I survived. Maybe I built my ski-mountaineering course up in my mind and introduced unnecessary stress into my life, but I’d rather go into my AMGA courses and aspirant exams overprepared than with a cavalier attitude.
My exam days went well and I’m pretty sure I passed, though I won’t know for two weeks. The AMGA no longer tells candidates their exam result until later–some of which, I’m sure, is to mitigate unsavory reactions by less than composed examinees. Yes, there are tales of epic meltdowns upon candidates learning of a “no-pass” grade. I can’t blame people for being bummed, but tears, threats, and tantrums don’t seem appropriate, especially for a mountain guide.
I’m turning my attention forwards towards a rock-guide course in the fall, in Red Rocks, Nevada (outside Vegas). I love the terrain in Red Rocks and I’ll be psyched to get out there. Sure, taking courses and exams is all geared towards trying to get my “pin”–called so because the International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations (IFMGA) issues certified guides a small pin to be worn while working–but the real up side to all this is getting on bigger terrain and climbing routes with a posse of other guides, and an IFMGA-certified instructor/examiner to watch your back as you push your limits. I learned a ton from my instructors on the ski course in Valdez, but a bunch, too, from the other candidates.
To wit: Seth Waterfall is a Rainier guide who’s summited that peak over 100 times, Everest twice, and has guided Vinson in Antarctica. He was a great guy to watch on the glacier, for terrain management as well as his bivy craft–he didn’t suffer a bit during our overnight. Dylan Freed is a heli-guide from Valdez, but spends much of the winter in Salt Lake, under the tutelage of Andrew McLean and Mark Twight (his uncle). He had a super-smooth style down-guiding and gave me some good tips for steep skiing. Sara Lundy guides in the Sawtooth, in Idaho, and skis with a posse of forecasters, so she was good with stability decisions and had a great, overall “guide vibe.” Skiing with folks like this rubs off and if you pay attention you’re bound to pick up some slick moves.
I haven’t checked to see who’s teaching the October Red Rocks course, but I’ve been pretty lucky thus far with my instructors/examiners, so we’ll see.
In the meantime I’ve got a few guide days lined up with Alpine World Ascents (ski-mountaineering if any snow holds until Memorial Day, as well as some rock) and I’ll be trying to ski Rainier in July (hopefully with Seth!).
Oh, Rebel and I just bought a EuroVan, too–quite the upgrade from my clapped-out ’84 Westy. It’s a 2003, full camper, 65K miles. May the automotive gods and the Magliozzi brothers watch over our new home-away-from-home.
