The Adidas Sky Climb Jacket: Made for the Mountains

American Mountain Guide/IFMGA Guide Jonathon Spitzer recently tested the Adidas Sky Climb Jacket while guiding multi-pitch rock in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons and for personal climbing adventures elsewhere in the Wasatch Mountains, Utah. He found the jacket to be extremely durable, as well as highly water repellent, breathable, and functional for guiding. AMGA: What […]

Pinned: Mark Smiley on Becoming Fully Certified

Mark Smiley becomes an American Mountain Guide

Congratulations Mark Smiley! He took eight years to become an American Mountain Guide/IFMGA Guide, starting spring of 2006 and finishing spring 2014. We asked Smiley a few questions about his journey. AMGA: What was the process like for you? Mark Smiley: It was long and frustrating at times. It feels really good to be finished […]

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 […]

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 Athlete develops video training series

Mountain Athlete, a training facility based in Jackson Hole, Wyo., specializes in fitness programs for elite and professional mountain athletes. As part of their partnership with the American Mountain Guides Association, they designed various training programs for our members that focus on helping them prep and be in the best physical shape for their rock, […]

A review of the Osprey Rev 12 backpack

Rob Coppolillo, Aspirant Mountain Guide, recently tested the Osprey Rev 12 backpack while mountain biking, hiking, and rock climbing in and around Boulder, Colorado, mostly while training for his alpine exam. He offered the AMGA some feedback on the pack. Coppolillo thought this pack was really solid for all the sport for which he reviewed […]

Mike Hattrup Scholarship Recipient on the Benefits of Mentorship

By Chris Marshall, recipient of the Mike Hattrup Scholarship Throughout my career and progression to become a ski guide, avalanche forecaster, and educator, mentorship has played a crucial role in my development. I find myself seeking out mentors to pick discuss, techniques, and personal experiences, ultimately wishing to identify with, and emulate those that I […]