) Private Guiding. This is a combination of what the client(s) want, versus what your assessment of their abilities are in terms of what you deliver. I can't count the number of times I get clients that want to do hard routes only to find them floundering on 5.6's. Your job is to make sure they get the most bang for their buck. Sometimes I get people who actually want to learn more than just climb. These are my personal favorites. I'm then free to structure the day in manner that suits them best. Sometimes you just end up dragging them up routes.

Whether you have you certs or not, be prepared to be bottom man on the totem pole with whatever school you go to work for. Most likely if the school is reputable you'll just be a belay slave for large groups while the senior guide(s) run the show. Be prepared to sit by the phone waiting for the call to work. In the beginning they can be few and far between. There are some very fly by night schools who will hire anybody regardless of their skills. Watch out for those.

Some schools will require you to take their "guide training course" before you go out on your own. Some don't. For me, it was come out for a morning, watch what I do. That was about it, two days later I got a call, "you're working tomorrow". It totally depends on the school.

As far as gear goes, some schools supply everything. Not here in Joshua Tree. The boss supplies shoes, helmets, and harness's. We provide the rest. I have a number of static and dynamic ropes that are for guide work only. I keep my personal ropes separate. This is the general rule around here. Your area may be different.

Here are a few more things to consider. You have a private for the day. They just want you to drag them up routes all day long. Are you prepared to solo all day? I hope so, because that's exactly what you are doing. You cannot count on the client to give you a safe belay.

Guiding is not an easy job. Expect long hours. Tomorrow myself, and two other guides have 18 boy scouts for the day who want their climbing merit badge. I'll be out at the crag by 6:30am. We meet them at 8:00am. My guess, we will work till at least 3:00pm and then have another 1/2 hour to 45 minutes of cleanup. Then we have to take all the shoes, harness's, and helmets back to the boss's house and check it all in. With any luck, we'll all be home somewhere around 5:00pm.

I have know idea what Sunday holds in store for me.

This is the job. Sometimes I know a few days in advance of work, sometimes I get calls at 10pm at night for the next morning. I even get calls at 6:00 in the morning. This is my primary income. It's not easy, but frankly, I love it. I do other forms of work to help supplement my income.

I honestly don't think your really ready based on your post. This is not an insult, but rather my observations. Your best bet is to get too know some long term guides in your area and ask them to show you some of the "ropes".

Also, you'd better know the area you're hoping to guide in. I can promise you, regardless of your super secret AMGA decoder ring, you ain't getting hired in an area you don't have wired.

I wish you the best of luck! Guiding is a great job, but it is just that, a job. Trust me, you're not getting paid to climb all day.

If it's in the 'Gunks then I'm betting it's the first pitch of Arrow.