FAQ - The American Mountain Guides Association - www.amga.com

The American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) www.amga.com was founded in 1979 and is based in Golden, Colorado. The AMGA is the sole US representative of the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA), and run a variety of courses in several locations in the USA throughout the year in order to offer several different credentials.

The AMGA provides training and the only nationally and internationally recognized certifications in the USA for Rock, Alpine and Ski Mountaineering Guides and is recognized worldwide as the highest American standard of training and certification in these disciplines. The AMGA offers three levels of certification in the rock discipline: "Top Rope Site Manager", "Rock Instructor" and "Rock Guide."

AMGA Top Rope Site Manager - This is the certification for Climbing Instructors who teach on cliffs that are defined as, "No leading required to set up climb, single pitch where access to the top is non-technical". There are prerequisites that the Instructor must meet before the certification course, and to successfully gain the certification must pass the 17 separate Component Modules and 7 Evaluation Modules set over a five day period.

AMGA Rock Instructor (Formally known as "Level I Rock Guide"*) - This is the certification to guide on multi-pitch routes up to "grade III" in length (up to 6-10 pitches, or 400-1000ft long in rough terms). There are many prerequisites before the guide can enroll on the AMGA Rock Instructor Course, such as years of climbing experience, amount, grade, and length of climbs. After the course Guides must then gain more experience and meet the AMGA's prerequisites before presenting themselves for the intensive 6 day AMGA Rock Instructor Exam.

AMGA Rock Guide (Formally known as "Level II Rock Guide"*) - This certification is for guides wishing to guide routes that are extremely long and complex in nature. This is the certification normally sought by guides wanting to work out West in places like Yosemite and Red Rocks, although the skills are just as at home on Whiteside and the North Face of Looking Glass in NC. After the gaining the AMGA Rock Instructor Certification or completing the Rock Instructor Course, Guides must take the AMGA Advanced Rock Guides Course, continue their personal training and meet the AMGA's prerequisites before presenting themselves for the 6 day AMGA Rock Guide Certification Exam.

*In 1998 the AMGA changed the terminology for Level I & II Rock Guides; Level I became "Rock Instructor" and Level II became "Rock Guide". The terrain guidelines, training and exams are the same, just the names have changed.

Anyone who was previously an "AMGA Level II Rock Guide" is now simply an "AMGA Rock Guide". Anyone who was previously an "AMGA Level I Rock Guide" is still an "AMGA Level I Rock Guide". Anyone that is an AMGA Rock Instructor has been certified after 1998.

AMGA Rock Instructors or AMGA Level I Rock Guides are certified to guide "rock routes up to and including grade III climbs". AMGA Rock Guides are certified to guide "rock routes of any length".

Beware of Guides or Outfitters claiming to be "AMGA Professional Members". This was just a membership category of the AMGA and has no training or certification linked to it. This membership category ceased to exist as of 2001 and AMGA members are in violation of AMGA policy if they are still claiming "AMGA Professional Membership" status.

United States Mountain Guides Association (USMGA) www.usmga.net The USMGA endorse and promote AMGA Exam Certified Instructors and Guides. The USMGA do not offer any certifications or training.

Information provided by Adam Fox of Fox Mountain Guides