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1269topper
Jun 19, 2003, 5:41 AM
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Yes I know I am opening myself up to a real bashing here with this topic.
In all seroiusness what have some of you all that are guides or know guides did to become a guide.
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enigma
Jun 19, 2003, 5:51 AM
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In reply to: Yes I know I am opening myself up to a real bashing here with this topic. In all seroiusness what have some of you all that are guides or know guides did to become a guide.
Well I think you have to be able to lead at least 5.10 and be very good at getting new climbers down if they become scared, additionally most guides seem to be able to solo at least 5.9's. :P
They don't usually wear helmets,and generally don't like to climb in climbing shoes, most preferable is those 5.10's approach shoes. 8)
They're tough and strong,somewhat bossy and egocentric, and relatively cute too. 8)
They do have certification programs, and various criteria to meet, however I've seen recently they gotten a little lax on the cute part. :wink:
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vertical_reality
Jun 19, 2003, 12:52 PM
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Hey Topper, why don't you just run up to the Gendarme and ask one of the guides there? I'm sure one of them can help you out..
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socalclimber
Jun 19, 2003, 1:24 PM
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Let's step back into reality here. There are 2 levels. Instructor and guide. Not all schools follow this model, but plenty do. My buddy who runs Rock Climbing Guides International (RCGI) here in Josh sez: "In the top 5 things that makes a good guide/instructor, climbing is #6 on the list". What he's saying is that you could be the best climber in the world and totaly suck as a guide. Yes, climbing skills are obviously important, but your ability to teach and interact is very important. You also need to be able to assess risk. Most guide services keep the client to guide ratio around 6 to 1 for groups. Group guiding is where the real money is made.
Being an instructor means you will be working with groups teaching Climbing 101 and some intermediate classes. A guide will be taking out individuals for a day of private instruction. Guides will always want the groups, again, we make more money that way.
I have been climbing for about 8 years now, and instruct the beginners, intermediate, and anchor classes. In order to be a guide, you'll need to be able to lead pretty much 5.10 anything (cracks, slabs, chimneys, off-widths etc.). Self rescue skills ARE ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED. You'll will have to be totaly comfortable taking 2 clients up a multi pitch route. Usually guide service owners will take you out for a day of "climbing". Meaning, he'll grab one of his pals, you get to play guide on a multi pitch, then they act like the 2 clients from hell. basicly attempting to make you miserable to see how you react. One may even pretend to be horribly injured while the other sits there and panics and becomes uncooperative. Now you get to rescue the whole group off the route!
Things may be a bit different in Canada, but that's about the size of it! Good luck, guiding is fun, but it is also a ton of hard work. I enjoy it very much, but believe me, when you and another guide get 20+ Cub Scouts for an entire day, you'll be fried by the end!
As far as certs. go, no, nobody is getting lax about anything. All guide schools that run their programs in NPS, BLM, or Forest Service lands are required to have the head guide be AMGA certified. The remainder of the guides/instructors do not need to be certified. There is also the 1 million dollars worth of liability insurance the school must carry. Most guide schools have a guide training program that all guides must go through, or at least some check out process like the one I mentioned above. I helped develop our program and I can assure you, you'll know by the end of the day whether the person is up to the job or not. The AMGA cert. is very tough to get, you'd better be VERY solid in alpine environments and multi pitch climbing. It's also expensive and takes around 10 days or so to complete!
Robert
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puma
Jun 20, 2003, 5:50 AM
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The AMGA does have two levels of certification: Rock Instructor and Rock Guide. However, one doesn't have to be certified to be a guide, it just depends on where you want to go with this profession.
I've seen quite a few folks think they want to be a guide but when they experience what it's like, they back out. They are enamored by the romantic notion to do something they love, climbing and getting paid for it! Yet, guiding is not climbing.
Check out the AMGA website and they have outlined the requirements to start with the first 10 day course. It starts with at least 5 years climbing experience, 50? multi-pitch trad routes, must be comfortable leading 5.10, etc.
So start recording all your climbs to build your resume'. When you get a couple years climbing experience, start finding people that will only follow you, so that you are doing everything. It really helps if you have good people skills; communicating, reading people, being able to talk about other things other than climbing; these are the soft skills that will set you apart from the typical guide. Seek out a mentor guide that you can apprentice with to learn speed, efficiency, safety techniques, etc.
By then you should have a good idea if you want to pursue this craft further and will decide if you want to go the AMGA route. I did, it's a long road. A few times wasn't sure if I would make it, but stayed with it and it payed off for me. Good luck
Lg
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kevlar
Jun 20, 2003, 7:36 AM
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Registered: Jun 5, 2002
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I wanna guide...but being blind has not helped me
8)
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jughead
Jun 20, 2003, 11:09 AM
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Registered: Sep 23, 2002
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In reply to: In reply to: Yes I know I am opening myself up to a real bashing here with this topic. In all seroiusness what have some of you all that are guides or know guides did to become a guide. Well I think you have to be able to lead at least 5.10 and be very good at getting new climbers down if they become scared, additionally most guides seem to be able to solo at least 5.9's. :P They don't usually wear helmets,and generally don't like to climb in climbing shoes, most preferable is those 5.10's approach shoes. 8) They're tough and strong,somewhat bossy and egocentric, and relatively cute too. 8) They do have certification programs, and various criteria to meet, however I've seen recently they gotten a little lax on the cute part. :wink:
ALL of the instructors at my gym are of that exact description!!!
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socalclimber
Jun 20, 2003, 11:53 AM
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Registered: Nov 27, 2001
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PUMA hit the nail on the head. Guiding is indeed not climbing for a living. Especially when you are doing classes. Expect to spend no time on the rock what so ever. Expect to spend all your time teaching belaying, watching the newbies belay and watching the backup belayers to make sure they are paying attention. Guiding is very different than what most people perceive.
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mesomorf
Jun 20, 2003, 12:50 PM
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The A-number-one most important thing in getting hired as a guide is knowing the right people.
Just as in many other walks of life.
It helps if those people know that YOU know enough to be a guide.
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c_kryll
Jun 20, 2003, 5:26 PM
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Registered: Nov 18, 2002
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I wasn't sure whether I really wanted to be a professional guide or not but I was taking alot of newbie climbers outside for their first time (mostly friends) and decided to take the AMGA Top Rope Site Managers course. I thought I knew alot before I went to the course but after the first day I realized there was so much more I needed to learn and be much more profecient at. I highly suggest taking the course ($600-900) depending on the instructor or school, but well worth the money. I'll pretty much gaurantee that by the end of the course you'll have a much better understanding of what it takes to guide and you'll probably learn a few things to help you out in your everyday climbing to make it safer or more effecient.
If your really intersted in guiding then having that little certification behind you will probably open a few more doors then if you didn't have it. The exam was very hard, only 1/2 of the class passed and some of them had been climbing 10+ years or more or could climb 5.11+ Trad.
Chris
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straightedgeteen
Jun 20, 2003, 5:28 PM
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Registered: May 8, 2002
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In reply to: Yes I know I am opening myself up to a real bashing here with this topic. In all seroiusness what have some of you all that are guides or know guides did to become a guide.
Actualy i think this is a good topic so i dont think ull get bashed, i was wondering my self but never made a topic on it so thanks for bringing it up
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