AMGA SPI – Arizona

Inner Passage is again proud to announce new dates this Spring for the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) Single Pitch Instructor (SPI) course. We had a very successful course and assessment last fall and will host another course and assessment this spring. Course dates are Friday Feb 26 – Sunday Feb 28 and the Assessment dates are March 1 – March 2. This is a great program that defines the standard of rock climbing instruction and safety protocol for any guide service, outdoor education program, University Recreation program, or any individual taking friends, family, or groups climbing. Please contact us for more information – even though we just announced the dates the course and assessment are already filing quickly! See you out there!

Adventure Therapy – An Introduction Training

Inner Passage is excited to offer our annual Adventure Therapy training for students, educators, practitioners, and group leaders. This is a two day training that takes place on Friday March 13 and Friday March 27. Each day is held outside, the first on Mt Lemmon in Tucson and the second is at a local Ropes Course. Participants will walk away from this training with experience leading a group through a series of experiential exercises and will refine their own signature leadership style. This is a fun, engaging, and rewarding program. See how Adventure Therapy can augment your program and support your professional development!  Contact Inner Passage for more info and to sign-up! Limited Space available.

2 Spaces Left!

Inner Passage is teaching an Introduction to Rock Climbing Anchors and Protection Course at Cochise Stronghold Feb 20-22. The program begins on the evening of the 20th and runs through Sunday the 22. This is an introduction course for anyone who is interested in heading out on their own and want to bolster their confidence and safety systems. Email us at innerpassage@gmail.com for more information or call 520-360-1465 to sign-up directly – 2 spaces left and the course is two months away! Sign-up now before it sells out! www.innerpassage.net

Announcing Support

Inner Passage is proud to announce that Evolve Sports, END Outdoor, and Mountain Khakis are supporting the guides and clients of Inner Passage programs. We are excited and grateful for their support of our mission and their sustainable product development.

Recovery Focused Rock Climbing Trip

Inner Passage – We have one space left available for a Recovery focused three day rock climbing trip to Joshua Tree National Park, December 15 – 17. This trip will focus on physical, emotional, and spiritual path of recovery and celebrate the milestone of sobriety as we close 2008. Emphasis will be placed on moving into 2009 with intention and purpose. This trip is best suited for ages 18 – 25. Climbing, community, campfires, and fellowship. Give us a call at 520-360-1465 for more information and to sign-up!

October Joshua Tree Retreat

Inner Passage just wrapped up our first retreat for October, 2008 – it was a wonderful weekend filled with fun, laughter, challenge, and growth! The retreat was attended by a private organization looking for a community building experience that offered adventure and challenge to the group and the individual. Inner Passage was able to meet this request and exceed expectations. We invite you to contact us to set-up a private retreat for your family, team, friends, or organization. We will work with you to customize the experience so that it works with your specific needs – all camping and climbing equipment is included and we cater all meals! All you need to do is show-up, relax, and enjoy the weekend.

Give us a call (520) 360-1465 or email matt@innerpassage.net to set-up your retreat.

3 Spaces Left!

We have 3 spaces remaining for the mindfulness climbing and yoga retreat. You can check out the main web page: Mindfulness Climbing and Yoga Retreat and a PDF with more details. We decided to hold a small intimate gathering and are capping the number of participants to 8. Hope to see you there!

Vision Quest Retreat – October 17 – 19, 2008

Inner Passage in conjunction with Laurel Inman Coaching (www.laurelinman.com) is pleased to offer a mindfulness based retreat this October – October 17 – 19 2008. This retreat, taking place at Cochise Stronghold, AZ, is all-inclusive and will include yoga, rock climbing, meditation practice, 1:1 and group time with Matt and Laurel, and a guided solo experience that is focused on moving with intention throughout your life. Connect with Laurel via www.laurelinman.com  or laurel@laurelinman.com for registration and to get started. 

The Vision Quest is a process for personal transformation that originates in ancient cultures worldwide, but still shapes lives today. Under the guidance of skillful and compassionate facilitators it can be a profound way to seek answers to lifeʼs fundamental questions, or to search for guidance during times of uncertainty or when faced with the possibility of great change in oneʼs life. 

The Inner Passage Vision Quest is developed and created for people living in our modern society. While dipping into the past and tradition – we recognize that this ceremony and experience must also recognize and respect our modern lifestyles and choices. Our intention is to provide a space that is contemplative and purposeful.

An Unfamiliar Learning Environment

I was asked recently to discuss in more detail the ‘why’ behind experiential and adventure therapy. A large organizational client was interested in adventure programming, but needed more explanation as to the significance of utilizing an off-site location.

Placing participants into an unfamiliar learning environment can foster the development of a variety of beneficial dynamics. Such environments are valuable beacuase they present a stark contrast to the learners’ familiar environments, allowing participants to see old behavior patterns in new light with a richer perspective as well as permitting participants to notice behavior patterns that they may have overlookied in familiar settings. Unfamiliar physical environments may also allow paricipants to “try on” new behaviors in an envirnomnet that does not encompass some of the limitations of fears of familiar settings. Successful new behaviors can serve as first steps toward integrating behavioral changes into more familiar settings.

I have noticed that utilizing an unfamiliar learning environment also helps destabilize perceived hierarchies that can keep individuals and colleagues from connecting and maintaining relationship. 

Inner Passage utilizes the mountains and deserts in the Catalina mountains outside of Tucson, as well as Joshua Tree National Park, to provide clients with a unique and challenging learning environment. Feel free to connect with us to discuss how off-site adventure programming can help your team, organization, and group come together and build upon its strengths.

AMGA SPI Course – new offering

Inner Passage, based in Tucson, AZ is bringing the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA), Single Pitch Instructor Course (SPI) to Cochise Stronghold, AZ. It is the first course in the AMGA sequence of climbing instructor and guide training programs. Formerly the Top Rop Site Management Course, This three day course is intended for recreational climbers wanting to gain the next level of skills that they cannot gain from basic climbing instructional courses. It is also for instructors from private climbing schools and guide services, individual aspiring climbing guides and instructors and therapeutic outdoor program professionals. The course addresses fundamental educational and environmental principles as they relate to teaching climbing. Those seeking certification may go on to take the separate two day field exam following the course or at any time within three years after successfully completing the course. The course focuses on the learning and application of technical skills as they are applied in all forms of top rope climbing instruction – both base and top managed systems. The course also addresses fundamental educational and environmental principles as they relate to teaching climbing.

SPI Course

November 21-23, 2008

Cost: $450

SPI Exam

November 24-25, 2008

Cost: $300

Please call 520-360-1465 for registration, questions and availability