This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
1. Guided vs Unguided Climbing/Adventure Travel By Steve
Hughes
2. My Experience being Guided CMS 1992 Mountaineering Course
Longs Cable Route Alaska Guides 1996 4 Day Admiralty Island
Canoe/Wildlife Photography CMS 1998 3 days of Ice/Rock/Alpine route
CMC 2002 BMS Shasta Mountain Guides 2000 5.6 Trad climb CMS 2002
Ecuador Illinaza/Cotopaxi Hallo Bay Bear Camp 1999 Wildlife
Photography Apple Trips - 2006 - Costa Rica - Ecolodge Trip Kodiak
Treks 2012 Wildlife Photography
4. My Experiences Unguided 54 Fourteeners Rainier 1996/2011
Denali 2007/2012 Multiple CO High Peaks/Snow Climbs/Trad Rock Lost
Coast Backpack CA West Coast Trail Vancouver Island Katmai National
Park 8 years of backcountry travel
5. Unguided Denali Summit Team
6. Guided Illinaza Summit Team
7. What are your goals? To climb a specific peak or peaks To
learn new skills To travel to a foreign location To have a new
experience To meet and climb with like minded folks
8. Unguided Rainier - 1996
9. Unguided Rainer - 1996
10. Unguided climbing obstacles Finding others to climb with
Knowledge of the area you want to travel to Skill level needed to
accomplish goal Time to plan or organize trip/expedition $$$ to
spend on gear and/or guides Ability to be a facilitator, organizer,
manager of safety, and head of the decision making process
11. Considerations for Guided Eliminates worry about food,
fuel, group gear, and larger areas of risk management. Remove
daunting tasks of researching the route, preparing food, arranging
for travel and other logistical details as well as planning day to
day itineraries. Climbers can concentrate on getting in shape and
practicing skills needed for their goal. Potential access to use or
rent expensive gear for trip
12. Consideration for Guided Decision process will likely be
out of your control What is the skill level of the guide you want
to hire? Is the guide certified or accredited? Has the guide
previously lead the trip you are interested in? What kind of
clients will be on the trip with you? If tents are involveddo you
know your tent mate?
13. Considerations for Unguided Ability to set your own pace
and adjust your itinerary as needed Familiarity with the other
climbers in your group as well as the extent of their abilities and
training Leadership/Team dynamics/Friendship The cheaper cost
cannot be overlooked! The satisfaction and accomplishment of
executing a well planned and hopefully successful trip
14. Beware of the Internet Finding partners via forums Met them
and climb with them prior to your goal if possible What is their
climbing resume and is it factual? Ask them specifics about the
skills needed for your goal? What is their training regimen? Find
out as much about them as you can
15. Climbing Options Assuming that you are already fully
equipped with the long list of specialized high altitude, cold
weather gear, there are three types of expeditions you can
consider: Guided Supported Unguided Your decision will depend
largely on the ability and experience level of your team, but also
on your confidence level, and on your motivation for doing the
climb in the.
16. Example Costs for Denali Guided Guided Expedition: $5,000
to $11,000 Choosing a guide service means that you are responsible
only for your travel to Anchorage, your own personal gear, and your
physical and mental preparation and training. The guide service
meets you in Anchorage and except for your climbing permit, room
and board in Talkeetna, and personal expenses, they will cover
everything until you return to Anchorage following your climb. $400
to $550 Round trip airfare, lower 48 to Anchorage $5,150 to $6,000
Professionally guided West Buttress ascent $200 Denali National
Park Service climbing permit fee $200 Gratuity for your guide
17. Example Costs for Denali Supported Supported Expedition:
$1,600 to $2,450 If you want to climb the mountain unguided, but
would like help arranging for certain supplies and transportation
once youre in Alaska, there are companies set up for just that
purpose. Depending on the level you choose, a support program will
provide you with transportation from the airport to your hotel,
will help you pick up supplies in Anchorage, drive you to
Talkeetna, and arrange for your air taxi to Base Camp. They will
also plan and purchase a specified number of days of food, give
advice when asked, pay your Denali National Park Entry fee and your
Base Camp fee, and provide you with a sled that youll use to ferry
your supplies. $400 to $550 Round trip airfare, lower 48 to
Anchorage $1,000 to $1,700 Expedition Support Team $200 Denali
National Park Service climbing permit fee
18. Example Costs for Denali Unguided Independent Expedition:
$1,225 to $1,375* You and your team members are responsible for all
the advance arrangements, reservations, fees, etc. For instance,
you must obtain permission to do your climb 60 days prior to your
arrival at the park. Once in Anchorage, you will need a day or two
to assemble your gear and purchase food and supplies for
approximately 2-3 weeks on the mountain. $400 to $550 Round trip
airfare from lower 48 to Anchorage $100 Round trip shuttle drive to
Talkeetna $250 Denali National Park Service fee for climbing the
mountain $10 Denali National Park & Preserve entrance fee $500
Round trip air taxi to Kahiltna Glacier (Base Camp) price often
includes sled rental and fuel for stoves (note: 125 lb. per person
weight limit on plane) $15 - Base Camp fee *plus food, supplies,
meals & lodging
19. Consideration #3 Choosing a Guide Factor #1: Are they
legitimate? Factor #2: Approach, Strategy and Quality of the Trip
Factor #3: Staff Factor#4: Cost, inclusions, and exclusions Factor
#5: Safety Factor #6: Equipment
20. Guided - Cable Route - 1990
21. Guided Dream Weaver - 1996
22. Unguided Bancroft - 2011
23. Questions for any Guide Service Find out who is guiding
your climb and how many times they have guided the trip you are
interested in (not just climbed). Ask about the guide service
safety record and if they have liability insurance for your
particular trip. How long has the guide service been in business?
