Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:00 am
I'm in my second full season as a rock guide. It can be tough. It depends a lot on the clients, where you're going, how much you've been working.
Last year was a blast. I climbed a ton outside of work, had a lot of great clients, was learning a lot of new things from people. This past season was really stressful. I had a lot more responsibility and didn't get out climbing on my own as much. I also did a lot of onsight guiding which I found to be particularly nerve racking. There's a huge difference between guiding people up things you know every hand and foothold by heart and things where you're trying to memorize topos or guidebook pages shortly before the clients walk up.
The thing I think is hardest is staying positive when you're not in that good of a mood. I had a trip this summer that got rained out one day and I had to stay there because they rescheduled for the next day. I'd been working for like thirty days straight and all I really wanted to do was meet up with some friends and go climb something for myself. A good guide is always their for their client. Helping them, teaching them, supporting them. Not all clients can do the same in return and if you don't have your wits about you it can suck bad. That being said I can only count on one hand the number of times I, or my clients, have had a bad trip.
As for the AMGA, I agree with The Chief, if they wanted to get people to standardize their practices then they'd make it easier (financially) to obtain the certifications. I remain at my level of certification (SPI), not because I don't have the skills, I simply don't have the money to advance myself. Unfortunately, they're becoming less of a positive influence, and more of a requirement for permits, jobs, etc. They aren't getting any cheaper either. I need a sugar mama.
Last year was a blast. I climbed a ton outside of work, had a lot of great clients, was learning a lot of new things from people. This past season was really stressful. I had a lot more responsibility and didn't get out climbing on my own as much. I also did a lot of onsight guiding which I found to be particularly nerve racking. There's a huge difference between guiding people up things you know every hand and foothold by heart and things where you're trying to memorize topos or guidebook pages shortly before the clients walk up.
The thing I think is hardest is staying positive when you're not in that good of a mood. I had a trip this summer that got rained out one day and I had to stay there because they rescheduled for the next day. I'd been working for like thirty days straight and all I really wanted to do was meet up with some friends and go climb something for myself. A good guide is always their for their client. Helping them, teaching them, supporting them. Not all clients can do the same in return and if you don't have your wits about you it can suck bad. That being said I can only count on one hand the number of times I, or my clients, have had a bad trip.
As for the AMGA, I agree with The Chief, if they wanted to get people to standardize their practices then they'd make it easier (financially) to obtain the certifications. I remain at my level of certification (SPI), not because I don't have the skills, I simply don't have the money to advance myself. Unfortunately, they're becoming less of a positive influence, and more of a requirement for permits, jobs, etc. They aren't getting any cheaper either. I need a sugar mama.