2016 Mike Hattrup Scholarship Recipient – Mike Abbey
It’s April 23, 2016 and I’m on a helicopter flying into the Selkirk Lodge in British Columbia. It’s a beautiful spring day. The sun is out, and we’ll have great views of the ski terrain on the way in. Today is Day 1 of the 2016 AMGA Ski Guide Exam. I am confident that it will be my final exam. I am prepared and eager. My laptop is inside my old briefcase sitting on my lap. The briefcase has been with me from the beginning. It’s a short flight, but the overall journey has taken a long time….
It is February 2006. I am dozing on a helicopter from Mosul to Baghdad. The helicopter plummets and banks hard right. I am awakened by the bright flashes of incendiary explosives. My briefcase hovers in space in front of me at eye level for a moment before crashing to my lap. Wide awake now, I realize instantly the lack of concussion and calm down quickly. We were only “painted”, but not struck by a Surface to Air Missile. The Blackhawk’s radar had detected a threat. The pilot took evasive action. The fireworks that ruined my nap were just flares to throw off the incoming SAM that never arrived. In an hour I would land in Baghdad International. From there I would fly back home to San Diego, then drive to Jackson Hole. In Less than a month, I would take my first AMGA Ski Guide Course, and be on my way to a much needed career change.
I planned for a quick process: 3 years and I’d be through the pipeline, 4 years max. After all, I spent 9 months between tours climbing and skiing in Chamonix. All my partners there were guides and I climbed as well as all of them. Never mind that I wasn’t a very good skier. I learn fast, and in only one season I had made turns down the Rond Glacier and Cosmique Couloir.
It turns out the process wasn’t a quick “send.” It was more like a “mega project”, and it took 10 years to complete. Sitting here at my desk, I now realize that being a good rock climber, alpinist, or skier does not equal being a good guide. Just like a genius can still be a poor teacher. I had a whole new skill set to learn! It’s easy in hindsight to see that the formal courses and exams are a necessary part of the process. They create benchmarks for the Aspiring Guide. They help refine the skills, and explain the experiences learned through mentorship and working alongside other guides.
Earning the IFMGA “pin” has often been compared to getting a PhD. I’d have to agree. It doesn’t make me the best guide, but the pin is an affirmation by my peers that I am highly competent in my career field and worthy of carrying on the tradition. It’s also an acknowledgement of the time, effort, and money that I’ve put into it. It is recognized around the world and highly respected in the alpine countries. It is my credential to work and the degree of my occupation. As with most degrees, I would recommend it if you plan to make guiding your career. It’s been worth the effort.
I would like to say thanks for the Mike Hattrup scholarship, and to all the people that helped me through the process.
