Feature  History  Bios  Events  Orgs  Gear  Photos  Forum  Quotes  Reads  Links  Home		This feature article was snagged from . Click here for the previous articles Training and Certification Outside the United States The regulation and practice of mountain guiding in foreign countries is varied, not surprisingly. It ranges from systems whereby only UIAGM certified Mountain Guides are legally permitted to guide, to other systems including some cases where the laws are not well defined or where guiding is completely unregulated. Your concerns or questions will vary depending, among other things, on 1) whether you are hiring a guide from the U.S. or a citizen of the country you are climbing in; and/or 2) whether the country you plan to climb in is an UIAGM member country or not. The UIAGM or International Federation of Mountain Guides Assocations, is an international organization founded with the goal of promoting the development of a strong guiding profession worldwide. It does so by establishing internationally recognized standards and where possible, reciprocity of access for qualified guides, among its member countries (Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Austria, Peru, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and the U.S.). In UIAGM countries outside the U.S. your guide is often required to be certified in order to guide legally, and therefore you know that they have met the internationally recognized standard. In non-UIAGM countries outside the U.S., you might be able to know little or nothing at all about your guide's training, experience or qualifications, without some research and questioning. You should try to find a qualified guide you trust, and ask them about the individual in question, if you are in doubt about their qualifications. Bottom line for the consumer regarding guides training and qualifications overseas: In UIAGM countries outside the U.S. (Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Austria, Peru, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, or Spain), guides are almost always required to meet the international standard in order to work as a guide. In non-IFMGA foreign countries, there may be no regulation or guidelines in place at all to determine qualifications, or there may be an alternative system. Do your homework.
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