Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Herb Bleuer receives ACMG’s highest honour

B.C.-based Mountain Guide Herb Bleuer was one of two guides to be awarded Honorary Membership by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides at their annual general meeting last weekend.
1448bleuer
Herb Bleuer

B.C.-based Mountain Guide Herb Bleuer was one of two guides to be awarded Honorary Membership by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides at their annual general meeting last weekend.

This designation is the highest award possible in the profession. It was also bestowed upon Lloyd Gallagher, of Canmore.

“Honorary membership is our way to recognize the outstanding contributions of Herb and Lloyd to the guiding profession, as well as to public safety and mountain knowledge,” said ACMG President Scott Davis.

Originally from Switzerland, Bleuer came to Canada in 1969 and began his career doing avalanche control for the Granduc mine, near Stewart, B.C. He became a certified Mountain Guide in 1971 and settled in Whistler in 1975.

Over the next 25 years, Bleuer pioneered helicopter skiing in the Coast Mountains, and was for many years the only active ACMG Mountain Guide in the Coast Mountains. He alone pushed for high standards, guides training and certification, and the general spirit of professionalism he knew from Switzerland.

“Herb Bleuer is responsible for the presence of professional guiding in the Coast Range”, said Davis. “His long tenure in the area as the lone professional guide inspired several generations of young skiers and climbers to become certified guides and seek careers in the mountains.”

Bleuer is noted for a long and diverse career that took him around the world guiding climbing, skiing, and filming. He was a long time avalanche safety instructor for the Canadian Avalanche Association and guides examiner for the training programs of the ACMG.

The Association of Canadian Mountain Guides is dedicated to protecting the public interest in mountain travel. The ACMG advocates for the highest standards of alpine risk management and works to advance the profession by fostering excellence and best practices across the industry.