by Trent Wilkie

Created on: February 22, 2007   Last Updated: April 17, 2007

What is a "wilderness guide?" To some, he's a rugged guy who lives out in the woods, eating granola and oatmeal at every opportunity. To others, he's a sort of "nature curator" who decked out in the best of outdoor gear walks visitors through the bush, highlighting points of interest and engaging animals in their native tongues.

Not quite.

In reality, a wilderness guide is someone who loves being outdoors so much, he insists on working there. Wilderness guides can be employees such as those who work for local or federal park services or local outdoor organizations or entrepreneurs guys who hang out a shingle and provide private guiding services to city folks who'd like assistance in seeing the great outdoors.

Sounds pretty cool, huh?

Of course, with benefits come burdens. Guides must bear the responsibility for the complete safety of those they escort, requiring them to be alert at all times (unlike many Monday mornings in the big-city offices), put the comfort of their clients above their own, and maintain a wide-ranging proficiency in emergency medical care. Think this may sound like you? Read on for more info:

Putting the Client First

Sure, being out in the woods sounds like the ultimate freedom, but being a wilderness guide in the woods nonetheless requires you to "tow the line." Remember, guiding is a service industry, and the service most often provided is comfort. So whether you're carrying the majority of your client's gear, doing most or all of the grunt work or putting up with less-than-desirable client personalities, your client's comfort comes before yours.

Certification and First Aid

Whether you like it or not, stuff happens. Clients lose their footing, fail to follow your lead or injure themselves in some other way. And in this litigious society, you have to cover your butt. One of the easiest ways to do this is to get certified in wilderness first aid and keep your certification current.

How does wilderness first aid differ from generic first aid training? "Wilderness" is defined as any place at least two hours away from a hospital, by ambulance or helicopter. While in generic first aid training where people injure themselves in a city you are trained to keep the victims comfortable until the ambulance arrives, wilderness first aid instructs you on keeping the injured clients comfortable for the five-hour canoe ride to a phone or helicopter meeting point.

Sometimes, injuries are more severe than a broken leg or arm, and if handled improperly, can cut short

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