Choosing a Guide

From my e-mail inbox:

I appreciate all the information you post, especially being open with your resume. Thanks you!! That makes choosing a guide much easier.

Useful comments from the experience of others:

• A letter to the editor from AMC Outdoors
• Excerpts from a letter from a friend who hired a guide in Peru
• Some comments on Morrisons Hiking and Mountaineering home page (scroll down)
• Commentary from the Alaskan Alpine Club (scroll down to "Mountaineering Guides...")

All those criteria, credentials, letters, regulations - what they really mean

Certification, permits, insurance, registration, licensing, safety records, professional affiliations - these are among the many things used in promotional materials by various guides and services. Here is the truth behind these terms, issues and criteria. You should probably read my biases and positions first. I've tried to be as factual as possible but I do have my own opinions and am happy to state them so that the reader can decide whether they feel I have misrepresented anything due to any bias.

• Certification
• Accreditation
• Permits
• Insurance
• Registration/Licensing
• Safety Records
• Professional Affiliation

Alternatives to guides and guide services

Common alternatives, especially for basic instruction, include clubs and university programs. These are often good ways to find climbing partners as well.