Are they permitted to climb in the area you are interested in? If
not, are they climbing on an authorized guides service permit? What
are the climber to guide ratios on a particular trip or course?
What is the maximum team size? How big was the last expedition to
that area? Is the guide service operating your trip or are they
simply hiring a subcontractor and guide in that country? Why has
the guide service opted for this and in how many locations does
this occur? Ask which of the company's staff have visited the
country and how the expedition was designed.
24. Questions for any Guide Service Ask about their success
record and inquire as to why they feel individuals do well for a
particular climb. Also ask where "summit success" factors into
their philosophy of a successful trip. Does the office staff handle
your inquiries promptly? And are the company's materials equivalent
of the type of quality you are interested in pursuing: Does the
company have brochures, full-time office staff and the ability to
answer your questions? Decide what your priorities are such as
summit success, safety, cultural interest etc. and question the
guide service about those interests. Also quality of tents, food,
logistical support, experience in dealing with a particular
country. Chat with former climbers, trekkers or students and ask
for someone who has been on multiple trips with that company as a
contrast can often be interesting and informational. If you are
interested in learning about climbing while being guided, you may
inquire as to if your guide is also a teacher. Ask why a guide
service is more or less expensive and what you are buying (or not
buying) for their fee. Ask them to compare themselves to other
guide services.
25. Qualifications and Training International Federation of
Mountain Guide Associations (IFMGA) - 21 different member countries
All guides who are IFMGA licensed Mountain Guides have qualified
through one of the 21 member associations. The training and
examination process takes years, often as many as four or five and
costs tens of thousands of dollars. US Climbing and ski
mountaineering guides don't need any type of official guide
training or certification to guide American Mountain Guides
Association (AMGA) - AMGA is the only guide association whose
training and certification programs are recognized internationally
by the IFMGA AMGA has been certifying guides for about 15 years and
offers a number of different types of certifications. Those guides
who are certified at the highest level in all 3 disciplines are
awarded the internationally recognized credential of IFMGA Mountain
Guide.
26. More Guided Thoughts Only hire a guide who you know to have
received specific and formal training through an internationally
recognized IFMGA-member mountain guides association. In the USA and
Canada, where a guide can be certified in individual disciplines,
be sure that they are trained and assessed in the basic discipline
of your planned activity, either Rock, Alpine or Ski.
27. Final Certification Thoughts Accreditation verses
Certification (an American oddity) The American Mountain Guides
Association offers two different credentials for guides and guide
services. Guide services get Accredited, and individual guides get
Certified. Certification is considered to be the much more rigorous
standard. For example, to become Alpine certified a guide must pass
a 10-day field exam, conducted in a variety of terrain types, from
alpine rock to glacier and ice routes. Pass rate for candidates is
about 60 to 70%. In addition, guides normally take one or more
guides training courses to prepare for the exam, which can be
physically and mentally quite taxing. By the time the guide has
completed all the various training courses and exams, the first aid
requirement and the required avalanche training, he or she has had
about 40 to 50 days worth of training and examination. And that's
only for the Alpine guiding discipline. Accreditation is a very
different AMGA program that involves a review of a company's
administrative aspects and a brief review of infield practices.
Normally the review is conducted over 2 days, one day in the office
and one day observing a course or climb in the field
28. Other Options for Guided Trips Clubs such as the CMC offer
guided trips to various locations in the US and outside countries
Local Guides in foreign countries to cut some of the costs of the
middle man
29. Guided
30. Unguided
31. Final Thoughts Guided climbing can make someone's
impossible dream of climbing Everest become a reality -- and that
is a great gift -- because the guide has the deep, heartfelt
knowledge of the mountains and what happens to people on mountains.
The guide has the judgment and self-reliance to steer that someone
to the summit Anyone who believes there is ever a guarantee to
reach the summit is either delusional or simply kidding themselves.
Anyone who promotes such a guarantee is being dishonest. The role
of the guide and the guide service, in my opinion, is to provide
the best opportunity for the client to perform at their best and
return safely. The summit may be part of this process, but may not.
If the client has been allowed to operate at the best level they
can at the time, they should not blame anyone but themselves if
they do not summit .