In 1979, four guides met with the goal of creating an organization that built connections and resources between mountain guides. The guides were
Yvon Chouinard,
Jim Donini,
Harry Frishman, and
Peter Lev. They created what was called the Moose Bar Charter, named so because the first meeting was at Dornan's Bar in
Moose, Wyoming.
Doug Robinson was elected the first President. In 1980, twelve guides met in Las Vegas and began the American Professional Mountain Guides Association (APMGA). Initially membership equaled certification and members were admitted by recommendation. In 1985 a group of guides met in the Tetons due to insurance concerns. It was difficult for insurance companies to assess guide services and smaller companies were not able to get coverage. There was a push for making the APGMA a stronger national organization.
Ian Wade was elected President and served for five years. The new board worked with insurance companies and communicated the risk management procedures. Part of the new structure was to develop the Rock Guide program.
Hans Gmoser and
Karl Klassen were the first mentors. The first exam was held in
Boulder, Colorado in 1990. In 1991 the first Alpine exam was in the
North Cascades of Washington. The first ski guiding exam was in 1993. The program was led by
Jean Pavillard and
Bela Vadasz. In 1991 the organization applied for admission to the
International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations. For several years they developed the programs and worked on certification requirements. In 1995
Mark Houston presented the programs for admission. The Rock and Alpine were up to standard but the Ski program was not. They were admitted in 1997. In 2010 the first Climbing Wall Instructor course manual was published. The Single Pitch Manual was released in 2014. Both received
International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation endorsement in 2014. ==Programs==