The Mountain Guide according to ProRock
We would like you to understand how the entire Prorock Outdoor Guide Group works, guaranteeing the people who come with us a very qualified service and above all a relationship such as we are used to having between fellow climbers.
Who is an Alpine Guide and how does one become one?
This is the classic question that is often asked of the Guide on an evening in the Refuge in front of a plate of steaming soup.
At the beginning of the century, Guides were the most experienced valley dwellers who were self-appointed in the field to accompany rich gentlemen to the mountains 'back home'. Today, the Mountain Guide has become a profession recognised by the State like any other and regulated by laws that distinguish it from other national figures.
To enter the Alpine Guide courses, one must present an extensive mountaineering curriculum to a technical commission, made up of Alpine Guide instructors, and pass a practical selection on the various mountain specialities.
You have to be able to ski well off-piste, climb rock at a certain level, give 'tu' to ice picks and crampons, and last but not least you have to be a good teacher (hence the 'title' of Mountaineering Instructor). Having passed the selection, the actual course to become an Alpine Guide lasts a total of four years and prepares future professionals not only technically, but also to be good companions and friends of their future 'clients'.
Mountain Guides are distinguished by the international emblem of the UIAGM (International Union of Mountain Guides) that they usually wear on their jackets, which ideally unites almost all the associations of High Mountain Guides on the planet. Belonging to this association guarantees that you are dealing with professionals who have passed modules that respect a common training platform so as to guarantee maximum safety in the mountains in all situations.
Why go with the mountain guide?
Many see going into the mountains with a guide as an impoverishment of personal adventure and for some people even as a 'disgrace'.
we would like to debunk this way of looking at the profession of mountain guide. Our aim has always been to increase people's knowledge and not make them dependent on the guide. We always try to pass on our experience and knowledge to our clients, who often climb with us as lead climbers and make their own decisions. Going with the GuideFrom our point of view, it is like relying on any professional for knowledge or in-depth study of a subject (see in other professional fields the case of lawyers, architects or, if we want to remain in the mountains, ski instructors).
From our point of view, the older side of the guiding profession, i.e. accompanying, is the less interesting one, while the didactic side, i.e. the side that concerns the 'Mountaineering Master' qualification and the teaching of mountaineering in all its forms, is undoubtedly the most stimulating and innovative side of the profession.
How much does a Guide cost?
The fee is set by the respective Regional Colleges and varies according to the difficulty of the climb requested and its length. For easier climbs, introductory courses and teaching days, the basic day's fee can be divided between several people, while for more challenging and longer climbs, the parties negotiate privately. In short, taking a Guide can be compared to taking a lesson with an individual or group Ski Instructor, with the difference that in addition to teaching the discipline, the Guide guarantees the maximum possible safety in every situation.
With the above, we hope to have been comprehensive in explaining our understanding of the guiding profession and to convince even the most sceptical that human relationships are the basis of all work. Contact with different people increases our knowledge whether we are on the side of the teacher or the student.
We are always available for clarifications, updates and news, which is why this blog was created!
The Team ProRock Outdoor
