Great AMGA SPI Course? Who? Where?

I was given a sweet gift. I'm looking to take an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor course in the next several months. Wondering where and with whom folks have had an exceptional experience taking this course or another AMGA course? A friend of mine from New York went out and took the SPI course with Bob Gaines down in Joshua Tree and was super glad he did.

I know many instructors are on MP and am definitely not looking for anything negative, just really positive experiences.

Does it matter to you where in the country you take your course? Anywhere?

schedule.amga.com/spi

FrankPS wrote:Does it matter to you where in the country you take your course? Anywhere? schedule.amga.com/spi

Oh, thanks Frank. I meant to mention that. The West or Southwest would be best. I'm in Vegas but will be in Joshua Tree and Cochise for the next month or so. That general area would be my first choice barring feedack to go elsewhere. I'd certainly consider going to Colorado.

Thanks for the link, too. That's what I've been looking at.
Thanks.

Likeas......I'd 2nd the Bob Gaines /Joshua Tree recommendation, as I recently took the SPI 1 course with Bob...an extremely rewarding experience. We had a group of experienced and motivated participants. Bob provides lots of variety in terms of locations and addresses learning modalities and reinforces the concepts and clearly explains the rational behind everything. Bob also stresses safety and efficiency. And he has the temperament and experience to back up everything he teaches.
PS......don't forget the tip $$.

Christopher Gibson wrote:Eli Helmuth, Climbing Life Guides out of Estes Park Colorado.

+1 for that! Eli does an awesome job and is a cool guy

I'll jump on the JTree/Bob Gaines bandwagon. Bob literally wrote the book on the SPI course and Joshua Tree is probably one of the best places to take the course and practice for the exam (in the West), given the nature of gear and anchor building there. I took both the course and exam with Bob and I think I'm better for it, he's on every detail for sure.

+2 for Eli

Realizing it's outside your geographical target I took mine with Ron Funderburke at Fox Mountain Guides in Brevard, NC just outside of Asheville. 100% positive experience. Professional. Comprehensive coverage of the curriculum. Excellent site selection.
Congratulations on taking the course wherever you go and good luck pursuing professional guiding should you choose to do so.

www.foxmountainguides.com/training-programs/amga-instructor-programs/amga-spi-course

If you get a wild hair and head this way, our place is an hour and a half away and the climbers are always welcome.

I too had a great experience with Eli and Climbing Life Guides.

Chris Horton wrote:I'll jump on the JTree/Bob Gaines bandwagon. Bob literally wrote the book on the SPI course and Joshua Tree is probably one of the best places to take the course and practice for the exam (in the West), given the nature of gear and anchor building there. I took both the course and exam with Bob and I think I'm better for it, he's on every detail for sure.

Hey thank you all for the positive feedback. It's awesome to hear great things about some of the same folks.

Chris, Christopher and Benjamin, I went ahead and called Bob's outfit off the AMGA course schedule list. I talked to Bob about the course he's teaching in early January.. His course is full, but he put me on a waitlist and said he thinks there is a fair chance a space will open.

Eli is teaching a course soon, too. I'm going to give him a call as well and get the scoop. Maybe it's a sign that a Colorado trip is overdo. Haha.

Thank you all again. I'm getting excited!

Mick Pearson ( kafadventures.com/ ) Is a great AMGA instructor, and he teaches in Red Rocks for part of the year. Also I have heard good things about Bob Gaines J-Tree courses, though I have never taken one.

Also a plus for Eli. Best of the best.

+1 for Eli in Estes or Joey Thompson with the Colorado Mountain School in Boulder! Don't skimp, go with one of these guys!

All the instructors listed above are rock solid, no doubt! Also, I just posted an SPI course and exam on the AMGA schedule that I'll be running through myself in Moab. The details are on the SIET website- expeditiontraining.org/dome…

As a nonprofit, SIET spends a great deal of time mentoring it's alumni and would be happy to help you down the guiding career path (whether you take a course with us or not). Let us know if we can help- info@expeditiontraining.org