Setting Standards for Hiking & Backpacking Guides in the US
American Hiking Guides Association
Setting Standards for Hiking & Backpacking Guides in the US
About the American Hiking Guides Association
Since 2010, we have been at the forefront of establishing professional standards for Hiking and Backpacking Guides—also known internationally as Mountain Leaders—throughout the United States. Our programs are aligned with internationally recognized best practices established by the Union of International Mountain Leader Associations (UIMLA), which has long set the benchmark for professional mountain leadership across Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia.
Prior to 2010, there was no nationally recognized, standardized training pathway for hiking and backpacking guides in the United States. Our comprehensive curriculum, training programs, and assessment processes were developed to fill this critical gap and have been reviewed and supported by International Mountain Leaders from Europe and South America, as well as professionals affiliated with agencies such as the
National Park Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Today, we are proud to have certified more than 700 guides, contributing to a growing network of trained professionals committed to safety, leadership, and excellence in mountain environments across the United States.
Hiking and Backpacking Guides operate in wilderness environments across Class I to Class IV terrain, where safe and effective client travel requires specialized skills, technical knowledge, and industry-specific equipment. Professional guides must be proficient in navigation, risk management, environmental assessment, group leadership, and emergency response to ensure client safety and operational success in remote and variable conditions.
Internationally certified Mountain Leaders (IMLs) are qualified to lead clients on Class I to Class IV permanent and non-permanent snow-covered, non-glaciated terrain. The pathway to IML certification is rigorous and comprehensive, often requiring up to four years to complete. Candidates must undergo extensive training, formal assessments, and practical evaluations across multiple countries and diverse mountain environments, ensuring they meet internationally recognized standards for leadership, safety, and technical competence in mountainous terrain.
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Our training framework is structured into three professional certification pathways: Hiking Guide, Backpacking Guide, and Mountain Leader. In addition, we offer specialized training in Backcountry Water Safety and Backcountry Food Handling to ensure comprehensive risk management and operational readiness in remote environments. Our curriculum is aligned with both nationally and internationally recognized professional standards.
Each certification pathway follows a structured progression that includes prerequisite qualifications, formal training courses, documented wilderness experience through guided terrain logging, and a comprehensive assessment process designed to evaluate technical proficiency, leadership, safety, and decision-making capabilities.
We are committed to providing professional-level training and certification that prepares guides to operate safely and effectively in low-angle and semi-technical wilderness terrain, while upholding the highest standards of competence, professionalism, and client care.
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Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and fund our mission in the hiking and backpacking industry! Promoting best practices, standards for aspiring and current guides and the hiking community as a whole!