The Certified Guides Federation (CGF), created in 2005, is a non-profit organization dedicated to making independent mountain guiding possible in the United States. The CGF holds a variety of permits throughout the USA, as well as the requisite liability insurance, for use by members of the organization. Certified guides (in any one discipline as well as fully certified IFMGA guides) pay membership dues to the CGF in order to utilize these permits and insurance. The only certification not eligible is the top rope site manager/single pitch instructor.

GUIDE QUALIFICATIONS

All guides working for the Certified Guides Federation will be certified by the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) or be a licensed International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations (IFMGA) guide. 

There are four AMGA certifications that qualify guides to become members of the CGF.  Rock Instructor, Rock Guide, Alpine Guide, and Ski Mountaineering Guide are all approved certifications. An American guide becomes licensed by the International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations (IFMGA) by passing all certification exams in Rock, Alpine, and Ski.  This achievement is the highest level of credential attainable by a professional mountain guide anywhere in the world.

 

If the guide received certification through a member association he or she must hold full IFMGA certification in order to be eligible for CGF membership.

CERTIFICATION DESCRIPTIONS

Rock Instructor Certification is designed for guides that typically guide “shorter” routes from single pitch up to grade III rock climbs.  Guides may attain Rock Instructor Certification after a ten day training course, a Wilderness First Responder course and a six day Rock Instructor Exam.  Typically, most of these guides also take the ten-day Rock Guide Course in order to prepare for the Rock Instructor Exam.  Certified Rock Instructors go through a minimum of 26 days of training and examination.

Rock Guide Certification program consists of two training courses lasting ten and seven days in length.  It also has two exams - one lasting three days and the final exam lasting six days.  To become a Certified Rock Guide you must pass both exams and hold a Wilderness First Responder certification.  After finishing the Rock Guide Exam the certified guide will have gone through a minimum of 36 days of training and examination by the highest level of instruction and examination in the United States.

Alpine Guide Certification program consists of two ten-day long training courses, a three day aspirant exam, and the final exam lasting ten days.  Alpine certified guides are required to go through the first course of the rock program as well as take first aid and advanced avalanche training.  After passing the Alpine Guide exam the certified guide will have gone through a minimum of 57 days of training and examination by the highest level of instruction and examination in the United States.

Ski Mountaineering Guide Certification program consists of a twelve-day course, a seven-day course, a three-day exam and an eight-day final exam.  Certified Ski Mountaineering Guides are also required to take advanced avalanche training (US Level 3) and a minimum of Wilderness First Responder training.  The Certified Ski Mountaineering Guide goes through a minimum of 45 days of training and examination during the certification process. 

IFMGA Guide- An American guide becomes licensed by the International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations (IFMGA) by completing all of the higher level certification courses and exams in all three of the disciplines – Alpine, Rock and Ski. 

The American IFMGA guide will have gone through the Rock Guide, Alpine Guide, and Ski Mountaineering courses and exams.  They will also have participated in several avalanche courses including the highest level of education offered in the United States.  The guide will also have taken Wilderness First Responder or Emergency Medical Technician courses and exams.  At the end of the certification process these guides will have over 100 days of training and examination.

Non-American IFMGA guides go through training and certification in their home countries.  These countries are members of the IFMGA and are required to keep training and examination standards up to the level specified by the IFMGA.  The amount and type of training vary from country to country, but they all meet or exceed the IFMGA requirements.  These requirements are what the AMGA programs are based on, so member countries will have a similar level of training as an American IFMGA licensed guide.  Currently there are 21 member countries with the majority of them in Europe.

More information on the training and certifications programs that the CGF guides have gone through can be found on the AMGA website www.amga.com.  Information on the IFMGA and its member countries can be found at www.ifmga.info.