Getting started, any tips?

Post general questions and discuss issues related to climbing.
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Darren Hauk

 
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Getting started, any tips?

by Darren Hauk » Sun May 11, 2014 11:25 pm

Just looking to make climbing my life in the somewhat near future. I'm currently only 1 year active duty in the Navy, so I still have a ways to go until I can really pursue this. Hoping to get some advice on where I can start researching about how to begin the process to becoming a mountain guide. I figure the earlier I figure this out, the faster I can start training/school, even before my service is over.

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LesterLong

 
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Re: Getting started, any tips?

by LesterLong » Mon May 12, 2014 11:52 am

My advice is:

1) Physical: Make sure that good diet and exercise is a major part of your life, for the rest of your life. Pro Tip: This includes flexibility, cardio, and a broad range of exercise (not just bench and curls).

2) Mental: Read as much as you can about it. Also, find guided climbs so you learn from experienced folks.

3) Emotional/Spiritual: Develop a connection to outdoor life and the adversity that comes with it.

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ExcitableBoy

 
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Re: Getting started, any tips?

by ExcitableBoy » Mon May 12, 2014 2:22 pm

The path to becoming a mountain guide is through the AMGA certification process, which requires you to already be a very experienced and proficient multi-pitch traditional rock climber, alpine climber, mountaineer, ice climber, and ski mountaineer. Also, medical certifications (WFR at least) avalanche certs, (AIRE), leave no trace certs (LNT) are required. To be a good mountain guide requires a host of soft skills as well.

My advice is climb as much as you can in every discipline you can. If you can get the Navy to put you through medic training or get a job as a pararescueman or something along those lines, so much the better.

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Grampahawk

 
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Re: Getting started, any tips?

by Grampahawk » Fri May 16, 2014 4:04 pm

Get a copy of "Freedom of the Hills". That will give you a good idea of the skills you'll need to develop.

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ExcitableBoy

 
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Re: Getting started, any tips?

by ExcitableBoy » Fri May 16, 2014 4:17 pm

Grampahawk wrote:Get a copy of "Freedom of the Hills". That will give you a good idea of the skills you'll need to develop.

I got a start in more serious mountaineering and technical climbing when my mother, a librarian, brought home the 3rd Edition of Freedom of the Hills the library was getting rid of. Even though much of the equipment was antiquated at that time, it still gave a solid foundation.

I had another thought as well. If you intend to pursue employment as a mountain guide, earn a college degree. Many guide firms require their guides to have a college diploma. The reason being is most of your clients are going to be doctors, lawyers, business executives, dentists, software developers and other well educated types and they want their guides to be able to relate their guests on a similar level.

The degree doesn't much matter, but when I guided I know my undergraduate courses in plant ecology, botany, and wildlife biology allowed me to give my guests an additional level of education on the mountain environment. A degree in geology would be really cool to have, and at least a minor in French or Spanish would be very helpful if you guide internationally.

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Sierra Ledge Rat

 
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Re: Getting started, any tips?

by Sierra Ledge Rat » Sat May 17, 2014 7:53 pm

WTF???

Ever look at a map of the world showing Navy bases? They're usually on the water = Sea Level.

Take of scuba diving and bikini chasing instead. There's no surer way to make someone miserable than to put a mountaineer on a Navy base in Florida.

You might have snowball's chance in hell of being a Navy mountaineer if you get assigned to one of the few Navy bases that are remotely near mountains. NAS Whidbey Island is probably your best choice - if you have a choice anymore. There are plenty of climbing guides out there.

http://www.summitpost.org/aerial-view-of-glacier-peak/467588

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JHH60

 
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Re: Getting started, any tips?

by JHH60 » Sun May 18, 2014 12:39 am

The Marine Corps has a Mountain Warfare training center in the Sierra off hwy 108 near Bridgeport CA. I'll say up front that I have never been in the military myself but was a military contractor for many years, so when I first drove past the center I was curious and read up on it. I gather that if you are a Navy Medic you can get mountain medicine training there, which would likely be useful as a guide. If you qualify for Navy Special Forces you can get mountaineering and combat training there. If you were willing to transfer into the Marine Corps it looks like you could take a much wider range of classes in mountaineering skills. And if you were able to qualify for training as a Mountain warfare instructor, while perhaps not identical to civilian guiding, I'm sure you'd have a great leg up in that area.
http://www.29palms.marines.mil/News/NewsArticleDisplay/tabid/3005/Article/57224/the-making-of-a-mountain-warfare-instructor.aspx

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Sierra Ledge Rat

 
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Re: Getting started, any tips?

by Sierra Ledge Rat » Sun May 18, 2014 2:05 pm

The problem is that you really don't have a lot of choice about where you get stationed.

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Sierra Ledge Rat

 
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Re: Getting started, any tips?

by Sierra Ledge Rat » Wed May 21, 2014 2:48 pm

jesu, joy of man's desiring wrote:Ledge Rat, how did YOU go from fighter jets to high technical mountains and steep cliffs???


Other way around. I went from mountains to jets. I got a post card from a navy recruiter that said:

THIS DESK DOES MACH 2
Image


That's all it took for me.....

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Darren Hauk

 
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Re: Getting started, any tips?

by Darren Hauk » Sat May 24, 2014 3:37 pm

Hey thanks everyone for the help. Actually learned quite a few new bits of information on all this lol. Thanks especially for telling me about the college degree, I never even thought of that. Im pretty sure my copy is the latest version of "Freedom of the Hills", thanks for reminding me I need to get that mailed over to me haha

Yea I see where your coming from ledge rat lol, I also think its insane i ended up in the Navy with these ambitions, especially becoming an ND. Totally opposite environment. However there are quite a few spots around that put me next to what im looking for. Hoping to be stationed at Everett, WA locker

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Darren Hauk

 
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Re: Getting started, any tips?

by Darren Hauk » Tue May 27, 2014 3:12 am

I think I know of courses very similar to what you linked that are in the Navy. Unfortunately as a Diver I dont think i'll be able to get into that simply because of how much work i'll be doing haha. Who knows though, theres still a lot I can learn about the Military in general so maybe ill get lucky. Im just hoping that I can begin learning that sooner than I think I will.

Thank you very much for the other link to relating to accidents in Mountaineering. Great way to learn is to observe what has gone wrong in the past. Hell, thats how most of the maintenance on our diving rigs came to be!

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mconnell

 
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Re: Getting started, any tips?

by mconnell » Tue May 27, 2014 3:13 am

Sunny Buns wrote:"Accidents in North American Mountaineering", published by the American Alpine Club every year will help you learn from the mistakes of others. Read as many of these books as you can find:


If you're interested, I probably have several that I can ship to you for the cost of shipping...

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Jesus Malverde

 
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Re: Getting started, any tips?

by Jesus Malverde » Thu May 29, 2014 1:05 am

Darren,
FWIW...
An interesting article (and comments/responses) over at Sierra Mountain Guides:
A case for guide certification from the Sierra
http://www.sierramtnguides.com/a-case-f ... dium=email

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