Share your love for the outdoors and join the TRTA Guide Team!
Tahoe Rim Trail Guides
The Tahoe Rim Trail Association trains and maintains an extraordinary team of enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteer Guides to help all people enjoy the trail. TRTA Guides provide a vital service to the Association and the Lake Tahoe community by leading a variety of unique hikes to educate and build connections with the natural environment of the Lake Tahoe basin. Whether there’s snow or wildflowers on the ground, the Guide Team is encouraging community members and visitors of Lake Tahoe to be engaged in responsible, year-round outdoor pursuits. TRTA Guides are dedicated to the TRTA Mission, and promote wilderness ethics and stewardship on each and every hike they lead.
What is this training about?
The overarching goal of the TRTA Outdoor Leadership and Guide Training is to equip prospective TRTA Guides with the skills and knowledge to promote safe and responsible outdoor recreation and inspire life-long recreational habits. This training focuses on training potential TRTA Guides for the TRTA Guide Program.
This 2-day training, typically held each spring, will provide future guides the opportunity to work with and learn from industry leaders and experienced TRTA Guides through a mix of conference room lectures, active group discussions, problem solving activities, and practical scenarios both indoors and outdoors. Topics include:
- Intro to the TRTA
- Life of a TRTA Guide – PART 1: Pre-Hike and Preparing
- Life of a TRTA Guide – PART 2: Conducting and Concluding
- Risk Management
- Emergency and Communications Training
- Outdoor Leadership and Soft Skills
- Guide Panel with open discussion and Q&A
- Guide Program and GIT Requirements
- Outdoor Scenarios
- Training debrief with Guide Certificates
Next Steps
After successful completion of the TRTA Guide Training, you will become a Guide In Training (GIT) and will be given a Guide In Training checklist to complete before graduating to a bonafied guide. With your checklist, you will test, hone and demonstrate your skills by joining day hikes led by experienced guides who will allow you to practice your guiding skills in real life situations. Upon successfully completing a required skill in the presence of a bonafied guide, you will be checked off on that item. Once you complete the checklist and confidently demonstrate all required guiding abilities, you will advance to become an official member of the TRTA Guide Team.
The goal of the GIT Program is not to complete the checklist as fast as possible but to understand that there are important processes that TRTA Guides must be experienced with and able to perform on each hike. GITs should take adequate time to complete the checklist, which will assist your in your competency and confidence as a TRTA Guide. Additional time, assistance, or mentoring may be requested. Some new guides will quickly complete the based on their prior experience and comfort level. Ultimately, the pace in which you complete the checklist is your own.
Guide Requirements
- Attend the Annual TRTA Outdoor Leadership Guide Training usually held every spring
- Demonstrate good physical fitness and ability to move confidently and efficiently when traveling on trail
- Present a positive and commanding attitude on safety when leading a group
- Demonstrate a high standard of leadership working with a variety of public personalities and a diverse mix of abilities and outdoor skills
- Be very comfortable in the outdoors with good route finding and navigation skills
- Show ability to establish effective communication with regard to the hiker’s safety, comfort, and enjoyment
- Demonstrate an ethic of care and respect for the environment
- Have an appropriate standard of equipment as required for hikes and hiking trips
- Hold a current Wilderness First Aid and CPR certification or higher, i.e. EMT, Nurse, Ski Patrol
- Complete the required GIT checklist that shows you demonstrated the above skills and more
- Click here for a preview of the GIT checklist
TRTA Guided Programs
The TRTA leads many different on-trail hikes all year long. Depending on your skill level, fitness and interest, you can train to become a volunteer TRTA Guide for any of the following programs:
Public Hikes and Snowshoe Treks
The TRTA offers a variety of free public hikes for people of all levels and abilities year round. Hikes are sometimes partnered with organizations to add an “interpretive” element. The TRTA will schedule these hikes during the winter, summer and fall hiking seasons, and your help is needed. In the winter months, these hikes become snowshoe treks that are offered at several locations around Lake Tahoe on the Tahoe Rim Trail. It is highly recommended that all TRTA Guides who want to lead snowshoe treks attend Snow Camping 101 to learn many safety considerations associated with winter recreation and travel with groups.
Click here for more information.
Backcountry Skill Courses
The TRTA coordinates backpacking courses in the winter and fall for individuals interested in learning more about snow camping and summer camping. This is a great way to take your leadership skills developed on day hikes, and learn to lead an overnight backpacking program.
Click here for more information.
Segment Hiking Program
The Segment Hiking Program offers people the opportunity to complete the Tahoe Rim Trail in a single summer season during a series of day hikes. Segment Hikes take place on a predetermined day of the week and hike on that same day from June through September. Group sizes are limited to 11 people, and a shuttle service is included to transport TRTA Guides and participants to the trailheads. Segment Hike Guides must be in excellent physical condition, have good familiarity with the Tahoe Rim Trail, have superior risk management skills and be able to complete a 20+ mile segment comfortably.
Click here for more information.
Annual Thru Hike
The Annual Thru Hikes are important events for the TRTA, as they involve guiding participants on a two-week thru hike of the Tahoe Rim Trail. While experienced Thru Hike guides are given preference in leading this program, new guides are welcome to apply and train for any remaining open spots. Thru Hike guides must be skilled leaders of people, technically proficient backcountry travelers, and excellent team players who are patient and realize they are on duty around the clock for 15 days. This is truly a remarkable way to donate your time to the TRTA, as you provide an incredible service to the participants who are embarking on a life-changing journey.
“I love the comradeship of being a guide and sharing the experience of the Trail with fellow guides, staff and participants. There’s a warmth and sense of caring in this community; something about each of them that creates a bond. “
– JoAnne Goena (TRTA Guide)
