Chris is the head guide at Flagstaff Climbing Guides, making him a very busy man this time of year. I snuck in a little Q & A with him between guiding trips to find out more about what Flagstaff Climbing Guides is all about. Thanks, Chris.
What was your path to guiding? Why do you do it? My path to guiding and teaching began when I started climbing. I quickly realized how much fun the sport was and I felt I needed to share it with friends and other people. I went to Northern Michigan University and earned a degree in Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management and also earned AMGA certifications and was able to get a job with Vertical Relief Climbing Center and Flagstaff Climbing Guides teaching and guiding full time. I simply love sharing the sport with other people. To me, it doesn't matter if you are brand new to the sport or well seasoned, I don't get bored teaching and guiding climbing. It is the best sport in the world!
Flagstaff Climbing Guides is an American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) Accredited climbing school and guide service. What does that mean? What does a client get out of that? It means that the guides and the program are meeting and exceeding standards on a national level. Our guides are certified and trained with the most up to date skills and techniques available. You expect bus drivers, pilots, doctors, etc. to have a certain level of training and credibility before you trust your life to them... Rock climbing is dangerous, why should it be any different when hiring a guide?
So, who are the other guides and what makes them good at what they do? Do they have AMGA certifications too? We have very high standards and make it a requirement that our guides, at a minimum, are AMGA trained but most are certified. Our guides each have a specialty and their own unique approach to the sport. We try to get a feel for what clients want out of a day and match guides accordingly.
Where do Flagstaff Climbing Guides guide at? We guide mainly in Northern Arizona. Our sites include Jacks Canyon, Paradise Forks, Mount Elden and Le Petit Verdon (The Pit). We also hold a permit for Joshua Tree National Park.
What skills can clients learn? We can literally teach just about any skill. Geographically, we are uniquely positioned to teach on several different rock types and climbing sites. This is good because it allows our guides to utilize the resources and teach a wide variety of skills. We can help climbers take their first steps onto the rock, teach anchoring fundamentals, trad and sport climbing skills, improvised self rescue, aid and big wall climbing and more.
Can they just go out and climb and have fun or does it have to be all about learning a skill? Absolutely, they can just go out and climb and have fun! Hiring a guide doesn't have to be all about learning skills and practicing techniques, we take individuals, couples and families out to simply enjoy climbing. Sit back and let the guides do all the work and just experience the sport! We also go out with experienced climbers visiting that don't have a partner and want to get some mileage in while in the area.
Does a client need experience or equipment to climb with Flagstaff Climbing Guides? No experience is necessary and we can provide all equipment. We only start requiring experience when clients want to learn advanced skills.
How do I get in contact with Flagstaff Climbing Guides to schedule a day out or ask more questions? Shoot us an email or just call. Our staff are answering phones 7 days a week and are ready to take your reservation!
Contact us at info@flagstaffclimbing.com -or- 928-556-9909
