Course Dates: October 16-18 (8 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day)

The Single Pitch Instructor (SPI) Program teaches climbing instructors to proficiently facilitate and instruct the sport of rock climbing in a single pitch setting. The SPI is the only internationally recognized single pitch climbing instructor certification program in the United States. It was developed to fit in the AMGA Rock program. Benefits:

• It significantly improves the instructor’s skill sets and integrates into the next level of training, which includes the AMGA Rock Guide Course and the Multi-Pitch Instructor certification.
• The program is for current, active rock climbers who have a real desire to teach rock climbing to novices in a single pitch setting.
• The SPI Course is a 27-hour training course that normally runs as three consecutive nine-hour days or day classes with evening sessions.
• The SPI Assessment (offered separately) is a minimum of 16 hours run over a two-day period.
• Certification (earned by passing the SPI Assessment) lasts for three years as long as the candidate keeps current AMGA Membership and appropriate First Aid Certification.
• After three years current SPI’s can re-take the SPI Assessment to regain the SPI certification.
• Successfully completing or passing any higher-level AMGA Course also recertifies the SPI certification for another three years.

Course Prerequisites:

• You are a Professional Member of the AMGA.
• Find membership information here: Members - AMGA | AMGA
• Please obtain your AMGA Professional Membership before registering for this course!
• You have a genuine interest in rock climbing and instructing novices on single pitch crags.
• You are at least 18 years old at the time of the course.
• You have at least 12 months prior climbing experience.
• You are an active climber with traditional lead climbing experience (leader placing pro).
• You have led a minimum of 15 traditional rock climbing routes (any grade).
• You are capable of comfortably climbing 5.8 while on a top rope.

The above prerequisites are absolute minimums. Without having at least this amount experience you are unlikely to make best use of the training. This course will be held in the Coopers Rock State Forest and the surrounding area.

Successfully passing this course does not certify you as a Single Pitch Instructor, however it makes you eligible to take a Single Pitch Instructor Exam at a later date. 

Clothing should be appropriate for the activity and environment. 

Approach shoes with sticky rubber are encouraged for increasing instructor security, especially at the top of the cliff.

Climbing shoes that allow the instructor to climb up to 5.8 while wearing for extended periods of time are necessary.

A 35-55 Liter pack to accommodate all personal and group gear inside of the pack. 

• Climbing Helmet, UIAA approved
• Climbing Harness, UIAA approved with belay loop
• Climbing shoes or approach shoes in which the candidate can climb up to 5.8 top rope
• Standard “lead climbing rack” such as, cams, stoppers/nuts, etc. (hexes and tri-cams if desired) with which the candidate can lead up to 5.6, including stopper/nut removal tool
• 8 -12 quickdraws or 24" (60cm) sewn slings/runners with carabiners (emphasis on sling draws)
• 1-2  48” (120cm) sewn sling/runner (helpful to have one nylon)
• 4 or more locking “HMS/Pearbiners”
• 4-5 additional locking carabiners
• Tube-type belay/rappel device 
• 1-2 Prusik loops (1m of 6mm Nylon Accessory Cord) 
• 1-2 Cordelettes (5m of 7mm Nylon Accessory Cord) 
• 1 optional 180cm “triple” or 240cm “quad” sling for anchoring 
• One 60m "single" dynamic rope (9.5-10.2mm) suitable for leading and top roping 
• One 30-50m static or “semi static” (gym line) rope (9-10.5mm), for setting up anchors and fixed lines