I have seen many people say they are guides yet climbing is a part time off and on pastime for them. In the State of Michigan where we are located it requires more liscensure to open a Ice Cream stand than it does to hold someone’s life in your hands. Anyone can hang up a shingle or print a business card that says guide on it.

It requires much more than being a good climber to be a guide. A guide is patient, Will be able to thoroughly explain to you why he/she is doing something. Most importantly a guide will have done the his job properly when you leave thinking ‘I really didn’t need a guide today’. What I am trying to say is a guides first and foremost task is to preserve life. A guide will help you realize your abilities while making sure that you remain safe. Guides know how to rescue you when things go wrong, a guide understands how to read conditions. Guides are able to read the ice to know whether or not it is safe to climb on it. A guide has a good knowledge of weather and will get you down or to a safe place before inclement weather conditions present themselves.

Constant continuing education and constant practice is a requirement. One of the quickest ways to tell the professionals from the dabblers is  just a couple questions, 1. Do they carry Liability coverage which covers their guiding activities. 2. Do they hold the required Licenses and permits for the areas in which they guide. I met one pseudo-guide which when asked if he had insurance he responded with “Don’t need it because I am incorporated!” Another said that he did not need permits or insurance because he tells people that he is not really guiding. He is just along to set up the ropes, show them what to do and keep them safe. Both of these “guides” charged lower rates than reputable services. It’s ridiculous that the part-timers, no insurance or permits can make money doing this while reputable guides care enough to do it right. I once heard it said that we guides “have all the responsibility of a surgeon with half the pay of a plumber.

Do yourself a favor, stay away from part time  neurosurgeons and for your next big adventure hire a real guide.

See you on Higher Ground