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 Mountain Guides: the Archetypical Adventurers of Courmayeur   Travel & Tourism In my humble opinion, there are few jobs that are more fascinating than those of moun-tain guides. A profession that is steeped in tradition and requires a range of technical and professional skills, these adventurous souls conquer the world’s toughest terrains and open up new worlds to intrepid travellers. Mountaineering in Aosta Valley I am particularly interested in the mountain guides of the Aosta Valley in northwest Italy. These Alpine adventurers have a long, influential tradition – many of them have written important chapters in the rich history of mountaineering. Immersing yourself in their world is a unique experience that those with an interest in culture will value greatly. These highly trained professionals must possess a range of important skills to help indi-viduals and small groups navigate a mountain safely. These skills include climbing, ski-ing, hiking, rock climbing and ice c...