Women’s RGC | Anna Hicks

Some of my friends who are guides dreamed about becoming a guide for a long time.  Personally, when I started guiding in 2015, it was because I desperately needed a job.  After 9 years working for the Park Service at Mount Rainier, I was not ready to leave the mountain, but I could no longer […]

Ascent ASC | Suraj Kushwaha

This AMGA Ascent Alpine Skills Course introduced me to the world of guiding. It made clear to me the level of competence, skill, and adaptability that is expected of professionals in the industry. It helped me identify my own skills, as well as the gaps in my knowledge, and create a plan to prepare for […]

Majka Burhardt | 2020 Scholarship Report

On February 3rd I became the third-ever AMGA certified Ice Instructor, and first woman to receive the certification. I’m proud to be among the group bringing this certification to the main stage of American guiding. Is the woman part important? It is to me, and likely to roughly 50% of the climbing/guiding public, and hopefully […]

Promoting a safe and supportive culture

Scholarship Report | Erin Laine | 2019 Patagonia Scholarship Recipient 3:27am. The time on my phone confirming once more that my sweaty elbows and racing thoughts were entirely inappropriate, and I should definitely be sleeping. resting up for the AMGA advanced ski guides course starting tomorrow-well today. One look at the roster and I had […]

Scholarship Report | Chris Cullaz

2019 Casio Scholarship Recipient | Chris Cullaz | Alpine Guide Course The timing of this course couldn’t be better, in a few weeks I will be flying up to Alaska for my second season guiding on Denali, where I will get to apply glacier travel techniques we learned and if the weather cooperates, guide more […]

Scholarship Report | Amy Ness

Amy Ness |  2019 Rock Guide Course participant and First Ascent Charitable Foundation Scholarship Recipient I was so nervous to attend my Rock Guide Course held in Joshua Tree National Park this March.  Would I look unprofessional, unknowledgeable, or just plain dumb? It had been awhile since I had built a hauling system out of […]

Scholarship Report | Jeff Dobronyi

Jeff Dobronyi | 2019 North Face Scholarship Recipient  July 17th dawned cold and rainy in the North Cascades. The other candidates and I cast doubtful glances at the grey sky and low clouds enveloping nearby Cutthroat Peak. The asphalt in the parking lot was wet from the night’s rain, and the next pulse of precip was […]

Redefining Success | A Counterintuitive Approach to the Rock Guide Course

Lyndsay Mynatt | 2019 First Ascent Charitable Foundation Scholarship Recipient Success is what we define it to be. I was climbing in Red Rocks prior to the course, struggling to lead a 5.9 route. In the midst of the challenge, all mental focus was lost. The negative internal chatter loudly questioned everything from my climbing ability […]

Flashback: 2018 Eddie Bauer Rock Mentorship

On September 10 – 11 of 2018, with generous support of Eddie Bauer, the AMGA ran it’s annual Rock Discipline Mentorship Camp. This is a low ratio (2:1) training opportunity for members to learn from a local AMGA Instructor Team Member as well as a peer moving through the Rock Program.  Mentorship Camps provide AMGA members […]

A Q&A with Alpine Mentorship Attendee, Zack Novak

1) What does “mentorship” mean to you? Has this definition changed as the result of attending the camp? Mentorship to me is the core of how mountain craft has been passed down over generations. First as Climbers and later as guides, we identify the people that we want to learn from and through a medley […]