PCGI Climbing Courses

Learn to Climb Like a Pro

These courses are designed for the aspiring guide or guides looking to expand their guiding abilities on the track to certification. Certified guides are set apart as holding higher standards and implementing the safest and most efficient climbing guiding techniques.

Separate fees are due directly to PCGI. Minimum of 2 people for each course.

Top Rope Guide Course

This is a 3 day course. The TRG course teaches a variety of skills, strategies, and methods for both the technical top rope environment as well as creating a strong base for technical instruction, teaching techniques, group management, and other important concerns. The top rope course is specifically developed to primarily address "top and bottom managed" top rope guiding. The training encompasses certain key top managed techniques that are commonly used such as belayed rappels and top-managed belays for areas such as lake and sea cliffs.The training days focus on technical skills, common guide and instruction techniques, managing clients, teaching, and pertinent rescue techniques. Classes are very hands on with active discussions and student involvement.

Prerequisites:

  • Prior top rope climbing experience, comfortable with top roping 5.7 climbs (must be documented via the climbs roster of the registration form)
  • prior knowledge of, experience with and ability to build top rope anchor systems using traditional climbing gear, i.e. stoppers, cams, etc
  • Own and bring appropriate gear/rack for building top rope anchors and setting up top ropes, including cams, stoppers, hexes, static lines, 7mm cords and climbing ropes.
  • Top rope climbing experience of at least one year/12 months
  • Working knowledge of the following knots and hitches: clove hitch, munter hitch, figure eight and overhand on bight, friction hitches, figure eight follow through, bowline, double figure eight and overhand, and double fisherman

Top Rope Guide Course

  • 1 Person: $450
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Top Rope Guide Assessment

The PCGI TRG certification has been developed to primarily represent the most widely implemented type of top rope guiding and top rope instruction, commonly referred to as "bottom managed" top rope rock climbing guiding &/or instruction, but does also assess implementation of top managed techniques as needed to safely conduct the guided top rope experience and achieve any clients given top rope climbing goals. A Certified TRG is a guide who has demonstrated competency in techniques necessary to guide people in top rope only non-glaciated rock climbing environments. A PCGI TRG is a guide who has demonstrated competency in top rope guided climbing in non complex environments which do not require short roping, short pitching or lead climbing. The PCGI TRG certification is a full fledged standardized top rope rock climbing guide certification and enables a guide to be certified for the guided top rope environments found in the majority of climbing areas in the U.S.A.

Top Rope Guide Assessment

  • 1 Person: $200
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Single Pitch Guide Course

This is a 3 day course. The Single-Pitch Guide Course (SPG) is designed for guiding and instructing in single-pitch lead climbing terrain. The SPG is perfect for climbing instructors working primarily in single-pitch terrain, or for people that are competent Top Rope guides looking to expand their guiding abilities into Single-Pitch Terrain. It is also an excellent choice for college rock climbing program leaders, rock climbing club leaders, youth rock climbing program leaders, or recreational rock climbers wishing to improve safety and efficiency in Single-Pitch terrain. The SPG focuses on Lead/Follow style guiding with up to two clients in straightforward single-pitch terrain. The emphasis is on top managed techniques belay techniques, efficiency, stance management, teaching and facilitation skills, single-pitch specific rescue techniques, advanced anchoring, belaying, lowering, and rappelling techniques, and the fine art of leading with clients belaying you. This course provides students with the tools to successfully provide a safe and enjoyable experience for any given client in single-pitch terrain. The SPG does not include instruction in short roping, short pitching, intermediate belays, and complex approaches and descents. The training does not encompass guiding or instruction in glaciated environments. A primary goal of this training is to provide an open forum for learning and discussion in a supportive learning environment while presenting rigorous practical Single-Pitch guiding and instructing skill paradigms. The SPG consists of 3 days of technical, hands on Single-Pitch rock climbing guide training. The training days are a combination of group discussions and analysis of systems, instructor demonstrations of common rock climbing guiding techniques, and extensive hands on learning and practice for students. Mentors give extensive individual attention to students. Prior guiding experience at the top-rope level is strongly suggested before taking this course. Lead climbing up to 5.6 is conducted during the SPG. Students must be comfortable with traditional routes with gear anchors at this grade.

Prerequisites:

  • Comfortable with lead climbing 5.6 traditional and sport climbing routes (must be documented via the climbs roster of the course registration form)
  • The ability to safely and efficiently build anchor systems using traditional climbing gear, i.e. stoppers, cams, etc.
  • Lead climbing experience of at least 2 years, prior top-rope guiding experience strongly suggested
  • Working knowledge of the following knots and hitches: clove hitch, munter hitch, figure eight and overhand on bight, friction hitches, figure eight follow through, bowline, double figure eight and overhand, and double fisherman.

