Show Notes: Related resources: AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Page Spencer Huffman’s Instagram @shuffrocks Szu-ting Yi (Ting Ting)’s Instagram @szutingyi SPI handbook (2024) EP 20 – Everything SPI 01 – Professionalism and Risk Management Episode Intro: Dear listeners of the Female Guides Requested Podcast, happy Wednesday. This is your host Ting Ting, and I’m still in my home country Taiwan. Today my dear friend and colleague Spencer Huffman returned for the Everything SPI series. We tried our best to extract and organize important nuggets from our past experiences to help single pitch instructors and whoever wants to enter the field of guiding. In this episode, we focus on Site Selection and Group Management. If you would like to check out our first episode of the series, please visit episode 20 in which we talked about Professionalism and Risk Management. Both Spencer and I are AMGA certified Rock Guides and SPI Providers. We co-taught an SPI course back in October 2023 and found that our teaching style was quite compatible and complimentary. Therefore, we decided to do this podcast series, Everything SPI, to create supplemental material related to the SPI programs. Spencer and I both have deep roots in climbing education. We have over 20 years of field instructing experience and are confident that we can provide valuable insights. We also recognize that the field of climbing instruction is dynamic and we can’t possibly know everything. So, if you have any questions, feedback, please reach out to help us improve. Now please enjoy the second episode of Everything SPI with Spencer and Ting Ting. Things We Talked about: How to plan the day How to actually run a climbing day Client Screening Course design Case Study Understand the sites Understand your clients – deliver a compelling experience Time Management Group Management … and more
Show Notes: Margaret’s links: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/margaret_wheeler/ Meet Margaret Wheeler (AMGA video) Among Mountain Guides, This Woman Is a Rarity – Ski Mag Why IFMGA-certified guide Margaret Wheeler believes that variety makes a difference in the mountains (backcountrymagazine.com) The Ultimate Guide | Dartmouth Alumni Magazine Episode Intro: Dear listeners of the Female Guides Requested Podcast. Happy Wednesday. This is your host Ting Ting delivering this wonderful new episode from my home country Taiwan. I am very excited about today’s guest, Margaret Wheeler. I still remember how amazed I was years ago, seeing her, very pregnant, teaching technical skills in an AMGA video. After I started this podcast I kept getting requests to have her on the show. I was fortunate to finally steal a couple hours from her busy life! In the guiding world, Margaret needs little introduction. She is the second U.S. woman to earn the IFMGA mountain guide title. She is an instructor of guide training for the AMGA and serves on its board of directors and as president of the organization. She is involved in avalanche education through her work as an AIARE (American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education) instructor and trainer. Right now Margaret and her husband Matt Farmer split their time between the Wood River Valley Idaho and Europe. Margaret is a wonderful story teller and her life never has a dull moment. She started chasing her brothers around the ski slopes of New England which led to a stint ski bumming in Chamonix France right after college. She bounced back and forth between the so-called real life and wild adventures and eventually found her happy true identity in mountain guiding. She also shared so much wisdom and philosophy about guiding from years of experience and her analytical approach to problem solving. She provided a viewpoint on guiding as a career, her expectations towards guide education and how the guiding community can help each other navigate through various challenges. Margaret talked specifically about how to make guiding a sustainable career and how to balance that with having a family Time flew by quickly and I didn’t even get to ask all of my questions. I hope I will soon have a chance to do another follow up interview with her. Listeners please enjoy this fantastic episode and let me know what other questions you might want to ask Margaret next time!
Show Notes: Julie Ann’s links: Instagram @groundingtruth Grounding Truth Website: groundingtruth.com Julie Ann is a member of the RAD team with Traverse Equipment https://www.traverseequipment.com/julieannholder Personal Instagram @julieann.holder Episode Intro: Dear listeners of the Female Guides Requested Podcast. Happy Wednesday. This is your host Ting Ting from Las Vegas. Today our guest is Julie Ann Holder. She was highly recommended by a listener and fellow guide Ian. I was so glad to connect with her and had a wonderful conversation with her. Julie Ann ‘Julz’ is a Backcountry Mentor, Ski Guide, and Avalanche Educator living in Bellingham, Washington. Two winters ago, she launched Grounding Truth Holistic Guiding: a process-oriented, women-focused, grassroots ski guiding business. As a guide, Julz embodies an attitude of curiosity, wonder, and reverence in wild places. She is dedicated to creating inclusive spaces within outdoor adventures that evoke feelings of radical acceptance and help cultivate more deeply felt experiences. Julie Ann is truly special. Her love towards snow country and skiing is contagious and her dedication to Grounding Truth is admirable. I don’t consider myself that much of a winter person, but I was curious about why she loved it so much, so I asked her to describe winter for me. I was speechless and when I listened to her words again, I couldn’t help but close my eyes in order to feel the intense beauty. I typically listen to podcasts when I am driving. If you’re like me, please don’t close your eyes when you listen to this episode. Things We Talked about: From Georgia rock to Washington snow Learn how to ski as an adult Learn to ski and teach ski at the same time Myth: Easy to learn hard to master? Benefits of learning a sport later in their lives How does Julie Ann start guiding? Big Sky MT where everything started Resort skiing versus backcountry skiing Trial and Errors Avalanche awareness / how to make decisions -> takes time As a guide, thinking about sustainability about a guide’s body Grounding Truth founded in 2021 Light bulb moments triggering Julie Ann to start her mentorship program? Use modern powerful tools but also use senses to feel the surroundings to make decisions Need to see it in actions before loading more information on the plate Intentionally let the course run in an organic way Reciprocal relationship with the places Since the inception of Grounding Truth, what kind of adjustments did Julie Ann did? What were the keepers since the beginning of Grounding Truth? The beauty of winter Vision for the Grounding Truth program?
