Petzl will host the American Mountain Guide Association’s (AMGA) annual conference at the new Petzl Technical Institute in Salt Lake City, UT, October 22-24.
More than 100 of America’s top guides will converge at the 15,000-square-foot technical training center to discuss training and certification standards. The three-day summit will focus on training methodologies, guiding standards and rescue techniques for those who work and play in the vertical world.
“Petzl has always led the way when it comes to innovation for vertical endeavors and having this kind of facility to host meetings, trainings and tests around equipment and protocol showcases the dedication we have to that mission,” said Jesse Williams, Petzl Technical Institute manager, who is also an AMGA guide.
Petzl developed the Petzl Technical Institute, which opened last year, to promote the proper application of technical skills, allowing for guides with a variety of backgrounds to exchange best practices and work with the gear manufacturer on approved use methods. Ultimately, this convergence of industry experts allows for immediate feedback between the gear manufacturer and the guides who use the gear on a regular basis.
Petzl’s North American headquarters is based in Salt Lake City, UT. The family-owned company traces its roots to underground exploration. In 1956, founder Fernand Petzl set a world depth record of -3,681 feet (1,122 meters) in the Gouffre Berger, an extensive cave system near his home in France.
The Petzl Technical Institute is a continuation of Petzl’s original mission to enable and educate people on how to safely access some of the most inaccessible places above and below ground. The facility features a 55-foot tall climbing wall with multi-pitch capability, more than 5,000 square feet of exposed structure climbing for tower rescue and three classrooms capable of accommodating up to 135 people, among other features.
Beyond advancing safety standards through training for rock climbers, alpinists, mountain guides, routesetters and climbing gym employees, a primary focus of the Petzl Technical Institute is also connecting members of the different vertical communities: rope-access technicians, fire/rescue professionals, arborists, military special operators, cavers and more. The Technical Institute features customizable and job-specific training facilities to re-create a wide variety of real-world scenarios.
Petzl operates a similar training facility at its worldwide headquarters in France. The company, which remains family owned after 40 years of operation, has developed innovative tools and techniques used by those who work and play in the vertical world. Today, Petzl is closely associated with adventure, exploration, rescue and many notable exploits in the worlds of rock climbing, caving and alpinism. In the professional market, Petzl is a world leader in work at height, fire and rescue and tactical equipment and techniques.
