AMGA Course
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Exam
What to Expect
The AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Exam is your final step toward becoming a credentialed climbing instructor. Pisgah Climbing School offers the exam through a certified SPI Provider in the world-class terrain of western North Carolina.
The AMGA Single Pitch Instructor (SPI) credential is the entry-level professional certification for climbing guides and instructors in the United States. It is the standard required by most climbing programs, camps, universities, and guide services for anyone leading clients or students on single-pitch terrain. Earning it means you've demonstrated the technical and instructional competence to do the job safely and professionally.
The exam is a 2-day assessment conducted in the field. Candidates are evaluated on anchor building, client management, site setup, risk assessment, and the full range of single-pitch guiding systems covered in the AMGA SPI Course. It is not a course — there is no additional instruction. This is the performance evaluation.
Pisgah Climbing School hosts the SPI Exam in Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, North Carolina — a region with exceptional sandstone and granite crags that provide the variety of rock types and anchor scenarios that make for a thorough, real-world assessment environment. Our lead examiner is an AMGA SPI Provider, credentialed to administer the exam to candidates who have met all prerequisites.
Most candidates benefit from 6–12 months of deliberate practice between their SPI Course and Exam. If you haven't completed the course yet, we offer the AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Course as well. Some candidates complete both in sequence — contact us to discuss whether that's the right approach for your current skill level.
Course Duration:
2 Days
Prerequisites:
You are a current member of the AMGA.
You have successfully completed an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Course.
You have led a minimum of 40 traditional routes, most of which should be 5.6 and on a variety of rock types.
You are able to comfortably lead 5.6 traditional routes, which means you place protection.
You are able to comfortably climb 5.8 on top rope.
The SPI Exam can be taken directly following the SPI Course if the candidate successfully completed the course and meets the exam prerequisites. However, it is highly recommended that the SPI Course candidate take time practicing and consolidating the skills learned on the course before exam (6-12 months).
You do not need First Aid training to take the course or exam. However, it is your responsibility to hold appropriate medical certification for the location that you are working in.
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