Episode Intro: Dear listeners of the Female Guides Requested Podcast, happy Wednesday. I'm your host Ting Ting from sunny and soon to be hot Las Vegas. Today our guest is another Vegas local, Irene Yee. The famed ladylockoff on Instagram. Irene is a professional west coast based rock climbing and adventure photographer. She started rock climbing out of pure joy, picked up a camera soon after, and continues that journey on her instagram @ladylockoff. Her focus is to uplift women, BIPOC, and the LGBTQIA2S+ communities; choosing to highlight those pushing their own personal limits and finding inspiration in those with passion over muscle. She is internationally published, a @natgeoadventure contributor, and works with today's largest outdoor brands and non-profits. I had so much joy chatting with Irene in her house. We talked about how she transformed herself from a shy figure, hidden in dark clothes, to a bold, assertive, yet inclusive personality. I learned how she first took photos as a hobby and then slowly but surely turned creative photography into her profession when she identified the community needed her visual work. After we covered the serious topics, we had a fun time sharing about what else there is to do in Vegas besides climbing! That's right, Vegas has more to offer. Now let's have fun with Irene Yee. The Lady Lockoff. Irene's Links: Website: www.ladylockoff.com Social Media: @ladylockoff https://www.instagram.com/ladylockoff
Allie's links: Instagram: @tahoeallie Website: www.allieace.wordpress.com Episode Intro: Dear listeners of the Female Guides Requested Podcast, happy Wednesday. This is your host Ting Ting from Las Vegas. Our guest today is Allie Ace. We met in an SPI course. She told me that she had been an active listener of the show and resonated deeply with a few prior guests, especially Mia Tucholke. She mentioned that she had a very positive experience with her AMGA courses and wanted to encourage other aspirant female guides not to be afraid to take the first steps to become a guide. Originally from the east coast, Allie learned to ski in the Poconos at the age of 3. In 2010, she moved to Tahoe to pursue bigger mountains and a full time career in the ski industry. She has traveled all over the country and the world to teach skiing and coach ski racing. Allie is a USSS Level 400 Alpine Coach, Coach Developer and Alpine Official, has her PSIA Alpine Level 3, Children’s Specialist 2, Freestyle Specialist 1, Resort & Divisional Trainer, and Snowboard Level 1. With her eye on steeper and deeper lines, Allie started backcountry guiding in 2020. She is an AIARE Course Instructor, has her Pro 1, and is an AMGA Apprentice Ski & Alpine Guide. Allie currently lives in Truckee, CA, works for Alpenglow Expeditions, NASTC and is the lead alpine trainer at Sugar Bowl Resort. She is working towards her avy Pro 2 and the PSIA National Team this season. When not skiing, Allie enjoys whitewater rafting, kayaking, rock climbing and yoga. Allie is very passionate about continuing education and training. She is serious about being outstanding in her job and equipping her clients and students with current and relevant knowledge. I learned so much from her. We found there are many analogies between the ski and rock disciplines. Without further ado, let's dive in this episode with Allie Ace. What We Talked About: What We Talked About From PA to CA Taught ski racing and coaching in resorts Headed to AK and got into backcountry skiing How long did it take Allie to make the shift from resorts to mountains? Allie used to have a dream to heli ski but when she skied in the mountains in AK, she realized she didn't need a helicopter Allie had a great schedule when she was in AK, which allowed her to ski much on her own in the mountains Moved back to Tahoe but the pandemic shut down resorts Due to the pandemic the demand for guides for backcountry skiing increased dramatically Would love to transition the ski racing kids to backcountry skiing Think it's really cool to equip those kids with good decision making ability in the mountains What are the steps Allie took to feel comfortable guiding in the backcountry? Had great mentors in AK Took AIARE and AMGA courses, did in house training and shadowed many trips and courses Certification in ski industry? Recreational track and pro track How and why did Allie start her AMGA journey? Allie had a very positive experience with the AMGA What's next on Allie's plate? How long is Allie's guiding season? What do people do off-season? Via Ferrata in Tahoe area Proudest moment One big take away?