Overview:
The AMGA Single Pitch Instructor (SPI) Course is not just the quintessential course for aspiring guides. It is also a course that many recreational climbers take to ensure that when they take friends and family out climbing, they are doing so in a manner that is consistent with professional rock climbing instructor standards. Regardless of your ultimate goal, the AMGA SPI Course is packed with valuable information and techniques for even the most seasoned rock climber.
Developed to fit in the AMGA Rock Program and greatly improve the climbing instructor’s skill sets, the three-day AMGA SPI Course covers all the required skills sets for managing a single pitch site from the base or top of the cliff. SPI Candidates can either access the top by non-technical terrain or by leading.
The AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Course teaches climbing instructors to proficiently facilitate and instruct the sport of rock climbing in a single pitch setting. The AMGA SPI certification is the only internationally recognized single pitch climbing instructor certification program in the United States.
Benefits:
- It significantly improves the instructor’s skill sets and integrates into the next level of training, the AMGA Rock Instructor Course.
- The program is for current, active rock climbers who have a real desire to teach rock climbing to novices in a single pitch setting.
- The AMGA SPI Course is a 27-hour training course that normally runs as three consecutive nine-hour days or day classes with evening sessions.
- The AMGA SPI Exam is a minimum of 16 hours run over a two-day period.
- SPI Certification lasts for three years as long as the candidate keeps current AMGA Membership and First Aid Certification.
- After three years, current SPI certified instructors can re-take the SPI Exam to regain the SPI certification.
- Taking any higher level AMGA Course also recertifies the SPI certification for another three years.
Details:
COVID-19 Contingency:
We believe that your training is best taught by combining theoretical concepts and experiential learning. Some topics are best learned in a comfortable classroom setting and others in the mountains, moving through terrain. You’ll have both.
The first portion of your course will be conducted in a classroom setting. In the interest of health and safety for our students and instructors, classroom format for the 2020/21 season may include e-learning and/or group video discussions in an effort to limit close contact in closed spaces.
The majority of your course will take place in the mountains where we will learn in an open-air environment. You should be prepared, mentally and physically, to stay immersed in the backcountry for up to eight hours. You will be assigned to a small pod consisting of one Instructor and a maximum of six students to allow intimate instruction and physical distancing. The nature of this pandemic requires us to be flexible and adaptable in how we deliver a quality training experience. Rest assured, from the moment you enroll all the way up to your course field day(s) and beyond, our instructors will be a part of your learning progression and will provide you with the tools and resources you need to best prepare for your training. If you’d like to learn more about what we are doing to manage COVID-19 risk for our students and guides, please view our FAQ page.
Sample Itinerary:
Day 1:
- Session 1: SPI and AMGA Program Overview
- Session 2: Professionalism
- Session 3: Equipment
- Session 4: Knots and Hitches
- Session 5: Belaying
- Session 6: Protection and Anchoring
- Session 7: Teaching
- End of Day Debriefs
Day 2:
- Session 8: The Climbing Site
- Session 9: Site Organization and Group Management
- Session 10: Base Managed Sites
- Session 11: Assistance Skills – Base Managed Sites
- Session 12: Programming and Risk Management
- End of Day Debriefs
Day 3:
- Session 13: Instructor Demo Lead Climb
- Session 14: Top Managed Sites
- Session 15: Lowering
- Session 16: Assistance Skills – Top Managed Sites
- Session 17: Rappelling
- Session 18: Climbing Movement
- Session 19: Review Sessions
- Final Individual and Group Debriefs
Meeting location:
Colorado Mountain School
5958, 633 S Broadway unit a,
Boulder, CO 80305
Notes:
Upon successful completion of the AMGA SPI Course, candidates that meet SPI Exam prerequisites are eligible to take the AMGA SPI Exam.
Our SPI Courses can be run as custom outings. If you’re interested in taking an SPI Course, but it doesn’t fit into your schedule, please check out our custom guiding options.
All Upcoming Dates and Locations:
- July 1, 2023 - July 3, 2023 - AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Course - Boulder, Colorado
- July 28, 2023 - July 30, 2023 - AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Course - Boulder, Colorado
- September 2, 2023 - September 4, 2023 - AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Course - Boulder, Colorado
- September 22, 2023 - September 24, 2023 - AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Course - Boulder, Colorado
- October 20, 2023 - October 22, 2023 - AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Course - Boulder, Colorado
- November 17, 2023 - November 19, 2023 - AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Course - Boulder, Colorado
A. Ricci –
Steve is without a doubt one of the best teachers I have had the pleasure of learning from. He presents the material in a thought provoking way and challenges the student to be not only technically proficient, but a great instructor and guide as well.
Sarah Engel (verified owner) –
I debated whether I was really ready for the SPI course before signing up for it. If you are out climbing, and the one in the party responsible for the technical stuff regularly, I highly recommend the SPI Course for both technical training and SPI exam requirements. You will learn a lot about managing sites, instructing climbers, and best practices with gear along the AMGA guidelines. You will sharpen anchor skills, and get a deep understand of how to be the most efficient with your processes. My guide/instructor was Buster Jesik. I could not have asked for a better learning experience. I feel a lot more confident now, and look forward to working toward the SPI exam in a couple of months.