Guide Certification in Europe

[Jim]

Hey - I know this guy!!

 

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/03/07/guiding.standards/

[snoboy]

The thing that the article seems to have missed is that ACMG guides are also IFMGA certified if they pass their alpine and ski sections, and it has been that way for quite a while. AMGA guides are also in the same position, but that has only been for a couple of years...

 

So the only real differences are that in Europe you are required to do the certs, and that you have to do all of them.

 

I think it is smart that you can do Rock, alpine and ski seperately here. I mean who cares if your ski guide can lead 5.11 trad...

[Jason_Martin]

American climbers are not as ingraned in the ski culture as they are in Europe. As a result, the american and canadian systems are better for our terrain.

 

The biggest problem with certification right now is access. Slowly certification is being recognized by land managers. As they see the advantages -- less accidents and professional standards -- they will probably begin to require certification. Ideally certification will allow individual guides to access parks and the like without the support of a company. Were this to happen, more guides could make a real living like they do in Europe.

 

Certification -- particulary in the U.S. -- doesn't necessarily provide you with that many benefits right now. The largest benefit is that you can market yourself as a professional whereas most others don't have the credentials to back-up that particular claim.

 

I believe that in the long run we'll follow European standards.

 

Jason

 

[cj001f]

So the only real differencs are that in Europe you are required to do the certs, andd that you have to do all of them.

Sort of. The certs very from national guide association to national guide association. NZMGA has a similar cert structure to AMGA, and the completion of all certs = UIAGM. Switzerland has a 3 year apprentice program. Britain has a different system.

 

As for granting IFMGA guides access to the national parks, itll be over the dead bodies of Exum, RMI and the other concessionaires.

[Jason_Martin]

As for granting IFMGA guides access to the national parks, itll be over the dead bodies of Exum, RMI and the other concessionaires.

 

One of the plans for the future of Rainier includes access for certified guides.

 

Jason

[snoboy]

So the only real differencs are that in Europe you are required to do the certs, andd that you have to do all of them.

Sort of. The certs very from national guide association to national guide association. NZMGA has a similar cert structure to AMGA, and the completion of all certs = UIAGM. Switzerland has a 3 year apprentice program. Britain has a different system.

 

As for granting IFMGA guides access to the national parks, itll be over the dead bodies of Exum, RMI and the other concessionaires.

 

What I was trying to get at is that once you are a certified guide, you are a guide... the ACMG and AMGA "full guide" is equivalent to UIAGM... doesn't really matter what route you follow to get there does it? The article seemed to imply that it was totally different, and not really equivalent.

[cj001f]

One of the plans for the future of Rainier includes access for certified guides.

A whoping 18 one use authorizations, allowing max 4 clients per guide.

[Jason_Martin]

Regardless of the amount. It's a step toward the European situation. Red Rock has a similar deal, they allow ten ten day permits out every year to individuals or companies that don't have full time permits. Usually about twenty people or organizations apply for these.

 

Joshua Tree and Smith are two other places where a number of Certified Guides currently do some work for themselves legally. As far as I understand there are no limits on those locations.

 

Jason