How to navigate the wilderness with a lawyer & insurance policy

Need to understand insurance provisions in contracts for guiding in the wilderness? Download Don Pachner’s Annual Meeting presentation: AMGA Ins Provisions in Contracts 2014 What you will take away from this class: Recognize and understand the basic insurance requirements found in many contracts, agreements, licenses, and permits; Understand how to negotiate insurance requirements of your contracts, […]

Insuring Foreign Operations of Guides & Guide Services

For those of you who are interested, you can download Don Pachner’s October 23 presentation during the Annual Meeting: AMGA Insuring Foreign Operations 2014 from These are the take aways from this class: Recognize and understand insurance considerations when guiding outside the U.S. Understand what practices and procedures you need to draft and implement before insuring foreign operations. What […]

Geoff Unger on the Guide 10 Plus Solar Kit

Geoff Unger, American Mountain Guide/IFMGA Guide, recently used the Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus Solar Kit over one month while prepping for the Guide Exam and Alpine Guide Course and exam in the North Cascades. He ranked the kit highly in the categories of durability, water repellency, and functionality. AMGA: What makes the Guide 10 […]

Everest Guide Adrian Ballinger to speak at 2014 Annual Meeting

We’ve sold out registrations, and we have more than 200 people attending the Annual Meeting! We can’t wait to see you. Here’s a taste of what’s to come… Adrian Ballinger will be speaking on “Skiing the Himalaya – Type II fun on the world’s tallest peaks.” Ballinger has guided full-time for 15 years and has […]

Marmot Scholarship Advanced Alpine Guide Course/Aspirant Exam

By Brian Smith First of all, I would like to extend a huge thank you to Marmot and the AMGA for their support in offering me a scholarship for this course and aspirant exam. The burdens on guides in our country continue to grow, and your generosity is much appreciated. The physical and mental preparation […]

Celebrating the bright life of Liz Daley

Liz Daley, Meadow Lodge, BC, Canada photo:Adam Clark

Text & Photos courtesy of Danny Uhlmann, American Mountain Guide/IFMGA Guide Liz Daley entered my life like a meteorite. Just as breath-taking as her life was, she left us just as quickly, like in the middle of a great dance party when the music suddenly turns off and there is just…silence. My experiences with Liz […]

Kids & Rock Climbing: How to boost your child’s confidence

By Adrian Hurst, AMGA Single Pitch Instructor/ Nationally Certified School Psychologist Nature Deficit Disorder! Really? There has been so much great conversation in the press the last several years about the value of kids getting outside more often, and I love the conversations it has sparked. Do I think we need another set of letters […]

Win $ & Publish Your Photos: Enter the AMGA Wilderness Photo Contest!

Wilderness is where we explore the unknown; it’s where we find parts of the world few others have seen. It’s quiet, except for the rush of avalanches wiping clean the slopes of remote mountains or the crashing of massive rockfall tumbling from big alpine walls (hopefully nowhere near us). Wilderness is the sweetness of small […]

Joey Thompson: Doug Parker & Roger Baxter-Jones Memorial Scholarship

Joey Thompson has guided full time since 2002, the year he took his first AMGA course. In March 2011, he became a licensed mountain guide in the United States. On March 2, 2014, with financial assistance from the AMGA’s Doug Parker & Roger Baxter Jones Memorial Scholarship, he became an American Mountain Guide/IFMGA Guide. He […]

Mountain Hardwear’s Hueco™ 20 Backpack: Simple & Durable

By Rob Coppolillo, Aspirant Mountain Guide I recently tested Mountain Hardwear’s Hueco™ 20 Backpack, using it as my minimalist daypack on an alpine route in the North Cascades, Wash., and over 15 days of guiding in Eldorado Canyon State Park, Colo. Overview: Mountain Hardwear’s Hueco™ 20 Backpack is simple, light, inexpensive, and durable. It packs […]