what is the rock guide course like

The Rock Guide Training Program consists of 157.5 full time hours completed over a 6 month period and introduces fundamental skills to rock climbing and guiding. Students gain the skills to strengthen their own rock climbing abilities and/or to prepare for a career as an ACMG/IFMGA guide assistant.

Full Answer

What is the rock Guide Exam?

The goals of the six-day Rock Guide Exam (RGE) are to assess and certify rock-climbing guides at the AMGA and IFMGA international standards and to further the general education of students. During the exam you are expected to carry out guiding assignments given by the examiners.

How long does it take to become a rock guide?

The Rock Guide Training Program consists of 157.5 full time hours completed over a 6 month period and introduces fundamental skills to rock climbing and guiding. Students gain the skills to strengthen their own rock climbing abilities and/or to prepare for a career as an ACMG/IFMGA guide assistant.

What is the advanced rock guide course (argc/AE)?

The Advanced Rock Guide Course/AE (ARGC/AE) covers the tools used when guiding and instructing multiple clients on longer routes up to Grade V—management of 3rd and 4th class terrain, technical descents, simultaneous multi-client belaying, lowering and rappelling, management of transitions, and short roping and short pitching techniques.

What is this rock identification guide for?

Complete with photos and information about each rock’s distinguishing characteristics, this rock identification guide has been designed to assist you in identifying the rocks provided in the Deeper and Deeper and Mining Matters II kits.

How do you become a rock guide?

Rock Guide is the highest level AMGA Rock Certification....You have led or shared lead on 50 multi-pitch rock routes (10 of which are Grade III or longer)Current AMGA member.Current CPR Certification.Current Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Certification.Successful completion of the Rock Guide Course.More items...•

How long does it take to get AMGA certified?

You must have 86+ days of training with the AMGA. Current CPR Certification.

How much does an AMGA guide make?

While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $121,677 and as low as $17,879, the majority of salaries within the AMGA jobs category currently range between $30,791 (25th percentile) to $62,079 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $97,837 annually in California.

How hard is it to become a mountain guide?

If you want to go for the all three, you first need some years under your belt to prove your competence as both a skier and a climber. Then plan for a minimum of 90 to 100 days of required AMGA courses and exams, which will actually take five to six years to complete.

How many AMGA guides are there?

There are 2,606 AMGA members. Guides are consumers and in uencers.

How much does an AMGA cert cost?

FEESMembership FeeCertification FeeSingle Pitch Instructor$80$10Certified Guide$80$50IFMGA via AMGA$80$170IFMGA via Reciprocal$80$702 more rows

Can you make a living as a mountain guide?

In fact, there are still no legal requirements for guide employment. One can get a job guiding with very little experience. However, and I can say this on good authority, sustainable and enjoyable employment is only possible with the pursuit of certification through the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA).

How much do Mt Everest guides make?

On average, they make from $30 a day, or about $5,000 per season (usually making one ascent a year to Mount Everest or another eight-thousander). Their hard labor is also rewarded with a $500 to $1,000 extra tip, the so-called Summit Bonus which they are paid upon the successful completion of the ascent.

What qualifications do you need to be a mountain guide?

To be a mountain guide you need both a high degree of technical ability and depth of experience. There is no quick fix, this kind of skill comes with time and investment and lots of practice.

What is it like being a mountain guide?

3:491:04:07Guides Talk - What it takes to be(come) a mountain guideYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou would become an apprentice Rock guide. And then you would either become a rock guide or youMoreYou would become an apprentice Rock guide. And then you would either become a rock guide or you would move through to the apprentice Alpine guide program.

How long does it take to become a rock climbing instructor?

You must be at least 17 years old (18 at assessment) You should have at least 6 months of experience of using a variety of climbing walls. You should have an interest in climbing and in supervising groups on climbing walls.

How do you become a hiking guide?

Certification as a hiking guide only requires completion of the Hiking Guide certificate. To attend the required courses, applicants should: Be at least 18 years of age. Meet minimum climbing, skiing, or hiking experience requirements (at least 3 years of experience in a variety of conditions)

Why I took the course?

I am what we like to call a ‘late adopter.’ I have been guiding since 2002 all over the world but have not gotten certified. I have pursued lots of education, including taking the top rope site manager course back in 2007. But I did not continue with actually certifying.

What it was like in a mostly Female Course

It was striking to see how the presence of so many women inherently changed the dynamics of the course. Our pod, or covid bubble, was made up of three women. I watched my instructor cultivate a tremendous amount of patience for a very different tempo than he was used to dealing with.

Lessons Learned

I think being open to these types of differences is crucial. Being inclusive means much more than just allowing someone different to stand next to you. It means reframing how we view ‘ideal’ guide personas. True inclusion comes when we explore how the differences can be beneficial, which include cognitive diversity hypothesis used in management.

Gratitude and a path forward

I really can’t emphasize enough the gratitude I feel towards First Ascent and AMGA for continuing to provide scholarships. Two other women in this course also had scholarships, one of whom traveled from Mexico! As she pursues her certifications it will be groundbreaking within an entire country.

