Central Hiking Commission

The Central Hiking Commission is a Central Technical Team of the Club Alpino Italiano. Its composition and operations are governed by the Regulations of the CAI’s Central Technical Teams.
 
 
The Commission promotes hiking as a way of enjoying, understanding and thereby safeguarding the natural environment; it organizes events, also in cooperation with the Regional Groups; it promotes standard signage for paths and trails all over Italy and compliance with legislation governing hiking; it provides training and refresher courses for Hiking Guides.
 

 
The CAI Hiking Guide qualification is standard throughout the country.
 
 
Regional Hiking Commissions organize both ”Introductory Courses” and the subsequent “Courses for Qualified Hiking Guides”. These are held by teachers and by mountaineering and climbing instructors, with the contribution of a Commissioner appointed by the Commission. The Commissioner’s job is to ensure that such courses effectively comply with standard CAI course regulations. All this will shortly have the support of the Central Hiking School, recently approved by the Commission and by the Regional Groups and currently being approved by the CAI Central Planning and Supervisory Committee.
 
 
Normally, members wishing to attend these courses have already done activities organized by their local branch, or have already attended basic and/or advanced hiking or mountaineering and climbing courses.
 
 
The introductory course is designed for those planning to proceed with the Qualified Hiking Guide courses. These courses last four days and are held in the space of two months. They are followed by one year’s hiking activity organized by the local branch.

Anyone wishing to join the Qualified Hiking Guide courses has to present a document certifying his/her aptitude for hiking to the Regional Hiking Commission, certified by the local branch president.
 
 
 
After passing the final exams, attendees qualify as Hiking Guides and are registered in the roll of Hiking Guides. The course lasts eight /ten days. To keep their qualification, hiking guides are required to produce a document of their hiking activity, signed by the local branch president, once a year.
 
 
The Central Hiking Commission also performs other important jobs through its working groups. These deal with trails, hiking maps, Trekking and hiking by train, National Hiking Week, the UNICAI project, Central Hiking School training, hiking for senior citizens and mountain biking.

Go to Central Technical Teams

Go to Central and National Scools