The USMGA is totally committed to raising the standard of guiding in this country. We don't offer courses or exams. Currently, The American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) is the only national organization doing this. We encourage the AMGA to continue to develop it's course and exam programs and it's instructor pool.

Like any educational program, the quality of the AMGA's courses can vary. Because the guide training process can be challenging and expensive, you want to be sure the training and exams you receive are the best possible. To do this we recommend that you do a couple of things:
  1- get a commitment from the AMGA as far in advance as possible concerning the instructors/examiners and location for the course or exam.
  2- then confirm that your instructors are USMGA endorsed.
If you have any questions, get in touch with us. We are very familiar with the courses, exams, and instructors of the AMGA. In fact some of us have been instrumental in setting these courses and standards up. We can give you a pretty good idea of the quality of the course or exam you're looking at based on it's instructors and location.

We want you to get the best course, exam, and instructors possible, just as you do. It's good for you (the future guide), the profession of guiding, and the climbing public. Don't show up at a course or exam without knowing something about it's quality. Your guide training is too important.