The Mountain Leading Course, under the Mountaineering & Abseil Adventure Guiding Certifications of the OAG offers the opportunity to gain technical competence in leading backpackers and hikers in the hills and mountains of Ghana. It does not provide a rock-climbing or abseil guiding qualification, nor does it cover the skills required for the planned use of ropes. Completion of a training course, without a pass mark during assessment, is not a
qualification in itself. The Course is a combination of technical skills, wide experience and personal leadership qualities, which form the basis for effective group management, and this course embodies all of these aspects.
Course Essentials.
The training syllabus for the Mountain Leading qualifications include:
Dates, Costs & Assessments.
The MGA 201 course runs in the Avatime Highlands from Friday, August 4 to Sunday, August 6, 2023 and costs 1,000-GHS. The Assessment cost is separate to that of the Training Course. The Mountain Leading Course is delivered by OAG-licensed Frontier and Master Guides in a variety of formats and will include a minimum of 72 hours contact time. It emphasizes those skills which a candidate may have difficulty in learning without expert guidance. Some aspects of the syllabus may not be covered as fully during the training course and candidates should be able to deal with these items themselves. At the end of the course the course director will complete a course report and record your attendance. Once this has been completed you will have a record in the training tab in your adventure certification folder.
“Loyalty to mountains transcends nations and tribes. The eternal hills are there for everyone and invite those who will be humble to attempt their impregnable faces.” Edmund Nii Martey
Participant Requirements
The course is open to any reasonably healthy and physically capable person over the age of 18. Courses for younger participants can be arranged on request. Previous mountaineering experience is not required, but would be helpful. Participants must have an English speaking capability of SSCE Level. A minimum of four students is required for the course to run, and the maximum allowable number of students per course is 12. There is a maximum of 1 Instructor : 12 students for the practical assessment.
Equipment
The OAG will provide all group and specialist equipment for this course, but students are encouraged to have and bring their own equipment where available. Students are required to have their own suitable outdoor clothing and footwear, and need to pack with the list below as a guide. Meals, water and tent-camping equipment are included in the fee. Return transport to the training location is each participant’s responsibility:
- A 40-litre backpack
- A 10-litre day pack
- 1 good outdoor tent
- A pair of good hiking boots
- Outdoor walking sandals
- A cap or hat
- 3 water bottles
- 3 sets of outdoor clothing
- 1 sleeping bag or thick blanket
- 1 sleeping mat
- Wash kit – small towel, sponge and soap
- 1 bowl for meals
- A can of insect repellent
- A box of matchsticks
- Rain coat
- 1 machete
- Hiking poles
- A compass
How to Apply
Fill out the Mountain Leading Course Application. It has all the information you need to provide to be a candidate for the Course.
