finding work as an SPI

How hard is it to find work as an SPI? I'm thinking of doing the AMGA SPI certification and wondering how much I'll be able to use it. I want to guide on the weekends, say a few times a month during the season. I don't so much care about making supplemental income but more so just enjoy teaching.

How does finding clients to guide actually work? If I work for a guiding company, would they be cool if some weekends I'm busy on my own and can't work? How much demand is there for guides such that I'd be able to guide a few time a month?

The two areas I'm most interested in guiding are Gunks and Denver area.

Thanks!

At the SPI level you're getting clients from the guiding company. Client calls up the outfitter, asks for a half-day or full-day of instruction/TRing, they assign the SPI to the group. 

Most outfitters like to have a list of part-time guides they can rely on. They want to know your skills are staying sharp, you have consistent availability, and that you understand changing conditions because you've been to the area frequently. Some outfitters will have a few stand-by instructors on hand that they will reach out to when an inquiry comes in and the usual guides/instructors are already booked or if extra hands are needed for a large group. Don't expect to be given priority or even work each month if you're the "as needed" person. Sounds like that wouldn't be a problem for you.

I can't speak for the Gunks, but I think you'll find what you're looking for around Denver.

What’s the difference between a climbing guide and a pizza?

A pizza can feed a family of four…

Edit:

Adam Fleming’s description is pretty spot on- making a reasonable living solely as a guide (esp. at SPI level) is pretty tough. Better to be doing such work as a side hustle to another solid income source, and have a Plan B when guiding just ain’t working for you any longer.

If it truly isn't about the income, then you might consider volunteering with the AMC (or whatever the Denver equivalent is).

You'd have no shortage of "clients", they'd be really appreciative, and (IIUC but IANAL) you'd have much less personal liability.

You also wouldn't need to maintain your SPI and WFR and CPR and Water Safety and NY Guide License and whatever the guide service owner wants and ...

Acadia NP has a ton of spi guides running around all summer. Definitely you gotta consider hitting multiple regions throughout the year to stay busy.

mbk mentioned it in passing, but getting and maintaining your Wilderness First Responder certification is almost always a requirement as well. Depending on the outfitter and if you always work with others you might be able to get away with the Wilderness First Aid cert, but I personally haven't seen that. Just be aware it's an additional cost to instructing.

Irb, sending you a PM

I work as a full time SPI in the summers and fill in the rest of the year with other work. You'll need to find work through a guiding operation. Wanting only part time work should be fine. My operation has two guides that work 4-5 days a week consistently then fills in with part time guides for the rest of the trips. Some work less than 5 days a year, but are kept on because they might be available when no one else is. You'll also need a WFA or WFR depending on who you work for. Happy to chat if you have more questions.

Likely to be pretty hard to find clients independently, and the guide company handles things like permits, finding the clients, and sometimes getting you gear. To really make money guiding though, you'll probably want a higher cert like others have said, but if its just because you enjoy doing it, SPI is probably the right level.

I did exactly what you are describing: taught climbing for a few days a month for fun during the rock season. As others have mentioned, the trick is to work for an established school/guide service who will do all the heavy lifting- advertising, scheduling, insurance, collecting payments, and own all the gear (you need a LOT of gear in your truck. Probably at least 20 pairs of shoes, ropes, a dozen harnesses etc etc. You don't want to be buying all that).  If you can find a Guide Service/Climbing school near you who will hire you and do all the marketing and scheduling etc, it can be a blast. I did it for 4 years in the Boston area for a very large northeast climbing school. 10 to 15 days a season. I  loved it. I'd suggest contacting a climbing school/guide service near you who you could potentially work for. If they offer SPI training/eval that's even better, talk to them about what you want to do. See if they'd be interested in hiring you as a part time SPI. Chances are good they will. You might even be able to get a discount on your SPI course/test costs from them. I was very lucky and got everything paid by the guide service I worked for. Go for it, it is a great experience. Good luck.

Locker wrote:

It's not a very lucrative job.

No way!

apogee wrote:

What’s the difference between a climbing guide and a pizza?

A pizza can feed a family of four.

I had a net income of $140k/yr. as a self-employed full-time IFMGA Guide working 12 months/year.  It's not an easy license to obtain or easy work, but at least I could buy a few pizzas.

Eli Helmuth wrote:

I had a net income of $140k/yr. as a self-employed full-time IFMGA Guide working 12 months/year.  It's not an easy license to obtain or easy work, but at least I could buy a few pizzas.

Sounds like construction work at that point, I know 6 months of FT belaying would be tough on the body. Same $ different business 

Eli Helmuth wrote:

I had a net income of $140k/yr. as a self-employed full-time IFMGA Guide working 12 months/year.  It's not an easy license to obtain or easy work, but at least I could buy a few pizzas.

Your buying at Miguels Next week???

Artem Vee wrote:

Net, or gross? I find $140k net of depreciation, tax, and COGS to be hard to believe, so I want to make sure. 

I wouldn’t be surprised by net.  If you work a lot of days with good (rich+generous) clients, you make a lot of money. 

Max Tepfer wrote:

I wouldn’t be surprised by net.  If you work a lot of days with good (rich+generous) clients, you make a lot of money. 

As an IFMGA guide, maybe. As an SPI, notsomuch.

Eli Helmuth wrote:

I had a net income of $140k/yr. as a self-employed full-time IFMGA Guide working 12 months/year.  It's not an easy license to obtain or easy work, but at least I could buy a few pizzas.

Eli, I’m curious how many days in a year or days in a month you were averaging?

Pay varies greatly depending on the operation you work for and type of clientele brought in. Most of mine are tourists on vacation who are tossing around $$$. Its not too uncommon for me to make close to my rent in a day.

Alex Fletcher wrote:

Eli, I’m curious how many days in a year or days in a month you were averaging?

Averaged around 200 days a year of outside work. Teaching SPI and AIARE courses, military contracts, and expedition work paid the best. Private climbing/ skiing days were the most fun but paid the least. 

Hard to beat the thrill of onsight guiding the Diamond, Denali West Rib, the Naked Edge, etc. among many great routes. 

The amount of inside hours spent answering emails, phone calls, website updates, videos, blogging, accounting, etc to market and make the sales was immense. 

Artem Vee wrote:

Net, or gross? I find $140k net of depreciation, tax, and COGS to be hard to believe, so I want to make sure. 

I did all of my own website, marketing, permits, client communications, sales, accounting, etc which was a full-time second job and cost nothing but time.

Having very low overhead, home office, low equipment costs (guests bring their own/ personal work gear all free) was key. Tax write-offs are big with travel, office, etc when you're self-employed and "everything" is work related.