Mountain Guide is a person who escorts individuals or groups on sightseeing tours or through places of interest such as industrial establishments, public buildings and art galleries. They also research various topics including site history, environmental conditions and clients' skills and abilities to plan appropriate expeditions, instruction and commentary.
Mountain Guide Eligibility
They should have been passed a Bachelor’s Degree (B.Sc. Geology) from a recognised college and university.
Mountain Guide Required Skills
- Mountain Guides must have some basic hill walking experience and have a reasonable level of fitness.
- They should have precise local knowledge of mountain routes, weather, and snow and glacier conditions.
- They should have specific training in alpine skills like off-piste skiing, avalanche awareness, rock climbing, ice climbing, mountain navigation and the proper use of mountain tools like ice axe, crampons, rope, climbing anchor systems, avalanche beacons, etc.
- They also possess the ability to contact helicopters for remote ski mountaineering access or heli-skiing.
Institutes offering Courses for Mountain Guide
- Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi
- Kakatiya University, Warangal
- Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh
- University of Delhi (DU), Delhi
How to become Mountain Guide?
One has to follow below-mentioned steps for becoming a Mountain Guide-
Step 1
Students after passing their 12th class in science stream have to have graduate courses in the much-related subjects. They have to take admission in Bachelor’s Degree in Geology, Geography, etc. There are many institutes offering courses for this profession on their campuses. Some of the reputed institutes conduct entrance tests for providing admissions. During the course, students are introduced to various types of mountain activities.
Degree Courses-
Course Eligibility-
For graduation courses, they should have been passed 12th class from a recognised school board with at least 50% marks.
Step 2
At some of the places, Master’s Degree is required by the employers; and this is the research field. So after graduation, they can go for these courses in recognised institutes.
Mountain Guide Job Description
Mountain Guides’ main other activities are given below of which they follow/do during their course of actions.
- To describe tour points of interest to group members and respond to questions
- To provide directions and other pertinent information to visitors
- To monitor visitors' activities to ensure compliance with establishment or tour regulations and safety practices
- To conduct educational activities for school children
- To select travel routes and sites to be visited based on knowledge of specific areas
- To greet and register visitors, and issue any required identification badges or safety devices
- To provide for the physical safety of groups, performing such activities as providing first aid and directing emergency evacuations.
Mountain Guide Career Prospects
After passing the necessary course, they can become a mountain leader; they are able to work on a self-employed basis taking your own clients hill walking anywhere in the mountains. They have also freelance work from outdoor centres and companies but competition is fierce as there are literally thousands of Mountain Leaders out there.
Mountain Guide Salary
Mountain Guides are paid differently from place to place and also depending on the situations there. Generally, in starting, they can are given Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 12,000 on monthly basis, working under the agencies proving guidance about mountains. Sometimes, the local people can also help foreigners by giving them mountains’ knowledge and other related climbing information; and for this, they are paid.
