Ski guiding qualifications

A snowHead

Hi,

I'm wondering if anybody can give me advice on qualifications specifically for ski guiding/mountaineering/touring qualifications. I realise there are IFMGA Guides for that sort of thing but I do not climb to anywhere near a high enough standard to hope to become one of them. I am specifically interested in qualifying as an off piste ski guide and instructor but am struggling to find information on that alone.

Can anybody point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance.

A snowHead

apeman241, How to become an off-piste guide.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I looked into the Austrian Bergfuhrer quali (their branch of the UIAGM). You need this level qualification to guide offpiste skiers (in Austria, and I suspect most of europe), and it does involve fairly high level of both rock and ice climbing - unlucky for me as I'm petrified of heights (in a pretty weird way though lol). When I emailed them from the address on their website they were very helpful. I think in Canada you can do a qualification based solely on skiing/avi knowledge?

You can instruct offpiste with the top level qualification from many systems - BASI 4/Austrian Staatliche etc, but you're limited to non-glaciated terrain, routes where ropes aren't essential, and I think either day trips or one night out maximum (someone else can probably clarify those restrictions).

(Edit: all info on the thread achilles linked to)

You need to Login to know who's really who.

^^ You can ignore everything I said on the first page of the thread achilles linked too, all random musings. Some better links and info on the second page though.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks both.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Canada has specific ski guiding qualifications. Look for ACMG Ski guide.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

apeman241, You need to start with the end in mind, what is it you want to do and on what terrain?

A BASI ISIA can teach and lead groups off piste within a resort boundary and on non glaciated terrain ( it's worth remembering that lots of fatal accidents happen in this terrain) no hiking is permitted and the decent should start and end at ( close) to a lift.

A BASI ISTD can teach and lead ( including up hill on skins and boot packing) in and outside a resort boundary. This level can lead day tours and will be trained in emergency rope work.

A schifuhrer (Austria) is a highly trained ski teacher ( ISTD ) with an additional qualification that allows leading on glaciers ( within Austria). The ski guiding element is the same as the full mountain guides do.

IFMGA mountain guide can guide in all terrain including rock, ice and everything else you will find in the high mountains. They are not ski teachers ( although sone also hold additional ski instructing qualifications).

Some nations have a modular system where you can qualify as a ski guide ( Canada, NZ etc) normally organised through the mountain guides association.

My clients tend to want to improve their off piste skiing so are seeking coaching with some guided challanges. Last week I ran a course in Austria where sometimes I was developing my clients performance off piste ( teaching) and sometimes I was leading them in off piste
terrain ( guiding). People use our courses primarily to develop skiing performance, so are seeking a ski instructor who is qualified to teach off piste. If people are looking for less coaching and more challanges then they generally hire a mountain guide.

So on summary, do you want to teach and lead off piste in terrain not involving additional mountaineering skills, or do you want to lead and guide skiers in all mountain situations ? the qualifications exist for both and all involve varying degrees of commitment.

PSG

After all it is free

gilleski, unless I am mistaken, the ISIA cannot work in France unless they have passed the Euro test and even then are very much more limited on where they can go off piste if at all than you have outlined. I understand these same restrictions appy to Italy as well. According to the details I have been sent by BASI recently you must be a Level 4 ISTD (same as French full Diploma) to teach / guide off piste in most Alpine nations now and hold the Carte Professional. Would be interested to hear your views on this.

Apeman, the Canadian ski guides qualification is very good, but you cannot work in Europe with this. Likewise with the NZ one. All these plus others are country specific. But having said all this. If you want to do this kind of guiding, get the local knowledge and follow the dream. Well worth the effort if you have the time and money.

snowcrazy, you are correct. The qualification listed have to be approved by the nation where you intend to teach / guide. The remit of the qualification is one thing, how this applies to national law in seperate states is something quite different!

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

I'd also add to gilleski, 's post, that the BASI off piste courses are now intended to be standalone qualifications. So theoretically you could be a L2 instructor and pass the EMS (the off piste element of the L4 ISTD), which would qualify you to lead a group off piste in the same way as fully qualified ISTD - however, always within the rules of the country / region in which you are working. BASI has confirmed this would be possible in Scotland, but as it's quite a new qualification it's not yet clear where else this would be accepted, if in doubt please call the office.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Reply from BASI reagrding the stand alone qualification;

"To be honest with you I have not done a vast amount of research outside the UK as to where our MS awards can be used.

I would hazard a guess that they would be accepted in the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, Argentina, and the UK. The statement that accompanies the remit of the award states they must be used "consistent with the country's laws they are working in'

snow reports

Thanks to all of you.

apeman241, IASI (Irish Association of Snowsport Instructors) have just changed the names of their off piste awards to reflect the remit.

Level 1 off piste secutity (this is the ISIA stamp requirement) teaching off piste (ouside of marked runs within resort boundary)

Level 2 Back country security (Euro off piste) as the titles suggests this award qualifies the holder to lead, teach and guide outside the resort boundary (back country)

None of the awards are valid on glaciated terrain or where alpinism skills are required.

Trainers and assessors for the all UIAGM / IFMGA guides.

PSG

You know it makes sense.

As an aside I completed the FFME ski touring guide qualifications in 2010. This is a French federal qualification issued by the Jeunesse et Sports which the FFME is part of. There is a similar thing for the Swiss Alpine Club and probably other alpine clubs. The principal difference with the French programme is that it run by the same folks who run the ENSA, the French guides school.

It is a lot of work but really qualifies you for nothing in particular as you can lead groups of non fee paying buddies to their deaths Skullie

where ever you like! However for leading club groups it is useful to have and the knowledge and training is good. In Europe a lot of people are members of sports clubs and will often experience the mountains this way rather than with a paid guide or with well meaning friends. The syllabus roughly shadows the ski part of the French guides programme.[1]

At the start of winter I'm taking part in the elite FFME snow and avalanche instructor programme. Which will probably test my French as much as my avalanche knowledge.

[1] There is a vast gulf between a snow professional who is leading paying clients 6-7 days week and a ski club guide and I don't even want to go into it here. There are also pleasure skiers out there who have no qualifications or any interest in such things but who have vast knowledge of the mountains and are elite skiers.

Help!!

Ski guiding qualifications

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