ABOUT AMGA
The AMGA’s founders were climbers and skiers with a deep commitment to and understanding of outdoor culture. They realized the soul of these sports didn’t have to be compromised by organization. Organization could instead serve to bring the community together in a revolutionary way. It could provide mountain guides with resources, services, and credentials to boost their careers, but also with connections to each other and to the larger community of guides and clients across the country and around the globe.
ABOUT OUR COLLABORATION
The mission of the American Mountain Guides Association's (AMGA) mission is simple: To be the leader in education, standards, and advocacy for professional guides and climbing instructors. We are proud of our 15-year history of supporting that mission through our sponsorship of the important work done by the AMGA and their 4,000+ members.
The GORE-TEX Brand and AMGA have worked together to create this season's The Mountain Skills Series videos, focusing on backcountry touring skills.
The series offers a plethora of tips related to touring in the backcountry from some of the best in the field. This season's skills include what to carry in your repair kit, kick turns, and clearing tech fittings. All videos are available below.
If you're new to the backcountry figuring out how to carry your skis or board can be a struggle. IFMGA Guide and AMGA Instructor Team member Emilie Drinkwater talks us through a few ways to stow them.
Avalanche transceivers are an essential tool for rescues in the backcountry. IFMGA Guide and AMGA Technical Director Dale Remsberg reminds us to make sure you are aware of what can cause them to malfunction.
You can't skin uphill forever! Eventually you will have to turn. IFMGA Guide and AMGA Instructor Team member Emilie Drinkwater demonstrates three types of kick turns to use on your next tour.
Avalanche rescue skills are essential tools to have in the backcountry and should be reviewed regularly. Check out this refresher on how to conduct an avalanche search. *This does not replace formal avalanche training.
A broken ski pole during a day of skiing or boarding is not the end of the world but it can be quite an inconvenience. IFMGA Guide and AMGA Technical Director Dale Remsberg shows us a few options on how to repair a pole in the backcountry.
Here are some considerations for skiing with tech bindings or anything with pin fronts. IFMGA Guide and AMGA Technical Director Dale Remsberg talks us through using leashes, brakes, or none of the above.
Every rider or skier should carry these six things in their repair kit when they head into the backcountry.
Here's a great way to practice a beacon search that doesn't take a long time and can happen at the trailhead.
Pro tip: If you're popping out of your bindings it could be some ice stuck in your tech fittings. IFMGA Guide and AMGA Technical Director Dale Remsberg shows us how he removes that buildup.
Two things that can make for a less enjoyable ski/board day are skins that don't stick to your skis/board and skis/board that don't slide well on snow. IFMGA Guide and AMGA Instructor Team member Emilie Drinkwater helps us troubleshoot some potential causes and how to fix them.
