A mountain guide has a license to work worldwide, taking people climbing, mountaineering and on skis in all sorts of terrain including alpine touring. Successful applicants for the position of a British Mountain Guide will have years of mountaineering behind them before entering on a training and assessment programme which takes over 100 days to complete in full. It’s crucial that members of the British Mountain Guide have been trained and assessed to a very high standard in all mountaineering disciplines and across a wide range of terrain.
To become a guide, you need an abundance of experience in rock climbing in Britain, winter climbing in Scotland, alpine mountaineering, and you must also be a competent skier off-piste with experience in ski touring.
Once accepted as a trainee, applicants can progress through to becoming an aspirant and will be required to work in the Alps with under the tutelage of experienced guides. Skills in alpine mountaineering and ski touring will be fine-tuned. When the obligatory experience has been obtained, one must register with BMG who administer tests in all disciplines of guiding.
Climbing ability will be assessed in a variety of locations in Britain and the Alps and potential guides will also be assessed in glacial travel, avalanche rescue and ski mountaineering. They may also act as technical advisers for other training schemes.
The best bit about guiding is the opportunity to work in different places throughout the year in a number of disciplines while taking people to amazing places. All people with BMG will hold the IFMGA – the International Federation of Mountain Guides association. The IFMGA is the intentional governing body of guides with 27 member countries. It is a legal requirement for those working above the snow line in climbing, mountaineering or ski touring, that they must hold the IFMGA carnet.
Words by George Bond, Resort Representative in Ellmau.