Splitboard.com Forums

Splittin is obviously here to stay and has a place in the mountaineering environment. With the recent "boom" in backcountry riding I am wondering why there isn't any formal certification track for snowboarders in the guiding realm. I know that Canada(ACMG) has a formal track, but you gotta be tested on the skiing first before you ride. Props to all the free lancers doing it out there but I can definitely see a demand for rider oriented guiding. Pros? Cons?

I never understood the "ski skill demonstration" myself if you only ride a board.

Here's a quick article on Scott Newsome who is in fact a guide with the ACMG

http://push.ca/blogs/spencerfrancey/archive/2011/04/08/scott-newsome-canada-s-first-snowboard-guide.aspx

This will likely change in next few years. In Canada, we are going through the process within the ACMG to allow snowboarders to challenge the exams on a split without having to demonstrate ski skills. It is an ongoing and slow process, but we are hopeful the inclusion will be made for this upcoming winter.

There is a solid chance the AMGA will adapt a similar program the ACMG is putting together.

Recognize that the guiding world is one of the last barriers snowboarding is breaking down. From my experiences, most guides are very supportive of a snowboard guide designation, a few are not. Eventually, we'll get this all squared away.

My recommendation is if you wish to go through the AMGA program and you feel you are ready to do so, then apply and start the process. If they require you ski a bit don't sweat it to hard; having basic skills on skis is not a bad thing because it gives you perspective so you can help out skiers you are guiding and it builds a solid split skiing foundation. You will need advanced split skiing skills to pass an exam and guide in the real world anyway.

Gj

To be honest, a splitboard guide should have some basic ski skills. I'd say base intermediate skills. Of which I don't have, I am also not trying to be a guide either though.

A splitboard guide--like a tele, AT or downhill ski guide--should be able to navigate alpine winter terrain, and execute other necessary guiding skills, adeptly. For a split boarder, those skills include being able to navigate some terrain while in ski mode. But the test should challenge skills, not one's choice of slope tool. Period.

Of course, there are skiers who believe that you must be a skier to be a guide. For them, the guiding world is a last sacred bastion of skier superiority. It's the last place where they can derive a sense of self-worth by institutionally excluding non-skiing snowboarders under the bogus and self-aggrandizing pretense that skiing is a prerequisite to guiding.

Problem is, it's not.

Hey,

Guiding is a differnt can of worm's we are opening. There is a big diffrence between
guiding and snowboarding. Guiding is all about the right aplication at the right time, to enshure your clients safety! Always! and yes I do have to have ski skills that in certian senerios I have to use. I could not do my job with out being able to ski down hill sometimes

Thanks
Scott

i don't know anything about guiding but if i'm going heli boarding on some gnarly terrain and something goes wrong i'm not going to want to wait for my guide to put his board together before he comes to my rescue. seems to me that being able to ski proficiently down any terrain should be part of any guide's job requirement. splitting is a fun way to get down the mtn and i would love to have a fellow splitter show me around, but when it comes down to picking someone who is responsible for my safety i would rather have a skier. the fact is that they are just more mobile and that's seems pretty important to me if you're a guide.

I never understood the aversion to split skiing,its a tool to get get you around more proficiently and as Scott stated needed in certian situations.
If you want to be in the trade your going to have to learn the tricks

Hey ridefreeordie-- you should get in touch with innerrevolution, because he's in the midst of researching this very subject... it'll happen sooner or later, and it would be nice to be a part of it, just so you can get your word in, especially if you have something to add. The idea of a splitboard guide's fest is gaining steam...

Hey Scott and Greg,

I mailed Greg last year wondering if, when guiding, you find yourselves more predominantly in hard or soft boots and Greg's response was that different situations require different tools which makes total sense.

I've since been wondering about a situation where a client is in trouble, seconds count and you are staring down a gnarly line that may have avalanche debris, when in soft boots and Sparks or Karakorams are you guys freeheeling it the whole way or have you devised a way to lock in? For myself, freeheeling is definitely doable but it usually isn't pretty. Maybe it is just a matter of more practice? Anyways, your input would be appreciated because I've been working on building up the trip resume and education to hopefully to get into the ski guide program through TRU so I just want to be prepared. Thanks for your time.