Climbing in general and guiding in particular are evolving at a rapid pace. New equipment and techniques to increase safety are constantly developing. Like any profession it is essential to seek out professional development so that I can deliver the highest possible quality and best possible experience to my clients.
I recently completed the Rock Guide Course with the American Mountain Guide Association, the organization charged with training and certifying guides to an international standard of safety and competence. The course was the most advanced rock guiding course offered by the AMGA and is designed to ready participants for a 6 day certification exam in the future. It was an unforgettable and extremely educational endeavor.
The other five participants, two instructors and I climbed thousands of feet and learned and practiced new techniques as we guided each other around Red Rocks, NV. The instructors, Angela Hawse and Art Mooney, are world class guides and always had novel suggestions of how to move more efficiently and safely in big rock climbing terrain.
Working with these instructors was as inspiring as it was educational. The group bonded through out the course as we supported each other through many 430am wake-ups followed by long days of climbing and night time preparations to do it again. We were all as exhausted as we were enriched by the end of the course. Now time for a couple days of rest before the seasonal migration to Washington.
20 mins from the famous Las Vegas strip dramatic canyons cut through the huge sandstone peaks. Unlike many other areas, the huge routes of Red Rocks are host to rock climbs great for everyone from beginner to expert. Looking to rock climb? Cheap flights to Vegas, convenient climbing, and terrific weather make Red Rocks a dream location. What happens in Vegas doesn’t necessarily have to stay in Vegas.