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- Sep 01, 2020
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Guiding in the time of Covid
MounÂtain MadÂness guide Kyle Hornor reflects on how the govÂernÂment PayÂcheck ProÂtecÂtion ProÂgram (PPP) has kept the uncerÂtainÂty in climbÂing in the CasÂcades conÂfined to the weathÂer and big crevasses.
As someÂone who works seaÂsonÂalÂly guidÂing in the CasÂcades, every seaÂson is beset by some degree of uncerÂtainÂty as to how much work will be availÂable. Throw in the Covid-19 criÂsis into the mix and there was enough to fill a modÂerÂateÂly sized crevasse surÂroundÂing the 2020 guidÂing seaÂson. EarÂly spring left us wonÂderÂing not only what the volÂume of work there would be, but if we’d be able to operÂate at all.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FMount-Olympus-with-Mountain-Madness.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=67e53f346878b4d67ac0d8e6db6496ed 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FMount-Olympus-with-Mountain-Madness.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=72524d8aa4ea4fd5a1df760576472216 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FMount-Olympus-with-Mountain-Madness.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=ccb5972352b45e55dbf083e6068c25f2 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FMount-Olympus-with-Mountain-Madness.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=f06b2e8230d9b77879bf7edbc229ed0f 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FMount-Olympus-with-Mountain-Madness.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=8810c521ccdbc9685daf3c2d0ca9caf3 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FMount-Olympus-with-Mountain-Madness.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=6084dd368ba70e9f3009b389b3646df2 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FMount-Olympus-with-Mountain-Madness.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=0f70e4b85ef8d00b16b2402089f3b5d0 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FMount-Olympus-with-Mountain-Madness.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=a58d7d1e6349acbfb6f154cdc7f1ffee 1600w)
We are all incredÂiÂbly grateÂful that conÂdiÂtions have lined up to allow us to operÂate this seaÂson. One key ingreÂdiÂent to makÂing this posÂsiÂble has been a PayÂcheck ProÂtecÂtion ProÂgram loan that MounÂtain MadÂness was able to take advanÂtage of, which allowed guides to be paid as full time employÂees in conÂtrast to the per trip, per-diem pay strucÂture which we usuÂalÂly operÂate by.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2Fon-the-Blue-Glacier-on-Mount-Olypmus.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=aa7809d23c160ac655cbcca4b65fd2b2 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2Fon-the-Blue-Glacier-on-Mount-Olypmus.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=14d494ee1fca8f6a470bfacbf7d79dbd 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2Fon-the-Blue-Glacier-on-Mount-Olypmus.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=91b1fb76ae74f0662140c07362fc4f78 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2Fon-the-Blue-Glacier-on-Mount-Olypmus.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=828ab373fe633ec0e4ac7516e1744a3a 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2Fon-the-Blue-Glacier-on-Mount-Olypmus.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=407696b720d27ef1acb4f6536228b2b4 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2Fon-the-Blue-Glacier-on-Mount-Olypmus.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=054ed16cafdc233b386187618cb69e05 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2Fon-the-Blue-Glacier-on-Mount-Olypmus.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=84d1c4c42de3b21ad850c306246ff62d 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2Fon-the-Blue-Glacier-on-Mount-Olypmus.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=b7eb2cb769f8f29aa2f3924dc9115e25 1600w)
BecomÂing a full time employÂee has allowed me to relax and focus on guidÂing and being in the mounÂtains, which is what it’s all about. The seaÂson is not over yet, but its been great so far with trips up Mount StuÂart on the North Ridge, Mount BakÂer, the always beauÂtiÂful Mount OlymÂpus, and some great coursÂes. Thanks to all that joined me.
Cheers!
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FCheers-to-guiding-this-summer-of-covid.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=164aafc78f2d5ac0f6c9a09899fe7818 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FCheers-to-guiding-this-summer-of-covid.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=1692c83cb08bbc68f77588348fab01ef 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FCheers-to-guiding-this-summer-of-covid.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=43364fdaa3a78b40c63b530e92994752 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FCheers-to-guiding-this-summer-of-covid.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=2cc256b9cbecd35757d862038a06cf25 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FCheers-to-guiding-this-summer-of-covid.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=6baf96ee0d3920fabe1f27e552ee6c08 994w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FCheers-to-guiding-this-summer-of-covid.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=ccba553533796f4018e6d7c2039f4ef7 994w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FCheers-to-guiding-this-summer-of-covid.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=2abdae8ee10b334d661cdaf56551ecd8 994w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgeneral-images%2FCheers-to-guiding-this-summer-of-covid.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=85f7268eed1bc01298fb5a84ffef3f92 994w)