Rock Guide Development
Short Course
9 Days
1:1 Ratio
Coaching against guide standard
Decision making framework
Risk awareness
Anchors and application
Squamish
British Columbia
ACMG-aligned
Curriculum
WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR
You climb well.
Now learn to guide.
This course is built for experienced climbers who are considering a future in guiding — or who simply want to operate with guide-level competence in the mountains. Nine days of structured, one-to-one training against the standard you'll need to meet.
The aspiring guide
You're considering the ACMG Rock Guide program and want to arrive with a clear picture of the standard — and honest feedback on where you stand.
The serious amateur
You lead hard routes and take friends into the hills. You want the technical vocabulary and decision-making framework that keeps everyone safe.
The professional in transition
You're building toward a second career in the outdoor industry and want structured, documented training behind you before you pursue credentials.
COURSE CURRICULUM
Nine days. Three Phases.
Each phase builds on the last. We start with what you can already do, build the technical and judgment layers on top, and finish with a full simulation of a working guide day
PHASE ONE
DAY 1-3
Technical Foundation
We establish your movement baseline against the ACMG guide standard and build the anchor and rigging vocabulary you'll draw on for the rest of the course. This phase is diagnostic as much as instructional — honest feedback on where the gaps are.
Movement screening
PHASE TWO
DAY 4-6
Field Application
Skills are only useful when applied under real conditions. Phase Two puts hazard identification, logistical planning, and client care into live terrain. We work through the non-technical side of guiding — the part that separates a competent climber from a competent guide.
Day logistics and sequencing
Client care and coaching
Communication strategies
Risk mitigation
Skill application
PHASE THREE
DAY 7-9
Guide Simulation
Vertical terrain rescue, full guide day simulation, and a final capstone assessment. You'll lead, make decisions, and debrief. You leave with a written assessment of where you stand against the program objectives — something concrete to carry into the next step of your development.
Vertical terrain rescue
Written assessment
Full guide day simulation
Rescue drills
WHAT YOU LEAVE WITH
Concrete progress.
On paper.
An honest performance baseline
Written feedback against the ACMG guide standard — not a participation certificate. You'll know exactly where you stand and what to work on next.
Guide-level judgment
Decision-making under pressure, client care, logistical planning. The parts of guiding that don't show up in a technique manual but define who gets hired.
Technical vocabulary and skill sets
Anchor systems, rescue techniques, hazard frameworks — the language and toolkit of a working guide, built through nine days of applied practice.
A clear next step
Whether that's an ACMG application, an apprenticeship, or continuing development — you'll leave knowing what it is and how to get there.
INVESTMENT
One package.
No hidden costs.
Using external funding or employer support?
This course is publicly advertised and open to all applicants. If you are seeking reimbursement or pre-approval through a professional development benefit, training fund, or third-party sponsor, Stone Craft Guiding can provide a formal letterhead quote, proof of enrolment documentation, and supporting course materials upon request.
Reach out directly and we'll put the right package together for your application.