We get a lot of inquiries on what it takes to become a rock climbing instructor. Here is a brief overview of the pathway to becoming a climbing instructor.
First things first, you will have to become a climber. This may sound obvious, but many folks get into jobs that teach the skill sets on site. A coffee shop is a great example of this. They will teach you to make espresso drinks and run cash registers your first few days on the job. We have had folks call and ask if they could help us “carry gear” to the climbing site to start working for us. We have to let them know that there really is not that much gear and it also takes away from the client experience when they do not get to carry a rope or a few pieces of rock protection.
Climbing instructors already possess the ability to climb, now they can focus on other needs of students like psychological and sociological risk management as well as facilitating a good progression in each student's learning.
So what does becoming a climber mean? Well according to the AMGA pre-requisites for the Single Pitch Instructor certification are:
You are a Professional Member of the AMGA.
You have a genuine interest in rock climbing and instructing novices on single pitch crags.
You are at least 18 years old at the time of the course.
You have at least 12 months prior climbing experience.
You are an active climber with traditional lead climbing experience (leader placing pro).
You have led a minimum of 15 traditional rock climbing routes (any grade).
You are capable of comfortably climbing 5.8 while on a top rope
This may sound like a lot but we regularly have clients gain this much experience in just a few times hiring us. This course progression would look like this:
Rock 101 (2 days) focus on beginner climbing and top roping
Rock 201 (2 days) focus on anchors, cleaning and rappelling
Rock 301 (2 days) focus on leading in single pitch terrain
These courses can be done as a group or privately. The other benefit of taking courses from a climbing school is you do not learn bad habits and you also get to see how instructors conduct themselves in the instructional / guiding setting. After these sessions you will need to go out a few times on your own after to make sure you have your 15 traditional rock leads in. Some students prefer to have a guide with them to continue their learning, expediting their success, but will require more of a financial commitment.
Once you meet the requirements for the AMGA Single Pitch Instructor (SPI) course you will then need to enroll and take this 3 day course. This course will focus on teaching climbing, facilitating learning in the single pitch environment and is the minimum standard for teaching climbing in an outdoor environment.
After this course, most students will want to try to find a mentor as well as do some shadowing. This is the point to start looking to “get into” the industry. Many summer camps use SPI course graduates as secondary instructors and this is a great place to use some of the skills you learned in your course. You will want to make sure you are dialed on the assistant skills (rescue skills) before attempting to take your assessment. Here are the prerequisites for the 2 day assessment:
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 Assessment can be taken directly following the SPI Course if the candidate successfully completed the course and meets the assessment prerequisites. However, it is highly recommended that the SPI Course candidate take time practicing and consolidating the skills learned on the course before assessment (6-12 months).
You do not need First Aid training to take the course or assessment. However, it is your responsibility to hold appropriate medical certification for the location that you are working in.
Once completing the exam you are now like a new doctor. It is best to find a company to work for that will provide mentoring and guidance on your climbing guiding and instructional career. This will help you grow and get experience to get into your AMGA Rock Guide Course.
If you are just starting this process it might sound a bit arduous. Take a minute to sit back and think though; who would you want to hire to take you out climbing? It is worth the time and effort and if you take it one step at a time you will be outside teaching climbing before you know it!