Personalized Climbing Experiences and Mountain Mobility Instruction
Contact: info@kevinshonclimbing.com
Instagram: kevin_shon_vertical
#Alpineforbreakfast
#Mountainmobility
Twitter: @kshon
Venmo: Kevin_Shon
Climbing Services
Click a climbing icon to learn more about each service offering
Single Pitch Rock Instruction
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Intro climbing work - all the basics you need to know to get started.
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Intermediate to advanced climbing movement, coaching, & technical systems.
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Advanced rescue systems for climbing professionals and recreational trip leaders.
Multi-Pitch Rock Instruction
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Multi-pitch basics - lead belaying, top belay systems, belay station management, gear placement, & how to get down securely.
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Learn to lead - everything you need to know for being out front: rope management, belay stance trouble shooting, intermediate gear placement, rappelling/lowering systems, Intro to rescue.
Ice Instruction
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Intro ice climbing work - all the basics you need to know to get started, single pitch environment.
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Intermediate to advanced ice climbing movement, coaching, and technical systems as they apply to both single and multi-pitch ice environments.
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Special considerations for recreational ice leaders for 1 and 2 followers on ice.
Alpine Climbing Instruction
Climbing Wall Instructor Certification
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Tour Planning/Route navigation
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Snow School/Self Arrest
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Snow anchor theory/application
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Guided summit climbs
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Glaciology
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Small/Large rope team travel
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Navigation technology
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Gear/Equipment selection
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2.5 Day AMGA Course
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Valuable staff training
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2 cert options: Lead & Top Rope
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Emphasis on professionalism and technical rescue systems
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6:1 teaching ratio
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contact for setting up an AMGA CWI course:
MY BACKGROUND
My career as an outdoor professional began in 2002 studying Adventure Education and Sustainable Tourism Development in the program of Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Resource Management at the Davis College of West Virginia University.
In 2007 I began what would become a 12-year career as an expeditionary leader for the North Carolina Outward Bound School. Through "NCOBS," I have instructed courses up to 75-days in length in remote areas such as the wilderness of Northern Argentine Patagonia. This era of professional experience developed my presence as an educator and coach, using outdoor pursuits as a medium for facilitating personal growth of others.
I have worked as a university administrator and leadership coach for nationally recognized college outdoor programs for the past 6 years at both Princeton University's Outdoor Action Program and WVU's Adventure WV program. These programs honed my ability to work with hundreds of students with various skill levels and interests in technical and interpersonal skills development in an adventure setting. These nationally recognized programs enhanced my capacity to run large output programs while retaining a personal feel to both staff and participants.
In 2010 I participated in my first American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) coursework to refine my skills as a climbing instructor and guide. I am a certified Single Pitch Instructor (SPI), a Full Provider of the AMGA Climbing Wall Instructor certification (CWI), an Apprentice Rock Guide, and have taken my Ice Instructor Course. I am currently preparing for my AMGA courses in the Alpine Discipline and am an active (dues paying) professional member of the organization.
I am a patient teacher, a personable skills coach, and continue to push my own learning and growth as a professionally certified climbing guide - I'd love to get outside with you!
Read below to better understand what this AMGA talk is all about...
Kevin Shon
WORKING TOGETHER
What is Qualified Instruction? What is a certified guide?
With the rise of the current climbing wall movement in the US we are seeing banner quantities of recreationalists electing climbing as their sport of choice. Never before has outdoor climbing been more accessible to the masses and with this access comes an era of learn as one goes in their technical rock craft. The learning curve with gravity can be an unforgiving one - hiring a qualified climbing professional is a great way to accelerate your own personal security while maximizing learning in the mountains and to streamline climbing success.
There exists a collective of outdoor professionals dedicated to mastering their personal art of climbing movement, applied technical systems, and pedagogy/instruction to make your experiences and learning opportunities excel. The American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) is a professional training organization for today's American Climbing Guides and Instructors that establishes and maintains the tier one standard for professional guiding skills assessment in this country. Through a rigorous training program that exceeds international testing standards, you can guarantee that a certified climbing guide/instructor has been vetted through this arduous process to deliver you the best instruction/education/mountain experience that you can find.
Please heavily consider working with an AMGA certified climbing professional for your next Mountaincraft experience...
I look forward to working with you, and, see you in the mountains!
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CONTACT
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