So you want to learn how to become a climbing guide? New River Mountain Guides is hiring AMGA Certified SPI’s or higher to immediately fill several climbing instructor positions for the 2022 season which runs from March 1-November 30. This is an excellent opportunity for those just starting out in their climbing instructor career to work in a supportive environment that will allow you to gain valuable experience teaching climbing skills to a wide range of client profiles in a single pitch setting.
New River Mountain Guides is a boutique guide service based in Fayetteville, WV, and operates within the New River Gorge National Park and surrounding areas. Established in 1994, we pride ourselves in providing customized instructional rock cl
imbing trips for all of our guests from the first-timer outside climbers to more experienced folks who wish to expand their knowledge and skills.
We serve the greater community of climbers who have indoor climbing experience and desire to transition to outdoor climbing, as well as families vacationing in the area. We specialize in low ratio instruction, maintaining a 4:1 ratio on half and full-day trips. We are more interested in working with individuals and providing them with a high level of instruction, versus high numbers and low-level instruction. We also run a successful Teen Rock Camp program for 4 weeks in the summer which caters to competitive kids who spend the weeks with us learning how to apply themselves on outdoor climbs.
Employment Benefits include:
-Spend the season climbing at the New River Gorge, one of the best single-pitch climbing areas in the country.
-Flexible schedule. Make and manage your own schedule, work as much or as little as you wish to. You determine which days you’re available for and we handle all of the bookings through our online platform.
-100% online bookings so you can manage your schedule on the fly from your mobile device.
-Paid Pre-hire training. We provide all training for new hires to ensure you are equipped with the knowledge of the area and our policies and procedures.
-Professional development and mentoring by our Senior Staff
-Discounts on gear at our retail store.
-Educational stipend for continuing your AMGA training and certification.
Compensation is dependent on the level of AMGA Certification and training. We offer an increases in base wage when working with groups versus individuals. Those wages range from $125-150 for full-day trips, with the opportunity to earn more for higher ratio days and overnight summer camp work.
The ideal candidate:
-21 years or older, active climber with at least 3 years of personal climbing experience.
-AMGA SPI Certified is a must.
-Wilderness First Aid and CPR Certified
-LNT Online Awareness Certificate of Completion
-Able to lead 5.9 and inspire confidence, able to top rope 5.10 or higher
-Some previous instructional experience is preferred, but we will train if needed
-Familiar with the New River Gorge and surrounding areas
-Available on weekends and be willing to commit to being on the schedule 3-5 days/week
-Available for work throughout the entire season (March-November), but especially during our peak months of June-August.
-Have your own transportation and mobile device
-Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
-Works well with others, is flexible, self-motivated, and able to problem-solve.
To Apply:
Email your AMGA SPI Certificate, work resume, and a list of your top 10-20 notable climbs you’ve red pointed.
A letter of introduction describing why you’d be a good fit for the team. Tell us about yourself, any relevant climbing and instructional experience you may have.
We’ll review your submitted information, schedule a phone interview, and then schedule a day to visit and climb with us to meet you in person.