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Guide System
Head Guide
Elected by the MMC Board
Completed all advanced guide requirements
Advanced Guide
Completed all guide requirements
Has led at least 15 days of trips at Middlebury, 3 of those days must be within a single discipline to lead a guide seminar or co-lead
Should actively seek to do co-leads with GITs
Should do at least one teaching event per semester i.e. co-leads, guide seminars, or workshops
Guide
Completed all GIT requirements
Successfully completed at least one co-lead, or at least two co-leads for climbing guides
Approved for guide status by the Head Guide
Guide in Training (GIT)
Has current Wilderness First Aid or higher wilderness medicine certification
Has completed a guide seminar
Has a valid college class 1 or 2 driver’s license, if eligible
Becoming a Guide
Become a Guide in Training (GIT)
To become a Guide in Training you must:
Complete a Guide Seminar for the track you are pursuing, these tracks are: Hiking, Backpacking, Canoeing, Sea Kayaking, Climbing, Winter Hiking, and Winter Backpacking.
Have a current Wilderness First Aid (WFA) or higher wilderness medicine certification. If you need to acquire WFA, training is held for prospective guides in the fall and, tentatively, in the spring.
Have a valid college class 1 or 2 driver’s license, if you are eligible for it.
Lead one or more co-leads
Co-leads are an opportunity to practice, and be evaluated on, the skills that you’ve learned in the guide seminar.
Climbing tracks require a minimum of two co-leads before consideration for full guide status.
Co-leads must be led by one-two GITs and one advanced guide. A trip with fewer than 4 participants may not count as a co-lead. The advanced guide will review the GIT and determine action steps in conjunction with the Head Guide.
Lead a trip!
Trips are led by two fully trained guides and are proposed in Ideal-Logic. These trips can range from short day trips from campus to multi-day overnights!
Remaining as a Guide
In order to remain a guide, you must do the following:
Lead at least 2 day trips or 1 overnight trip, including:
at least one beginner level trip per semester
at least one trip in each discipline you are a guide for (i.e. canoeing, hiking, climbing, if applicable). Exception for ski trips: If you are a ski guide, you only need to lead at least one per YEAR, rather than per semester
The same trip can suffice for both the discipline requirement and the beginner trip requirement but you still must meet the at least 2 day or 1 overnight trip requirement
Attend at least 1 social event (e.g. Whiskey Collective, Maps and Snacks, Fireside, Branbury Bonanza)
Attend at least one “in service” training session (e.g. Workshop with Carolyn Finney)
If an MMC guide does not fulfill these requirements, they must participate in a guide seminar in order to restore their guide status, unless there are extenuating circumstances or they are studying abroad.
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