Finding mentorship for women in the mountains and especially in guiding, can be a deserted venture.
When you can’t find anyone looking like you and struggling to keep up with your male peers - the world of mountain guides can seem unreachable. The hard work and pressure of constantly needing to prove yourself is daunting.
But you are not alone! At first difficult to find, Montana has some amazing female Mountain Guides.
Beartooth Mountain Guides is excited to offer a new Mentorship program for women wanting to become Mountain Guides.
Are you an aspiring Mountain Guide?
In our program you will be able to spend 10 days with a female Mountain Guide in all disciplines. We will do our best in offering 10 days, but days may vary due to mentees availability.
Over 9 months, the mentee will attend a total of 10 days in all disciplines. This includes training days, shadow days (on a guided tour), porter work, and more depending on qualifications.
The applicant needs to have experience in rock climbing, alpine climbing, backcountry skiing and ice climbing. It is possible to apply for only three out of the four disciplines.
Are you interested in supporting this program?
Ways to support:
Become a Mentor and inspire new Mountain Guides! Please email us with your credentials. This position is volunteer (for now), until funding is provided.
Financial support: donations are welcome to compensate professional Mountain Guides mentoring aspiring Mountain Guides. Please fill out this form or email us.
Program starts in July 2025 and goes until April 2026. Applications will open March 18, 2025 and close April 30 2025. We have two spots available!
If you are a female Mountain Guide and you have been looking for an opportunity to share your knowledge and experience, please apply in this form.
Prerequisites & Requirements:
High level of personal mountain experience:
Rock Climbing: Comfort leading 5.9 trad routes, comfort leading 5.10b sport routes
Alpine Climbing: Lead and build anchors comfort with 5.8 multi-pitch trad routes in alpine terrain
Ski touring: min. of 4 years resort experience, comfortable skiing powder, able to navigate variable conditions, can safely identify and navigate avalanche terrain.
Ice climbing: min. of 3 years climbing experience, lead and building anchors in WI3+ terrain
Availability:
Needs to be available on some mid-week days for practice days
Expected to reach out and show enthusiasm, we will try our best to offer shadow days, but mentees are expected to be proactive with scheduling.
Main location is Red Lodge, Montana, but also East Rosebud and West Rosebud
Potential mentor days distribution:
1 day in intro to multi-pitch guiding
1 day in intro to alpine guiding
1 day in intro to short-roping
4 - 5 days Granite Peak Portering / 1 shadow day in ski guiding /1 shadow day in ice guiding
1 day intro to ice guiding
1 day in intro to spring ski guiding
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