Guiding for a living is a challenge in the United States. Yes, we guide because we love the mountains and enabling others to enjoy the mountains. We also guide to make money. The problem is that guide wages are generally low and variable. It is a struggle to make guiding your real job, where you earn enough to support a family and own a house. This creates frustration and a sense of unfairness among many U.S. guides. Although some guide services strive for fair pay and better pay for their guides, the existing system is not working for many professional guides.