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AMGA
Rock Guide |
Are you ready to take the AMGA rock exam and want to brush up on your skills before the exam? Do you want to make sure you're prepared? We can help you fine tune the skills you already have and introduce new skills that will help you in the future. Because we actively teach courses and helped create the exam, we can offer valuable insight into the exam process.
Everyone comes to us with a different background and experience and because of this, there is no set curriculum. We'll need to speak at length and get out in the field with you before we can clearly identify your strengths and challenges.
Typically, guides schedule at least 3 days and sometimes as many as 5 days of training. Feedback after this preparation has been overwhelmingly positive. In the last year every guide that has come to us to prep for their exam has passed.
Alan was one of the originators of the Rock Guide Education and Certificaton Program for the AMGA. He helped design and implement their rock guides and advanced rock guides courses as well as their rock exams. This program is internationally recognized by the International Federation of Mountain Guiding Associations (IFMGA). He has been training guides and examining for the AMGA for 15 years now.
In the near future there will be lots of climbing schools offering AMGA sanctioned guide training courses. Beware. Most just started doing formal guide training at this level. What does this mean for you? Quality instruction is most important when it comes time to take your exam. Be sure you've been prepared by someone that knows the process and the standard at which you'll be examined. Additionally, don't be fooled by a lower price. Remember you get what you pay for and during your exam you don't want to find out you were not properly prepared.
If you'd like to contact guides that have done exam preparation with us, check our references page.
Key Points in
Preparation
To do the best possible job preparing you for your exam,
we make sure that you are familiar and competent with the
following items. These items relate directly to categories
on the AMGA Rock Exam score card.
- Client Care
- The guide must monitor client comfort levels and be sure they don't compromise the safety of the party. Clear communication is paramount. The guide must also provide a rewarding and enjoyable experience based on conditions, risk management, client profile and the exam assisgnment.
- Risk Management
- The guide must maintain adequate security given the objective, route conditions and the client profile. They must also recognize and analyze hazards that affect risk. Risk must be minimized using all reasonable and appropriate means. Guide security must also be adequate given the objective and route conditions.
- Technical Systems
- The guide must understand and correctly deploy protection, anchor, belay systems, and rappelling and lowering techniques. They must also use appropriate rope management while short roping or pitched climbing. Rescue skills must be executed with minimal time and be reasonable simple.
- Movement Skills
- The guide should display smooth, competent, efficient movement while climbing, protecting and belaying. This same confidence should be evident on 3rd and 4th class terrain. Fitness and stamina should be sufficent to acomplish the objective. Efficient use of time and good pace must be evident given the objective, condition of the route and the client profile.
- Terrain Assessment
- The guide must assess the assigned route and plan for alternatives. They must also use appropriate techniques to approach, climb, and descend the route.
- Professionalism
- The guide must adequately prepare for the trip which includes alternate routes and familiarity with those alternate routes as best as can be expected. They must adequately prepare the client for the planned objective. Additionally, they should model current environmentally conscious backcountry travel and climbing practices.
- Instructional Technique
- The guide must use an appropriate lesson plan and teaching progression. They must also understand and use a variety of teaching methods which should be adaptable to different learning styles. Guides should also provide appropriate coaching to enhance the clients experience.
- Mountain Sense
- The guide must be decisive in identifying, acting upon and carrying out options. They must also manage stress without compromising their performance. Additionally, if errors are identified, to correct those errors without compromising the partys safety and with minimal disruption.
- Application
- The guide must apply the right technique in the right place at the right time.
