AMGA Rock Instructor
You are expected to have a strong recreational climbing background with an acquired knowledge of knots, belaying, anchors, protection strategies, and climbing systems. It is assumed that you can lead the climbs listed on the submitted resume and that you are physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared for a week of outdoor activity.
To get your Rock Instructor Certification, you must complete:
- The 10-day Rock Guide Course (RGC)
- The 6-day Rock Instructor Exam (RIE)
- Current CPR Certification
- Current Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Certification or higher that meets the Minimum Guidelines and Scope of Practice for a WFR
During the Rock Instructor Exam you will be examined on climbs through Grade III and up to 5.10a/A0. You will learn or refine your skills in risk-management, industry standards, route finding, technical skills, terrain assessment, rescue scenarios, and client care.
Program Information
This is the entry-level course for the Rock Guide and Alpine Guide programs and the Rock Instructor Certification. The Rock Guide Course (RGC) was designed for aspiring guides who have a strong rock climbing background and for instructors who are interested in improving their skills and increasing knowledge. The RGC trains aspiring guides on routes up to Grade III and 5.9 while emphasizing risk management and client rewards. You are expected to arrive with a strong recreational climbing background with an acquired knowledge of knots, belaying, anchors, protection strategies, and climbing systems. It is assumed that you can lead the climbs listed on the submitted resume and that you are physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared for a week of outdoor activity. The RGC includes indoor and outdoor classroom time, practice sessions, and climbing on a variety of rock routes. Recreational climbing skills and judgment are screened as part of the daily activities. The course is designed to introduce some of the recommended methods common to rock guiding through sessions and practical application. The goals of the six-day Rock Instructor Exam (RIE) are to assess and certify rock-climbing instructors who demonstrate a high level of expertise consistent with the standards introduced in the 10-day Rock Guide Course and to further the general education of the students. During the exam you are expected to carry out guiding assignments given by the examiners. You serve as guides to the examiners and to the other participants on routes chosen for their complex guiding challenges. While acting as the guide, you are responsible for route planning, client orientation, risk management, and normal guiding practices. Route assignments and client profiles are usually given the night before. You are responsible for obtaining information about the assigned route as well as alternative routes if the original objective proves infeasible. During the RIE you will be examined on climbs through Grade III and up to 5.10a/A0. While these routes are multi-pitch, they are relatively straightforward and may not involve complex approaches and/or descents. Time factors, while important, are not as pressing on these routes. A strong emphasis is placed on risk management while maximizing client rewards.Rock Guide Course
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Rock Instructor Exam
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Rock Instructor Programs Schedule
Rock Instructor Exam | Important Update
2019 is the final year of the AMGA Rock Instructor Exam. Over the past several years AMGA has seen a significant decrease in the number of students applying to the RIE (numbers have been dwindling year to year and in 2018 we had two RIEs scheduled and both were canceled due to lack of interest/applicants). On the flip side, we have seen a large increase in the number of students pursuing the Advanced Rock Guide Course/Assistant Exam, which has a greater Scope of Practice than the RIE and is a higher level of training.
2020 | Multi Pitch Instructor Update
- In 2020 the RIE will be replaced with the Multi-Pitch Instructor Exam
- The Multi Pitch Instructor program will have a focus on teaching and educational instruction and will center on rock guiding on routes up to 3 pitches in length and up to 5.9 in difficulty, with approaches and descents that do not involve complex terrain
- The Multi Pitch Instructor specific curriculum and program flow is currently in development and more will be announced on this in the coming months
- We are excited to bring you this new and exciting program – stay tuned for more details!
