Rock Guide Program
About
The AMGA Rock Guide Certification is designed for guides who lead clients in technical, multi-pitch rock terrain. This program focuses on introducing and refining rock guiding skills for multi-pitch routes, technical descents, short roping, and short pitching. Additionally, it covers rock rescue techniques and movement evaluation to ensure secure and efficient guiding in complex rock environments.
Program Overview
Program Details
The Rock Guide Course (RGC) is the entry-level course in the AMGA Rock Guide Program and the recommended starting point for the Mountain Guide Track. Designed for guides with an extensive rock climbing background, this course focuses on guiding techniques for routes up to Grade III and 5.9+, with an emphasis on risk management, technical systems, and client experience.
The RGC includes indoor and outdoor classroom time aimed at transforming experienced recreational rock climbers into professional guides. The course is designed to refine guiding techniques with direct supervision, instruction, and feedback on a variety of rock terrain including single and multi-pitch rock routes with a variety of guiding challenges.
Participants are expected to have a strong foundation in recreational climbing skills and prior knowledge of knots, belaying, anchors, and protection strategies. You should be capable of leading the climbs listed on your submitted resume and arrive physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared for multiple consecutive days of climbing and instruction over the entirety of the course. Students should be prepared for early starts and long days that are physically and emotionally demanding.
To successfully complete the RGC, students must be able to demonstrate the following:
- Comfortably and safely lead traditional and sport routes up to 5.9+
- Proficiency with basic knots, including but not limited to: rewoven figure 8, figure 8 and overhand bight knots, bowline, clove hitch, munter hitch, munter mule hitch, flat overhand, double fisherman's, and autoblock, prusik and klemheist friction hitches
- Proficiency with multiple types of belay devices including assisted braking devices (ABDs)
- Proficiency with a variety of rappel devices
- Demonstrate proficiency at the Apprentice Rock Guide level in the following six assessment categories: risk management, client care, technical systems, terrain assessment, movement, and professionalism
- Current AMGA member
- Current CPR Certification
- Current approved Wilderness First Responder Certification (WFR)
- Completion of the below *route requirements, submitted via resume with application:
- A. 5.10a Trad Leads:
- 10 traditional rock leads rated 5.10a or harder on various rock types, single- or multi-pitch (if multi-pitch, must have led at least the 5.10a), completion within the past 5 years. A single route may only be listed once in section A.
- B. Grade III Trad Climbs:
- 10 traditional rock routes grade III or longer, lead or shared lead (if shared lead, must have led 50% or more of route), minimum difficulty of 5.6, completion within the past 5 years. A single route may only be listed once in section B. Link ups do not qualify.
- C. Multi-Pitch Climbs:
- 50 traditional multi-pitch rock routes (10 may be sport), lead or shared lead (if shared lead, must have led 50% or more of route), minimum difficulty of 5.6, completion within the past 8 years. A single route may only be listed once in section C. Routes from section A and B may be used in section C. A minimum of 50 individual multi-pitch routes must be documented across the resume requirements.
- A. 5.10a Trad Leads:
*Any route listed (with a free climbing rating) needs to have been completed using hands, feet and body movements only (or tools and crampons if applicable), and climbed anchor to anchor without weighting the rope or protection equipment (“free climbed”).
- All students on Mountain Guide Programs must meet AMGA Essential Eligibility Criteria.
- Additional Experience & Movement Criteria for RGC
- Minimum five years personal rock climbing experience
- Familiar with LNT Practices
The Advanced Rock Guide Course & Assistant Exam (ARGC/AE) covers the tools used when guiding and instructing multiple clients on longer routes up to Grade V. This includes management of 3rd and 4th class terrain, technical descents, simultaneous multi-client belaying, lowering and rappelling, management of transitions, and short roping and short pitching techniques. It emphasizes effective risk management while maximizing client rewards on long rock routes.
The ARGC is a course and includes instruction, coaching, debriefing, and assessment. The focus of the course is on principle-based learning, giving you strategies for problem solving through coaching and practical application in simulated guide/client scenarios. The assessment phase is known as the Assistant Exam. During the Assistant Exam, your guiding and instructional skills will be assessed. A final assessment will be based on your overall performance.
Assistant Exam
The Assistant Exam is intended to help determine whether or not your personal skills meet the minimum standards appropriate for guiding at the level of the AMGA Assistant Rock Guide. In addition, it serves as preparation for the final AMGA Rock Guide Exam.
