rcwild
04-11-2004, 08:51 PM
In the U.S. training of professional guides in most outdoor adventure programs is very loosely organized. While some guide services conduct their own in-house training, few guides have any formal training. This is especially true in emerging disciplines like canyoneering. As a result, anyone can print up some business cards and claim to be a guide.
One of the goals of the American Canyoneering Association is to raise the technical and professional standards of canyoneering guides in the United States to an international standard. The ACA offers the only internationally-recognized guide training and certification programs in this country. While it is impossible to eliminate all risks, choosing a guide that is certified by the ACA ensures that the individual has demonstrated an acceptable level of skills that separate the professional guide from the recreational canyoneer.
One of the goals of the American Canyoneering Association is to raise the technical and professional standards of canyoneering guides in the United States to an international standard. The ACA offers the only internationally-recognized guide training and certification programs in this country. While it is impossible to eliminate all risks, choosing a guide that is certified by the ACA ensures that the individual has demonstrated an acceptable level of skills that separate the professional guide from the recreational canyoneer.