- If you are keen to get your RIE completed, there are currently two Rock Instructor Exams scheduled for this upcoming fall which can be found below
| Program Type | Code | Location | State | Dates | Tuition | Status | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Guide Course | R6 RGC 19 | North Conway | New Hampshire | 9/10/19 - 9/19/19 | $2,850.00 | Waitlist | Waitlist |
| Rock Guide Course | R7 RGC 19 | Boulder | Colorado | 9/10/19 - 9/19/19 | $2,850.00 | Waitlist | Waitlist |
| Rock Guide Course | R8 RGC 19 | Boulder | Colorado | 10/1/19 - 10/10/19 | $2,850.00 | Waitlist | Waitlist |
| Rock Guide Course | R10 RGC 19 | Seneca Rocks | West Virginia | 10/8/19 - 10/17/19 | $2,850.00 | Waitlist | Waitlist |
| Rock Guide Course | R9 RGC 19 | Smith Rock State Park | Oregon | 10/8/19 - 10/17/19 | $2,850.00 | Waitlist | Waitlist |
| Rock Guide Course | R11 RGC 19 | Joshua Tree | California | 11/5/19 - 11/14/19 | $2,850.00 | Waitlist | Waitlist |
| Rock Guide Course | R12 RGC 19 | Joshua Tree | California | 11/14/19 - 11/23/19 | $2,850.00 | Waitlist | Waitlist |
| Rock Guide Course | R24 VETERANS RGC 19 | Leavenworth | Washington | 10/1/19 - 10/10/19 | $2,750.00 | Waitlist | Waitlist |
| Rock Guide Course | R26 WMNS RGC 19 | Boulder | Colorado | 9/15/19 - 9/24/19 | $2,850.00 | Full | |
| Rock Guide Course | R1 RGC 20 | Joshua Tree | California | 3/3/20 - 3/12/20 | $2,950.00 | Opens 8/1/19 | |
| Rock Guide Course | R2 RGC 20 | Red Rock Canyon NCA | Nevada | 3/17/20 - 3/26/20 | $2,950.00 | Opens 8/1/19 | |
| Rock Guide Course | R4 RGC 20 | Smith Rock State Park | Oregon | 4/7/20 - 4/16/20 | $2,950.00 | Opens 8/1/19 | |
| Rock Guide Course | R7 RGC 20 | Gunks | New York | 4/20/20 - 4/29/20 | $2,950.00 | Opens 8/1/19 | |
| Rock Guide Course | R10 RGC 20 | Boulder | Colorado | 6/1/20 - 6/11/20 | $2,950.00 | Opens 8/1/19 | |
| Rock Guide Course | R11 RGC 20 | Boulder | Colorado | 7/11/20 - 7/20/20 | $2,950.00 | Opens 8/1/19 | |
| Rock Guide Course | R16 RGC 20 | Boulder | Colorado | 9/17/20 - 9/24/20 | $3,700.00 | Opens 8/1/19 | |
| Rock Guide Course | R20 RGC 20 | Boulder | Colorado | 9/29/20 - 10/8/20 | $2,950.00 | Opens 8/1/19 | |
| Rock Guide Course | R14 RGC 20 | North Conway | New Hampshire | 9/9/20 - 9/18/20 | $2,950.00 | Opens 8/1/19 | |
| Rock Guide Course | R28 VETERANS RGC 20 | Leavenworth | Washington | 9/29/20 - 10/8/20 | $2,950.00 | Opens 8/1/19 | |
| Rock Guide Course | R22 RGC 20 | Smith Rock State Park | Oregon | 10/6/20 - 10/15/20 | $2,950.00 | Opens 8/1/19 | |
| Rock Guide Course | R23 RGC 20 | Brevard | North Carolina | 10/6/20 - 10/15/20 | $2,950.00 | Opens 8/1/19 | |
| Rock Guide Course | R26 RGC 20 | Joshua Tree | California | 10/28/20 - 11/6/20 | $2,950.00 | Opens 8/1/19 | |
| Rock Guide Course | R27 RGC 20 | Joshua Tree | California | 11/9/20 - 11/18/20 | $2,950.00 | Opens 8/1/19 | |
| Rock Instructor Exam | R14 RIE 19 | Boulder | Colorado | 9/23/19 - 9/28/19 | $2,800.00 | Open | Apply |
| Rock Instructor Exam | R13 RIE 19 | North Conway | New Hampshire | 8/12/19 - 8/17/19 | $2,800.00 | Waitlist | Waitlist |
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
This program will be instructed by Alain Comeau, Emilie Drinkwater, and Mick Pearson.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
Student Karen Hilton works her way up the Bastille Crack in Eldorado Canyon during the 2016 RGC in Boulder. Photo by student Brandon Phillips.
