KETCHUM, Idaho -- Veteran ski mountaineering guide Mike Hattrup, in cooperation with outdoor events promoter XONet, has donated $21,000 to the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) to establish the Mike Hattrup/XONet Ski Mountaineering Guide Exam scholarship fund. The fund will be used to help two qualified individuals a year pay for and take the AMGA Ski Mountaineering exam.

"This is the best way a company or individual can help U.S. guides," said Mike Alkaitis of the AMGA. "It helps working guides today who are trying to be certified on a world class level. Thanks to Mike for setting a great example."

Hattrup said that he saw a real need for the scholarship. "Europe has set the standard for guiding throughout the world. Over there it is like any other profession; the UIAGM establishes a certain level of competence that everyone must possess, just like a doctor, or a C.P.A. The AMGA has adopted those criteria, but it's not cheap to provide that level of education and testing and most guides aren't making a bunch of money. This was an opportunity to financially help people attain that level of certification and improve the level of guiding overall in the United States," he said.

The money for the fund came from the sale of a special edition Ford Explorer Sport Trac that Hattrup won while competing in XO Net's Ford Explorer Sport Trac Challenge, a multi-sport competition in a skill-based endurance contest. Hattrup's 4-person Outfitter Team won the finals of the Ford-sponsored series.

"A guy on my salary doesn't get to the chance to donate $21,000 to any charity," said Hattrup. "Ford and XONet were super generous in their prize offering for the Ford Explorer Sport Trac Challenge. As a winner, I wanted to donate money to a cause that would help the U.S. guiding community and keep it in line with XONet's m.o. of promoting safe, responsible wilderness use and enjoyment."

XONet is a Seattle-based company that specializes in action sports event promotion. XONet principals Scott Mathews and Chris Czmyrid direct a loose collection of professional outdoor athletes, guides, outfitters, photographers, writers, directors and marketing specialists to develop and direct marketing programs. Both Mathews and Czmyrid are former Outside Magazine employees. Mathews was the executive director and Czmyrid the director of marketing.

Among other properties, XONet manages and promotes the World Free Skiing Championship, the Chugach Mountain Festival and Ford's No-Boundaries Experience, a nationwide action sports/ride-drive tour.

The money has been invested and will be used to fund the scholarship indefinitely. AMGA's Alkaitis said that if anyone else wants to contribute to the Mike Hattrup/XO Net fund, then the scholarship will be made available to more than two guides each year.

The AMGA Ski Mountaineering Guide exam tests skills for client care, technical systems, skiing ability, and hazard evaluation. The exam establishes a base line level of knowledge that guides all over the world need to measure up to.

For more information on the fund, visit http://www.amga.com

Fore more information on XO Net, visit http://www.xonet.org of http://www.cmfvaldez.com

— Posted by Ari Cheren, MountainZone.com Staff