Assessment Areas
- The movement standard is 5.10d/C2. This is assessed as a body of work over the entire program. Terrain may include bouldering, trad climbs, and sport climbs
- The Rock Rescue Drill
- Practical guiding days that include evaluation in the following six areas: risk management, technical systems, application, movement, client care, and professionalism
- Current AMGA member
- Current CPR Certification
- Current approved Wilderness First Responder Certification (WFR)
- Completion of the below *route requirements, submitted via resume with application:
- A. 5.10+ Trad Leads
- 10 traditional rock leads rated 5.10+ or harder on various rock types, single- or multi-pitch (if multi-pitch, must have led at least the 5.10+), completion since passing the RGC and within the past 5 years. A single route may only be listed once in section A.
- B. Grade IV Trad Climbs
- 10 traditional rock routes grade IV or longer, lead or shared lead (if shared lead, must have led 50% or more of route), minimum difficulty of 5.6, completion of 5 of the 10 routes since passing the RGC and within the past 5 years. A single route may only be listed once in section B.
- C. Grade III Guiding
- 20 guided or mock-guided rock routes grade III or longer, completion since passing the RGC and within the past 5 years. A single route may only be listed once in section C. Routes from section A and B may be used in section C. A minimum of 20 guided or mock guided routes must be documented across the resume requirements.
- A. 5.10+ Trad Leads
*Any route listed (with a free climbing rating) needs to have been completed using hands, feet and body movements only (or tools and crampons if applicable), and climbed anchor to anchor without weighting the rope or protection equipment (“free climbed”).
Additional Experience and Movement Criteria for ARGC
- Familiar with LNT Practices
The goals of the six-day Rock Guide Exam (RGE) are to assess and certify rock-climbing guides at the AMGA and IFMGA international standards and to further the general education of students.
Format
During the exam students are expected to carry out guiding assignments given by the examiners. Students will serve as the guide to the examiners and the other participants on routes chosen for their complex guiding challenges. While acting as the guide, students are responsible for route planning, client orientation, risk management, and normal guiding practices. Route assignments and client profiles are usually given the night before. Students are responsible for obtaining information about the assigned route as well as alternative routes if the original objective proves infeasible.
Expectations
The longer routes (Grade IV and V) undertaken on the RGE require proficiency with multi-client belaying techniques, strong application skills, efficient climbing and use of protective systems, and quick and accurate transitions. A strong emphasis is placed on expertise in short roping clients.
Assessment Areas
- Evaluation of movement skills in rock terrain;
- Practical guiding days with evaluation in the following nine areas: risk management, client care, technical systems, application, terrain assessment, movement skills, mountain sense, professionalism, and instructional technique.
- Current AMGA member
- Current CPR Certification
- Current approved Wilderness First Responder Certification (WFR)
- Successful completion of the Advanced Rock Guide Course and Assistant Exam
- Completion of the below *route requirements, submitted via resume with application
- A. 5.11a Leads
- 10 rock leads rated 5.11a or harder on various rock types, single- or multi-pitch (if multi-pitch, must have led at least the 5.11a), sport or trad, completion since passing the ARGC/AE and within the past 5 years. A single route may only be listed once in section A.
- B. Guided Multi-Pitch
- 5 guided multi-pitch traditional routes, completion since passing the ARGC/AE and within the past 5 years.
- C. Grade III Guiding
- 7 guided or mock-guided trad routes grade III or longer, completion since passing the ARGC/AE and within the past 5 years.
- D. Grade IV Guiding
- 3 guided or mock-guided trad routes grade IV or longer, completion since passing the ARGC/AE and within the past 5 years.
- E. Additional Guiding
- 5 additional guided or mock guided multi-pitch trad routes of any length, completion since passing the ARGC/AE and within the past 5 years. A minimum of 20 guided (15 may be mock guided) routes must be documented across the resume requirements.
- 5 additional guided or mock guided multi-pitch trad routes of any length, completion since passing the ARGC/AE and within the past 5 years. A minimum of 20 guided (15 may be mock guided) routes must be documented across the resume requirements.
- A. 5.11a Leads
*Any route listed (with a free climbing rating) needs to have been completed using hands, feet and body movements only (or tools and crampons if applicable), and climbed anchor to anchor without weighting the rope or protection equipment (“free climbed”).
Additional Experience and Movement Criteria for RGE
- Familiar with LNT Practices
- Confidence leading traditional and sport routes up to 5.10+/A2, at the time of the exam
Program Schedule
Application Process
Rock Programs
(Dec. 1, 2026 - May 1, 2027)
Rock Programs
(May 1, 2027 - Aug. 31, 2027)
(Sept. 1, 2027 - Nov. 30, 2027)
Alpine Rock Modules
(October 2027)
Ice Instructor Program
Develop expertise in guiding technical multi-pitch ice and mixed climbing routes.