This program will be instructed by Mark Hammond, Evan Stevens, Olivia Race, and KC Baum.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
Student Karen Hilton works her way up the Bastille Crack in Eldorado Canyon during the 2016 RGC in Boulder. Photo by student Brandon Phillips.
This program will be instructed by Eric Larson, Mark Hammond, Steve Banks, and Karen Bockel.
This is a small program that is limited to 6 students. Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
Students Arthur and Diane leading with Instructor Angela Hawse below. Photo by Instructor Alain Comeau.
This program will be instructed by Angela Hawse and Christian Santelices.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
A student leads the way during the 2016 RGC at Smith Rock. Photo by Instructor Pete Keane.
This program will be instructed by Pete Keane, Larry Goldie, Jonathon Spitzer, and Neil Satterfield.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
Student Kate McHugh leading Western Saga during the 2016 RGC in Joshua Tree. Photo by Azissa Singh.
This program will be instructed by Geoff Unger, Patrick Ormond, Amos Whiting, and Forest McBrian.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
Student Kate McHugh leading Western Saga during the 2016 RGC in Joshua Tree. Photo by Azissa Singh.
This program will be instructed by Erik Leidecker, Jeff Ward, Dylan Taylor, and Ian Nicholson.
This program is only open to VETERANS of the US Military who wish to use their GI Bill funds to pay for the course. This course is run through the American Alpine Institute (an AMGA accredited business), who are accredited and approved to accept GI Bill funding.
In order to participate on this Rock Guide Course, you must:
2) Apply to the program, pay the non-refundable $65.00 application fee, and submit all of the required application materials (resume and WFR/CPR) to show that you meet the prerequisites for the RGC
4) Once your materials have been reviewed, you will be eligible to become enrolled in the course if space is available (like all AMGA programs, entrance is competitive and we may receive more applications than we have spaces available - meeting the prerequisites is not a guarantee of enrollment, please review the process for application review here)
5) If accepted into the program, you will be sent a document describing how to complete the enrollment process and use your VA benefits to pay for the program. You cannot be officially enrolled until you have completed the VA Benefits Survey and Enrollment Agreement through the American Alpine Institute.
If you have any questions about this course, the application review/enrollment process, how to use your VA benefits, or anything else related to this program, please contact Peter Schultz ([email protected]).
AMGA Women's Rock Guide Course | Sponsored by The North Face
The AMGA Women's Rock Guide Course | Sponsored by The North Face, is the first RGC at the AMGA specifically for women, taught be all female members of the AMGA Instructor Team. Scholarship assistance ($2000.00 per student) is available. Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses (beyond the scholarship for tuition).
In addition to the standard application materials, applicants to this program need to complete a scholarship application by the application deadline (March 17, 2019). Please complete the scholarship application here.
Please click here for all the details about this unique opportunity.
If you have already applied to, or been accepted to a 2019 RGC, and you would like to be considered for acceptance into the Women's RGC instead, please contact Jesse Littleton, AMGA Guide Program Manager, ([email protected] 303-271-0984) for assistance.
This program will be instructed by: Angela Hawse, Margaret Wheeler, Karen Bockel & Erica Engle.