Single Pitch Guide Course

  • 1 Person: $600
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Single Pitch Guide Assessment

The PCGI SPG certification has been developed to represent single-pitch rock climbing guiding in general single-pitch terrain. This includes both bottom managed and top managed guiding techniques as needed to safely conduct the guided single-pitch and top rope experience for any given client. A Certified SPG is a guide who has demonstrated competency in leading 5.7 single-pitch rock climbs safely and efficiently with 2 clients and can effectively facilitate the client’s experience to match their skills, abilities, and expectations. The PCGI SPG certification is a full fledged standardized single-pitch rock climbing guide certification and enables a guide to be certified for the guided single-pitch environments found in many rock climbing areas in the U.S.A.

Single Pitch Guide Assessment

  • 1 Person: $250
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Lead Guide & Rescue Course

This is a 7 day course. The Lead Guide & Rescue Course is designed as an advanced level rock climbing guide training. It progresses from the skills of the single pitch guide course and covers more advanced guiding and rescue techniques that pertain to single and multi-pitch rock climbing with 2 clients. During the LG course, the student will be presented with the modern guiding tools and techniques to guide routes up to 4 pitches in length. The terrain covered during the LG course will involve a mix of both single and multi-pitch guide techniques, traverse and fall line management, complex approaches and descents, introduction to short-pitching and short-roping, and moving 2 clients through 2nd to 5th class terrain. Additional topics covered in this course include facilitator training, client care, guiding ethics, risk management, environmental ethics, and hazard mitigation. This training helps guides maximize the positive experience of the clients while effectively managing risk and moving safely and efficiently through non-technical and technical terrain with up to 2 clients. All PCGI courses are designed for rock climbing in non-glacial terrain and do not address snow or ice travel. A primary goal of this training is to provide a forum of open ideas while presenting practical guiding skill standards. The LG course consists of technical, hands-on guide training. The training days include discussion of common guide concerns, instructor demonstrations of common guiding and instruction techniques, and most importantly, participant practice of all of the guiding and instruction skills presented. Note: The rescue course component is incorporated into the Lead Guide Course. The rescue assessment is also offered as a separate undertaking from the LG Course that can be taken prior to LG course. Participant involvement in the rescue assessment is voluntary. Passing the rescue assessment is required in order to become a PCGI Certified Lead Guide.

Pre-requisites:

  • Ability to comfortably lead 5.8 traditional multi-pitch rock climbs
  • Familiarity and competency with building solid climbing anchors with traditional climbing gear
  • Climbing experience of at least 3 years and Guiding experience of at least 1 year at the Single Pitch level or more
  • Having taken a Single Pitch Guide Course or Assessment
  • Take the PCGI Rescue Course prior or concurrently
  • Working knowledge of the following knots and hitches: Figure-eight follow through, Figure-eight and overhand on bight, Super-eight, Double fisherman's, Bowline, Munter hitch and Munter-Mule-Overhand, Clove hitch, Friction hitches

Lead Guide & Rescue Course

  • 1 Person: $1200
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Rescue Course

The Rescue Course (RC) is perfect for current professional rock climbing guides and/or instructors seeking to improve rescue skills, or for people seeking to move into the field of professional rock climbing guiding and/or instruction as well as for recreational climbers wishing to improve safety and efficiency during a rescue. This is not a “search and rescue” course. The rescue training requirement is typically fulfilled via the Lead Guide Course, but can be completed via a separate 2 day Rescue Course.

Lead Guide Assessment

Pre-requisites:

  • Comfortably lead traditional rock climbs rated 5.8 up to 4 pitches long
  • Comfortably guide 2 clients up to 5.8 traditional rock climbs
  • Complete PCGI LG course, or equivalent multi-pitch guiding course from any recognized climbing guide training organizations
  • Have previously completed Single Pitch Guide Course and Assessment or equivalent

Lead Guide Assessment

  • 1 Person: $400
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Rescue Assessment

Pre-requisites:

  • Completed the Rescue Course, Lead Guide & Rescue Course or be accepted under "challenge conditions"

Rescue Assessment

  • 1 Person: $200
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Cancellation Policy

Our cancellation policy excluding weather is to have you notify us 72 hours (3 days) prior to the trip to reschedule or to receive a full refund. You may cancel your trip for ½ price refund 36 hours (1.5 days) prior to the scheduled time. If you must cancel within 36 hours of the class there will be no refund. If weather causes a cancellation then you may reschedule the class for a later date or time or receive a full refund.

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