Association of Mountaineering Instructors

Stuart Lade, Mountain Independence’s lead instructor, is a full member of the Association of Mountaineering Instructors.

All full members of the Association are at least qualified Mountaineering and Climbing Instructors or additionally also Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Instructors. These are the two highest qualifications for the UK mountains. Stuart holds both of these qualifications, for more info on the awards please click here.

All AMI members undertake Continuing Professional Development to keep their skills up to date with best current practice. AMI check that members are keeping up with the CPD requirements. Furthermore all AMI members are part of a community of instructors who share thoughts and ideas on all matters related to our profession. All AMI members are also bound by the following Code of Professional Conduct.

Ultimately, AMI members are keen climbers and mountaineers who love the outdoors. It’s this passion that fuels the journey of experience and makes the huge commitment of gaining the highest level of qualifications worthwhile. AMI members are dedicated to keeping their skills up to date and being part of a professional community.

I love what I do and I love sharing mountaineering and climbing with others. I was fortunate enough to be involved with a promotional film the AMI produced – Masters of Their Craft. See if you can spot my appearances!

Mountain Training Association

Stuart is also a full member of the Mountain Training Association which is the support and development branch of Mountain Training for award holders such as Mountain Leaders and Rock Climbing Instructors.Unlike the AMI, the MTA isn’t a professional body, as members are not bound by a code of conduct and not required to undertake any CPD.

The MTA does provides a great place for Mountain Training award holders to network and share ideas as well as promote good practice. As a Mountain Training provider of the Mountain Leader Award, Rock Climbing Instructor and Climbing Wall Instructor I’m very involved in developing outdoor instructors and I take an active interest in these awards and think it’s important to be a part of the community.

Professional Instructors, Always

Here at Mountain Independence we don’t use any instructors who aren’t either AMI or MTA members respectively as we feel it’s important that instructors aren’t just simply qualified, but are also dedicated enough to take an active interest in maintaining and developing their skills continually throughout their careers.