Apprentice Rock Guides, Heidi Wirtz & Sarah MacGregor on their 2018 Rock Guide Course in Eldorado Canyon. Photo by Jayson Simons-Jones.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
Student Kate McHugh leading Western Saga during the 2016 RGC in Joshua Tree. Photo by Azissa Singh.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
A student leads the way during the 2016 RGC at Smith Rock. Photo by Instructor Pete Keane.
This is a small program that is limited to 6 students. Conditions and weather dependent, this program may travel to the Adirondacks.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
Instructor Geoff Unger coaches a student on belay management from below during the 2016 RGC in the ADKs. Photo by Instructor Silas Rossi.
Weather and condiion dependent, this program may also utilize Lump Ridge in Estes Park, Colorado.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
Student Karen Hilton works her way up the Bastille Crack in Eldorado Canyon during the 2016 RGC in Boulder. Photo by student Brandon Phillips.
Weather and condiion dependent, this program may also utilize Lump Ridge in Estes Park, Colorado.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
Student Karen Hilton works her way up the Bastille Crack in Eldorado Canyon during the 2016 RGC in Boulder. Photo by student Brandon Phillips.
This is a trial 2:1 ratio Rock Guide Course. The program is shortened to 8 days and will have a maximum of 8 students and 4 instructors.
Weather and condiion dependent, this program may also utilize Lump Ridge in Estes Park, Colorado.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
Student Karen Hilton works her way up the Bastille Crack in Eldorado Canyon during the 2016 RGC in Boulder. Photo by student Brandon Phillips.
Weather and condiion dependent, this program may also utilize Lump Ridge in Estes Park, Colorado.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
Student Karen Hilton works her way up the Bastille Crack in Eldorado Canyon during the 2016 RGC in Boulder. Photo by student Brandon Phillips.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
This program is only open to VETERANS of the US Military who wish to use their GI Bill funds to pay for the course. This course is run through the American Alpine Institute (an AMGA accredited business), who are accredited and approved to accept GI Bill funding.
In order to participate on this Rock Guide Course, you must:
2) Apply to the program, pay the non-refundable $65.00 application fee, and submit all of the required application materials (resume and WFR/CPR) to show that you meet the prerequisites for the RGC
4) Once your materials have been reviewed, you will be eligible to become enrolled in the course if space is available (like all AMGA programs, entrance is competitive and we may receive more applications than we have spaces available - meeting the prerequisites is not a guarantee of enrollment, please review the process for application review here)
5) If accepted into the program, you will be sent a document describing how to complete the enrollment process and use your VA benefits to pay for the program. You cannot be officially enrolled until you have completed the VA Benefits Survey and Enrollment Agreement through the American Alpine Institute.
If you have any questions about this course, the application review/enrollment process, how to use your VA benefits, or anything else related to this program, please contact Peter Schultz ([email protected]).
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
A student leads the way during the 2016 RGC at Smith Rock. Photo by Instructor Pete Keane.
This is a small program limited to 6 students. Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
Student Kate McHugh leading Western Saga during the 2016 RGC in Joshua Tree. Photo by Azissa Singh.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
Student Kate McHugh leading Western Saga during the 2016 RGC in Joshua Tree. Photo by Azissa Singh.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
2019 will be the final year the AMGA Rock Instructor Exam will be offered. The RIE will be replaced with the Multi-Pitch Instructor Certification in 2020. All Certified Rock Instructors will see no change in their Scope of Practice or title. Please stay tuned for more information coming soon from the Technical Director.
The examiners for this program is Amos Whiting, Joe Thompson, and Mike Soucy.
Program tuition does not include food, lodging, transportation, or other course expenses unless otherwise noted.
2019 will be the final year the AMGA Rock Instructor Exam will be offered. The RIE will be replaced with the Multi-Pitch Instructor Certification in 2020. All Certified Rock Instructors will see no change in their Scope of Practice or title. Please stay tuned for more information coming soon from the Technical Director.
This examiners for this program are Alain Comeau and Peter Doucette.
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