UKC

Hi,

Just wondered how much of a jump is it to become an MIA from being an SPA+ML holder?

I know it's not an easy undertaking and and I'm not underestimating what it takes, but just out of curiosity what did you do to get you where you are now? Any top tips?

Looking in the Lifts/Partners forums there's always someone offering free tuition so it must be worth it?

To those people how did you find the jump from holding an ML/SPA to MIA, all these trainees that post how many go for Assessment? How many don't?

Seems to be everyone who goes higher moves to Llanberis and lives on the crags all day.

In reply to Simon_87:
Not everyone moves to 'beris... I moved to Cwm y Glo!

This might be of interest: http://www.jbmountainskills.co.uk/about/how-i-became-self-employed/

It's a big step up from SPA and ML but if you're a psyched climber its 100% achievable.

Best advice, get out enjoying your climbing and mountaineering. The best MIAs are those who love climbing and the mountains, sea cliffs etc and love passing on that knowledge they've gained through years of experience.

In reply to Simon_87:

Hey Jez,

Cheers for the advice, love the outdoor ed stuff, enjoy instructing and just wondered what was next. Move up and up my game to MIA and/or move sideways and teach as much as I can at my level (Lowland Leader, BEAL etc.)

In reply to Simon_87:

Look at the pre-requisites on the Mountain Training website and go climbing lots, that should give you an idea of what effort you'll need to put in personally. Given time and motivation its achievable.

And you don't have to confine yourself to North Wales! I live in Pembroksehire and managed MIA and Winter ML from here...

The amount of free tuition offered only tells you how many people do the training, remember those offering that in their consolidation could still be total muppets...

In reply to Simon_87:

I thought it was a hefty jump from ML/SPA, having already done lots of multipitch climbing to a reasonable level and having quite a bit of knowledge on rescues i thought i was mostly there and would just be fine tuning things.
I was very wrong (in a good way), as i learnt absolutely loads in the training course (and the assessment course). I was sort of surprised how much it actually covered, and it is really crammed into the 9 days. Awesome course and highly recommended.

Definitely copy what Jez said about being a psyched climber will get you a long way towards it. A lot of the course/qualification is knowledge. Where certain climbs are, what a certain rocktype is like, what is the environment like in those places, who those places would be suitable for and teaching what aspects there. And getting into a lot of mini faffs so you can learn from them (hopefully not too many epics though :P).

If you go lots of places and do lots of fun things in the mountains, you'll be well equipped to get the most out of the course!

In reply to Simon_87:

Sorry the Llanberis thing was a bit of a joke, I seem to hear it a lot people moving out there, but why not be so close to the crag.

Cheers Charlie (it's Chicken), I was looking at how big the step up was. I know I've still got lots to do but my be an aiming point.

In reply to Simon_87:
It should feel like a natural step, if you aren't feeling the urge to climb every spare day you have or at vs/hvs+ then it will be tough.

If you have the registration prerequisites through your own mountaineering then register and do the training course, you'll know then if you want to get up to assessment standard. Either way, just doing Mia training will broaden your skills and perspective, making you a more able ml and spa'er.

In reply to summo:

Hi summo,

thanks for the reply, I know I have to be honest with myself and I'm nowhere near there right now but I always like to have a goal in mind even if it's viable within a decade.

In reply to jezb1:

Interesting blog post!

In reply to Simon_87:

.... I'm nowhere near there right now but I always like to have a goal in mind...

Have you considered doing the multi-pitch award? It covers some of the MIA skills and would be a good halfway house.

Have a look on the Tollymore outdoor centre website for more info.

In reply to THE.WALRUS:

Hi Walrus,

Thanks for the reply, so if you're nowhere near are you working towards it? Or just seeing what happens? Just out of curiosity.

Is that for climbers moving to multi pitch? I've done some (less that 10 routes) multi pitch but around diff/vdiff.