What is the rock identification guide?

Complete with photos and information about each rock’s distinguishing characteristics, this rock identification guide has been designed to assist you in identifying the rocks provided in the Deeper and Deeper and Mining Matters II kits.

How many samples are needed for a rock kit?

The sheer number and variety of rock and mineral samples required for the production of the units is immense. More than 60 samples representing 25 different types of metallic and industrial minerals, aggregates and the three main rock groups – igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic – are required for each kit.

What type of rock is Gabbro?

Rock Type: igneous (intrusive/plutonic)#N#Composition: feldspar, olivine, pyroxene, amphibole#N#Equivalent to: Basalt (extrusive/volcanic)#N#Environment: Gabbro is formed by magma that cools very slowly into hard rock below or within the Earth’s crust.#N#Distinguishing Characteristics: dark grey-black, shiny surfaces of feldspar are visible.#N#Origin of your Samples: Tweed, Ontario#N#Uses: Gabbro is too fragile to use in construction. Often chromium, nickel and platinum occur in association with Gabbro.

What type of rock is rhyolite?

Rock Type: igneous (extrusive/volcanic)#N#Composition: feldspar, quartz, mica, hornblend#N#Equivalent to: granite (intrusive/plutonic)#N#Environment: Rhyolite is formed by magma that has reached the Earth’s surface (lava) and therefore cools very quickly. Lava can explode out of a volcano and make pumice or ash, or flow down its side and make thick layers of fine grained rock or volcanic glass.#N#Distinguishing Characteristics: Very fine grained, pinkish-grey, sometimes with dark streaks. If dipped in water and rubbed on a piece of paper, rhyolite will likely tear the paper rather than leave a muddy streak.#N#Origin of your Samples: Timmins, Ontario#N#Uses: Black volcanic glass called obsidian and frothy-looking white coloured rock called pumice are other forms of rhyolite. Pumice is used in abrasives, concrete, stone-washing laundries, hand soap, emery boards, and sandpaper and is used in sandblasting.

What are the characteristics of shale?

Distinguishing Characteristics: dull, reddish- brown, very fine grains (smooth to the touch), breaks easily. If an edge is dipped in water and drawn along a surface, shale will leave a muddy streak.

What is the environment of fossils?

Environment: Sea water , high in magnesium, flows through porous limestone and replaces some of the calcium with magnesium turning limestone into dolostone. Fossils are plants or animals that have been preserved in rock as organic carbon, chitin , or some mineral that replaced the original tissue.

How is granite formed?

Environment: Granite is formed by magma that cools very slowly into hard rock below or within the Earth’s crust. Distinguishing Characteristics: Visible crystals of pink feldspar, white or grey quartz, and black mica. There is no horizontal banding in granite. Origin of your Samples: Belmont Township, Ontario.

How to become a certified rock climbing guide?

To become a certified rock climbing guide, start by checking with the company you want to work for and see what certifications they will require you to have (AMGA, PCIA or PCGI). In addition to a rock climbing certification, you will also be required to have a First Aide/CPR certification. Finally, make sure guiding is a good fit for you.

Where is Outdoor Climbing Guide based?

Outdoor climbing guide and outdoor enthusiast based out of Colorado.

What to do if you are not sure about guiding?

If you are not sure about fully committing to guiding just yet, get a job doing something else in the outdoor industry. Working at a climbing gym is a fun way to start working around rock climbing. There are a lot of jobs in retail, but you would definitely gain more of the experience you’re looking for working for a gym, a gear shop specific to climbing/mountaineering, or as an office/sales position for a guide company.

What is a large piece of guiding that can be forgotten?

A large piece of guiding that can be forgotten is how much you are in control of other people’s lives. You are liable for your clients’ safety 100% of the time you are with them. In some cases, you could be responsible for their food and water.

How to get an idea of what you'd be doing on a daily basis?

Hire a guide! If you really want to get an idea of what you’d be doing on a daily basis, take a climbing trip with a guide. Even better, go on a trip with a company you’re looking at working for. As with any new job, you always ask the staff how they like doing what they’re doing. Talking to guides can help answer the question: “Is it worth it?”

What is a wilderness first responder course?

If you are pursuing guiding in the backcountry, the Wilderness First Responder course is a great tool to prepare you for any incidents that can happen. Again, it could be helpful to get in touch with a guide service before purchasing these courses on your own; depending on the company, they might offer to pay for some or all of these first aid type courses.

How many wilderness courses are there at NOLS?

Develop Your Wilderness Skills and Leadership. NOLS is a great resource to use if you want to develop your skills and leadership in the wilderness. They have over 100 “expedition” and medical courses, each with a different purpose, activity, and location.

Why I Took The Course?

What It Was Like in A Mostly Female Course

• It was striking to see how the presence of so many women inherently changed the dynamics of the course. Our pod, or covid bubble, was made up of three women. I watched my instructor cultivate a tremendous amount of patience for a very different tempo than he was used to dealing with. As a group we talked more, asked a lot of questions, needed plent...

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Lessons Learned

Gratitude and A Path Forward