May 1999 issue, Between a Rock and a Hard Place- The trade magazine for the outdoor retail industry published this feature article for the benefit of outdoor retailers which are often asked to recommend a guide service. The article makes the point that any time a retailer makes a recommendation to a customer, the retailer could be held legally liable. Certification is discussed as a potential way to make it easier for retailers to decide who they should recommend to customers.


 

The article begins with a good question. "Did you know that in most areas of the United States climbing guides are allowed to operate without nationally recognized certification?" The article states that many established guides do not believe in certification. "They ask, "Why should someone else come in and tell me what the standard should be?" Others are too intimidated to be reviewed by peers." The article warns retailers, "Often, guides will target stores that advertise in magazines like Rock & Ice and Climbing and drop-ship brochures. But a high-gloss brochure or fancy WebSite is not enough to warrant a recommendation from your store."

This piece stresses the point which is common in many of these articles. That is, many established guides feel they should not have to be trained and/or certified because they know what they’re doing. They’re missing the point though. Just because they know what they’re doing doesn’t mean that all uncertified guides know what they’re doing. What if there’s a better way to guide that they’re not aware of? What if a guide really doesn’t know what he’s doing? When these guides tell potential clients that they are excellent guides, will these clients have the background necessary to determine whether or not they really are? And what does excellent mean when not associated with any kind of standard? Certification isn’t for guides, it’s for their potential customers. It protects the climbing public from climbers trying to guide who don’t at least meet a minimum acceptable guiding and safety standard