How to become a guide

Good info on illegal guiding and getting your certifications

Do you have a permit from the NPS to guide at J-Tree?

Do you have a website?

Please tell me you are joking

I'll go out on a limb and guess that he doesn't carry insurance, either.

Nick,

I'm assuming you don't know that you can't operate a business (guiding for money) in a National Park, or other federal lands, without a permit from the land manager for said business. You could get in some legal trouble.

Just in case you didn't know this.

Thanks Ya I don't want any legal trouble. Have you heard of anyone getting in trouble for guiding out of National Parks.

Also do one of you know if a liability waiver for the customer prevents them from suing me and land owner of they were to get injured?

Nick Miranda wrote:Also do one of you know if a liability waiver for the customer prevents them from suing me and land owner of they were to get injured?

NOPE. If you do anything wrong, or allow the client to do anything wrong, the waiver will do you no good. When you get sued, the fact that you have no permit, no official certification from a recognized body, and no insurance, as is customarily expected in the "profession, "will be "chum for the sharks," literally and figuratively.

Best to get training from an official body, obtain a certification, and obtain all necessary licenses and permits. You are inviting disaster - in the worst possible way - if you don't.

And BTW, if you are a potential client, you should be aware of who is taking you up a climb.

jg (Attorney in State of California - 33 years)

JG Thanks that makes sense. Will I get sued for advertising the way I'm doing it with no certs. Or insurance?

Jorge Gonzales ..... Good to see your still at this climbing deal. And handing out great advise....

You were one of the regulars at Willie.
If you don't remember me... you might remember my friend, Hoppy who you helped out of a jam with the LAPD.

And Nick.... good luck with the guiding deal.

I don't know Nick, you don't seem to have a good grasp on "safety."

From what I understand, San Bernardino NF (Tahquitz and Suicide) requires that you carry $1,000,000 in liability insurance. The permit to guide here runs around $1000/year and they are in limited quantity. I forget what the insurance premiums are, but it's not too outrageous. They won't sell you the permit unless you are a certified guide with insurance. Joshua Tree is easier to get a guiding permit, but you must still be insured and certified (or working for a licensed guide service).

The above is all second-hand information from a friend who guides here and from another friend who has considered applying for a permit. It might be wrong.

I've guided a couple of times through outdoor ed camps and on contract under a guide service. It's not as fun or glamorous as it seems, at least to me. It's a lot of work and responsibility for relatively little money.

If you're still interested in guiding, I'd recommend looking into getting certified through AMGA or PCGI. The single pitch class and test will run you well over $1000. You'll also need to get your WFR. This will allow you to work on contracts through any currently operating guide service who wants to hire you. They will provide the insurance, permits, and assume liability unless you are negligent. That's only the single pitch class, too. You'll need a higher certification ($$$) to do the more fun multipitch stuff.

People do "pirate" guide and I run into those folks from time to time up here. It would be very bad for those people if an accident occurred. They'd also get a hefty fine if they were caught. Licensed guides may feel obligated to report you for illegal guiding.

Thanks man, ya I can't spell too good but I'm as safe a rock climber could be.

Maybe you're right Nick, but your lack of attention to detail and seemingly spur of the moment idea to make some scratch makes me doubt that immensely.

Climbing safety is all about not cutting corners and being thorough and having respect for the severity of consequences. It does not seem to me that you have the foresight required to be safe.

I wish you well if you want to guide. Please take out a loan and go through the proper channels to get WFR and insurance and licensing. This is one area where bureaucracy makes sense so at least there is some basic way of weeding out yahoos.

Not to shit on Nick, but I recommend people flag his Craigslist post so an unwitting person does not get hurt.

That's some good info Ryan, ya after a while dragging people up climbs isn't too exciting but it beats any other job I'm qualified for. Also to any guide that feels obligated to report me, I haven't got any customers from my ads, and I also plan to get my certifications.

Nick Miranda wrote:That's some good info Ryan, ya after a while dragging people up climbs isn't too exciting but it beats any other job I'm qualified for. Also to any guide that feels obligated to report me, I haven't got any customers from my ads, and I also plan to get my certifications.

No problem. Good luck with your venture. Be safe.

Nick,

I own/operate a guiding company based in Joshua Tree National Park. We (authorized/permitted/insured guides) don't appreciate rogue guides who carry no certifications or insurance offering guiding services in permitted areas. Please follow the proper procedures for becoming a legitimate service, or offer your guiding services through an approved venue. In the mean time, please take down your add.

Thank you,
Nelson Day
Director, The Climbing Life Guides
joshuatreeclimbinglifeguide…

Not very good at this but "ellanor" maybe.. Misspelling and no periods at end of sentences.

eric berghorn wrote:Not very good at this but "ellanor" maybe.. Misspelling and no periods at end of sentences.

Unlikely. Nick's account has been active since 2013. Her accounts are always new ones.

This is a fantastic troll. I give it 6.5/10

Adam Burch wrote:This is a fantastic troll. I give it 6.5/10

Lol, yeah I remember seeing the title and 1st post a day ago, now I'm like wtf? Time to sit back and watch the confusion settle in on this one.