Hire A Mountain GuideA Comprehensive Directory of Mountain Guides, Worldwide

The Mountain Guide Bureau is made possible in part through financial support from BRADLEY ALPINIST, a retailer of fine equipment for high altitude climbing. Special thanks to manufacturers/suppliers of proven brands offered by BRADLEY ALPINIST, such as Wild Things Gear, DMM, Valandre, Simond, Dachstein Wool, Grivel, Rock Exotica, and JULBO.

This site offers an extensive (but incomplete) list of individual guides who are certified by a member organization of the worldwide recognized body of standardization for professional mountain guiding, the Union de Internationale des Associations de Guide de Montagne (UIAGM), or also known as the International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations (IFMGA).  Each listed guide is certified in either Rock, Alpine, Ski Mountaineering, or any combination therof, and in some cases all three disciplines.  Each guide is a certified member of their country's IFMGA Member certifiying body, and have met their member country’s own association’s criteria. Guides certified in all three disciplines, Rock, Alpine, and Ski Mountaineering,  carry the international distinction of being licensed IFMGA Certified Guides.   IFMGA Guides have acheived the highest level of certification recognized internationally.

Each member country of the UIAGM / IFMGA operates their own professional guide certification organization,  such as the American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) in the United States, and in Canada, the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG). The AMGA and the ACMG are unique members of the IFMGA, as they are the only two country organizations that offer and certify guides separately in the disciplines of Rock, Alpine, and Ski Mountaineering.  Those guides who obtain all three certifications are then recognized as full IFMGA Guides.  All other UIAGM/IFMGA member countries exclusively offer the single distinction of all three disciplines combined, the IFMGA Licensed Guide certification.

In addition to the AMGA(USA) and the ACMG (Canada)Other member countries of the UIAGM /IFMGA are:
Argentina, Austria, Bolivia, Chile, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, New Zealand , Norway, Peru, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Japan.

On the “links” page on this site, you can access each of these UIAGM / IFMGA member organization websites, and learn of their particular certification process and requirements, and of their membership of certified guides. IMPORTANT NOTE: In any case, the information that these organizations provide on their individual sites, will be the most accurate information available, as to the status of their membership, and particular certifications of their member guides.  This site, however extensive, is a continual work in process, and is an incomplete list of certified guides.  This site is only representative of information that is both published via each member organization, and enhanced by additional information that is voluntarily offered by individual guides and guiding companies ( via direct contact with us). Also, the site is limited by the extent of ability for the site's operators/managers to input all available information that is published by UIAGM/IFMGA member organizations.

The Mountain Guide directory also includes an extensive list of guiding companies, or mountain guide agencies that may or may not actually employ guides that have been certified by a UIAGM/IFMGA member organization.  In the case of individual certified guides or guiding companies, it is up to the individual seeking guiding services, to establish the credibility of each guide/guiding company in consideration, in terms of safety record, business licensing, membership, permits,  insurance, and the credentials and certifications of the guides they employ.  This site does not a booking agency, but a reference. This site does not recommend one guide/guiding company over another.

A user of this site can reference guides/guiding companies by reviewing an Alphabetical list (select "Guide Directory" in the main menu), or by use of a criteria filter (select "Find a Guide" in the main menu). 

The Mountain Guide Bureau maintains this climber’s resource, hireamountainguide.com, exclusively with funding provided by sponsorships from manufacturers in the climbing industry. The information on this site is a complementary service for climbers interested in locating a mountain guide to hire, as well as a free marketing resource for individual mountain guides, certified guides, guiding companies/agencies, and mountain guide associations. Established in 2005, The Mountain Guide Bureau is currently provided solely by funding from Bradley Alpinist LLC, www.bradleyalpinist.com, as the the Mountain Guide Bureau’s Retail Sponsor. Additional categorical sponsorships will be eventually offered to the following climbing industry contributors; an equipment manufacturer of climbing hardware, a manufacturer of clothing for alpinists, a technical fabric sponsor, and a manufacturer of climbing related accessories.

Meet the Director of the Mountain Guide Bureau:  Lance Johnson

As the owner of BRADLEY ALPINIST, I felt it was imperative to focus and direct our company's community service efforts on the mountain guiding profession.  To this end, we contribute dollars and/or resources to the Certified Guides Cooperative (CGC), a crucial entity focusing on guide access as an extension of guiding resources related to the Amercian Mountain Guide Association (AMGA).  I serve on the transitional board of directors as a board member, and Finance Chairman for the CGC.   Bradley Alpinist is also a Patron Sponsor of the American Mountain Guide Association.  This site is also support and of service to the professional guiding community as an international whole, as well as for clients all over the globe that seek their valued experience, comradery, safety skills, mountain intuition, and expertise.  

I feel that every guide lives that life that a lot of us wish we had, and that most of us dream about from time to time.  Guides live out the passion for what they do, and have made the choices and sacrafices to do their life's work.   Guides push innvovation in the functional design of climbing equipment.  Mountain Guides push limits in modern technique, grades, and stimulate a new or continual interest in climbing by novices, and thoses of us who have been climbing for years.   So, at BRADLEY ALPINIST, we have endeavored to support guiding as our company's contribution to the community, and for our brand of corporate goodwill.   This site will always be a complimentary service to those who wish to find a guide for any type of climbing objective, worldwide.   In addition, this site will always be a complementary marketing service to certified guides, and guiding companies , in all mountaneous terrain, worldwide.  

I am not a guide, but truly appreciate the guiding lifestyle.  I love climbing, and skiing, and enjoy making a contribution to this great industry through BRADLEY ALPINIST (retailer of some the finest, and often hard to find, climbing equipment), and the advertising/marketing agencies I operate, FULL CIRCLE MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS (a full service advertising agency-Albuquerque, NM), and the DIRETTISIMA GROUP (marketing services for guides and agencies).   I like to ice climb in Ouray and Valdez, have summited some nice peaks, including Denali in Alaska, Rainier, Mt. Aspiring in New Zealand, and have rock climbed all over the lower 48.   Although no summits yet in Peru, two trips have taken me over 20,000ft.  I remain humbled in my training for climbing by participating in crazy events like ultra marathon mountain endurance runs.  To date, I have four finishes at the Hardrock 100- Miler in Silverton, Colorado,  a finish at the Leadville Trail 100 Miler, New Zealand's Kepler Challenge, and Arizona's Crown King 50 Miler.  I have also not finished a few of these 100 Mile races, but am a veteran of six short races, the normal marathons, including notable races such as the Boston Marathon and Pikes Peak Marathons.

To all the guides, keep living the "life unordinary"! Climb light, but fast!  

Lance Johnson  

Look for the HireaMountainGuide.com advertising in Climbing, and Rock & Ice magazine.  Our ads are found in the Guide and Travel sections, as well as on the respective publication websites.