Crossing into the Taghia with a mule in Morocco
At Into the Mountains we are committed to providing you with the highest standard of professionalism. That starts with our climbing experience and guide training. We have both undergone extensive guides training in the Alpine, Rock and Ski Mountaineering disciplines through the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA). Throughout the training, candidates are instructed, evaluated and examined by some of the best mountain guides from the U.S. and abroad. Upon successful completion of a final exam in each discipline, the candidate becomes an IFMGA (International Federation of Mountain Guides Association) certified guide. This certification is recognized around the world, and you are licensed to work in all member countries. Adam has successfully earned his IFMGA certification and Caroline is currently one exam away from completing the process (she currently holds Aspirant status). It is worth noting that there are fewer than 100 fully certified IFMGA guides in the United States. For more information on this training process please visit the AMGA website.
In the United States we are blessed with an incredible amount of open space and some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world protected by city, state and national parks. In order to protect and monitor the usage of these magnificent places, there are various regulations imposed by local, state and national governments. What this means in terms of guiding is that many of the popular climbing venues in the U.S. only allow a handful of guide services to legally operate there. In fact, there are some venues that strictly forbid guiding. At Into the Mountains, we feel it’s important to play by the rules: if we cannot secure our own permit to guide in a specific venue, we will work through one of the local concession holders as a “guest guide.” In doing so, we can offer trips legally to some incredible places that are often very difficult for independent guides to gain access to.
Internationally, while permitting is typically a bit more relaxed than in the U.S., guiding is often much more controlled. In most of Europe and Canada, you are not allowed to guide unless you are a licensed IFMGA guide or an “Aspirant” (apprentice) guide. So make sure your guide is working legally where ever your desired location may be.