Joseph Thompson
AMGA Ski Guide
City: Erie
Province: CO
Bio: Joey Thompson passed his final mountain guides exam in February 2014 to become one of only 135 fully certified American Mountain Guides by the American Mountain Guides Association and is licensed by the International Federation of Mountain Guide Association (IFMGA), the highest level of professional guiding in the world. In the US that less than 135 Certified mountain guides can claim. The IFMGA began in 1965 as a collection of guide associations in Italy, France, Switzerland, and Austria, and now represents more than 6,000 guides from over 27 countries. The IFMGA’s international training standards allow certified, professional guides to work in any of the member countries, and they receive support and representation on a global scale. In 1997, the United States joined the IFMGA. To achieve the international certification, a candidate must complete the AMGA’s full program, consisting of over 138 days of course work and multi-week exams in each of three disciples, Rock climbing, Alpine climbing and Ski Mountaineering and must have professional guiding experience for a set amount of days. Also this includes examination in Avalanche Safety/Forcasting and Wilderness Medicine. In the US it’s important for anyone hiring a guide to check for for this Mountain Guide credential and it’s required for international trips in any IFMGA-member country. Joey’s journey started in New York climbing and skiing, but his love of big mountains quickly led him west to ski and climb around Arizona, California and Nevada before settling in Colorado with his wife Susan and doggy Honcho. After taking on various jobs to support his outdoor passions, Joey realized he wanted to empower and lead others to enjoy the mountain adventures he loved all around the US. Joey currently guides rock and alpine climbing and ski mountaineering in Alaska, Canada, Wyoming, Washington and Colorado and currently scheduling trips in Europe. Years later, the AMGA recognized Joey as the 2013 Guide of the Year for exceptional dedication to his mountain craft and clients. Achieving IFMGA status was the culmination of many years of work and commitment to the mountain guiding profession.
Countries
States
Certifications
- AMGA Ski Guide
- AMGA/IFMGA Mountain Guide
- AMGA Alpine Guide
- AMGA Rock Guide
Specialities
AMGA: American Mountain Guides Association
The American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) is a 501(c)(3) educational non‐profit that is dedicated to supporting the American mountain guiding community. Their mission is to be the leader in education, standards, and advocacy for professional guides and climbing instructors.
As the leading organization of America’s most vibrant, inspiring community of climbers and skiers, the AMGA offers you cutting edge knowledge and hundreds of years of collective experience that you won’t get from any other climbing organization.