Description

Entry requirements:

This course is designed for those who wish to gain qualification with the ACIA in order to work in the rock-climbing industry in a top rope / abseil guiding context. No previous guiding experience is necessary, though participants do need to be actively involved in rock climbing (indoors / outdoors) and have logged at least ten days personal experience with climbing/ abseil activities at outdoor crags in a variety of areas. Candidates will be required to provide their own equipment and personal climbing gear for the course. Course content will include top rope bottom and top belay anchor construction using natural features, fixed anchors and trad gear placements; abseil construction, site selection; soft skill instruction – running a top rope session, pre & de-briefing, methods of group management; environmental impacts & etiquette at sites, ratios; teach belaying, rescue skills for top rope and abseil guiding.

I heard you don’t teach trad anchor placements during the top-rope guide training courses or assessments anymore. Is this true?

No it is not. Unfortunately a committee discussion caused some confusion a while back. The Climbing Company definitely teaches our candidate guides how trad gear works… and in Victoria at least we certainly place trad gear very often when building our own anchors!

Top Rope Guide consolidation period requirements (prior to attending assessment):

• Logged experience showing at least five days guiding / supervising (assisting / co- delivering) Top Rope climbing and abseil activities.
• Logged experience, minimum five days (min 20 routes logged) personal experience climbing at outdoor crags, at a variety of venues.
• This mandatory logged experience is considered the minimum to enable prospective guides to develop the skills, knowledge and abilities, with candidates looking toward assessment ideally surpassing this.

Please see https://acia.com.au/course/top-rope-guide-course-3-days/ for full details.