UKC

Hi

I am currently building on my ML and working towards IML training and MIA training etc. My question is what kind of work did you do that was flexible enough to allow you to get the logbook sorted out? Ideally I'd need something which would be a kind of 'one month on/off' job but perhaps I am mistaken.

Advice appreciated.

Thanks

H.

In reply to Hans:

Yeah you're mistaken. Plenty of people do those qualifications through taking weekends/holidays and evenings off, but it does require quite a high level of commitment. Although there is a massive jump from getting your ML (pretty easy to do with weekends here and there) to getting your MIA or IML, both of which also require different levels of time/commitment.

Have you looked to see the time/financial commitment for the IML? It's massive, and is probably not worth doing unless you intend to work full time in that area IMO.

In reply to JayPee630:

Most people don't try to accrue those routes to meet qualification criteria, they occur naturally over years because they live and breath mountaineering. Every evening, weekend, holiday... fair weather or foul, is a chance to be out there on something. Even then it takes years to work your way through the quals.

In reply to JayPee630

Thanks, good to know. Yes, had a look and while expensive it does open up a lot of interesting opportunities.

In reply to summo:

Don't know about 'most', but plenty of people I know have worked there way through the qualifications in a programmatic way with gaining the qualification as the aim, rather than just gaining the routes/days incidentally as you suggest.

In reply to summo:
Also not sure about the 'years' thing unless you mean 2-3. A few people I know have gone from no qualifications to MIA/Winter ML in three years no problems.

One in particular was only ever a multi-pitch HVS climber and they did Summer ML one year (training at the start/assessment at the end), MIA one year (training end of one summer after they passed their summer ML/assessment end of next summer) and Winter ML in one year (training one winter/assessment the next) - all running a bit together, so guess it was 2 years for the lot.

They were working in the outdoors as an instructor full time though, so that helped!

In reply to JayPee630:


Years to gain the experience, not necessarily between the courses.

In reply to JayPee630:


Only giving my view, as someone who did theirs around 20 years ago. Perhaps people's motives have changed over time. I was too busy going climbing, to think about getting qualified. I registered for the ML scheme in 90, but did nothing, just went out in the hills, constantly, and then in 98 thought I better start the paper trail, got ML training exemption did my assessment Mon to Fri, then Fri evening stayed on at PYB to do SPA trng, return 2 weeks later for assessment and promptly registered for MIA. So yes you can squeeze courses together, but by then I had been climbing for over 10 years and had 1000s of logged climbs.

I don't personally think it's a line of work you can enjoy if you wouldn't have been wanting to be out on the hills anyway. But everyone has their own views and the schemes draw people from all sorts of different directions in life. Assessments are little more tense, but the instructor training courses are likely to become great memories for you. The mix of people, range talents, all with a passion to just get out climbing is great.

In reply to Hans:
I worked as an outdoor instructor and loved going climbing. Logging climbs and days working as an ML is easy, it's what you do in your time off.

All sorts of people pass their MIA. Old / young, work shy / workaholics.

Here's an interesting piece from Mountain Training if you've not already seen it:

http://www.mountain-training.org/mountaineering/awards/mountaineering-instr...

I'm on the AMI committee and happy to answer any questions you have about the scheme, just give me a shout

In reply to Hans:

you could try leading expeditions abroad based on your ML that should get you the international experience.
don't know if its for you but I will be aiming to apply for these:
http://www.world-challenge.co.uk/about-us/become-expedition-leader
https://www.outlookexpeditions.com/become-leader/about-expedition-leaders

there are others but have to hunt. also Im not doing the IML so unsure if it meets your criteria

In reply to Hans:

I agree with much written above.
If you don't work in the outdoor industry a lot of it depends on how committed you are at weekends.
I went from no quals to MIA in 5 years. I did teacher training and the first couple of years of teaching full time at the same time, which is intense in itself.
It helps having a diverse range of people to climb/scramble/walk with. Being in a mountaineering club can help. Plenty of people to coach/instruct for free.