MEET THE GUIDES
Brent is the owner/operator of Vancouver Mountain Guides. He has been climbing for 35 years and enjoys all climbing disciplines from ice climbing and big wall climbing, to bouldering and sport climbing.
Currently, he is an ACMG Apprentice Alpine Guide with certifications in Avalanche Level 1 Operations, Advanced Avalanche Search & Rescue, and Guide Medic First Responder First Aid 80hrs.
In the spring 2017, Brent bolted and redpointed the first ascent of Vancouver's first 5.13 rockclimb (Antisocial Media). In the winter of 2018, with Eric Hughes, he enchained the first one day free ascent of the ice/mixed routes The Theft WI6 M7+ 300m and The Gift WI5+ 300m in the Bridge River Canyon, BC.
His first ascents include boulder problems, trad lines in Squamish, sport routes in Skaha, and ice routes in the Rockies. Together with his wife and friends, he bolted and FA’d the longest route in North America, Guaranteed Rugged 10c 33 pitches. Instagram
Eric is an ACMG Full Rock Guide, AST Level 1 Avalanche Instructor, and father of two living in Squamish, BC. From bolting hard, new, routes in Squamish to climbing the hardest ice lines on the coast, Eric does it all.
He recently finished developing a new crag in Squamish (The Monastery) with many hard routes in the 5.12-5.13 range. When he is not tied into a rope, Eric is usually eating sushi in Squamish with his two children.
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Jen is an ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide. Her energy and enthusiasm to be in the mountains is boundless and her list of accomplishments is extensive. She is the seventh Canadian woman to earn Full Mountain Guide certification with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG).
In 2013, after competing on the Ice Climbing World Cup circuit, Jen represented Canada at the Winter Olympics’. On top of that, Jen has accomplished an impressive list of climbs in the Andes and Alps, as well as first ascents on remote peaks in Alaska and Pakistan, where she climbed the East Face of Brakk Zang in the Karakoram mountains in 2007 with partner Lilla Molnar.
Closer to home, Jen has put-up numerous new routes in the Rockies and the Bugaboos, including a new mixed rock and ice route with her partner, Tim McAllister, in Oct 2014 on the northeast face of South Howser Tower called Ethereal D+ 320 m M6 WI4R.
Jeremy is an ACMG Full Rock Guide. He has been climbing since 1993 and guiding since 2002. There is one thing he's very sure of after all this time...that climbing has ruined his life by making it immeasurably better. It's difficult to be a responsible, fully functioning adult when you have something as fun, playful, and adventurous as climbing to occupy much of your waking thoughts.
Whether it's bouldering, sport climbing, trad climbing or multipitch rock climbing, Jeremy is all about free climbing and exploring all the challenges inherent in this game.
Jeremy splits his time between teaching in the public school system during the school year and guiding during the summer months, all the while trying to climb as much as possible with his young family.
Tim is an ACMG Full Ski Guide and Hiking Guide. He has been guiding for the past ten years. His love of the outdoors brought him into the mountains at a young age and led to many wilderness adventures all over the globe.
After developing a successful teaching career, Tim chose to expand his professional skills into guiding. He has now guided extensively in the Coastal Mountains of British Columbia. In the winter months, Tim works as a ski guide and in the summer months splits his time between guiding on the glacier's of the the Rockies and hiking in the Coast Mountains.
He holds multiple guiding certifications and well as a professional teaching license. His local knowledge of history and geography will enrich your time in the wilderness. For Tim, the best part about guiding is sharing the mountains with his guest. His enthusiasm for the great outdoors will create a guided experience you won’t forget.
Tom is an ACMG Full Rock Guide and CAA Level 1 Avalanche Instructor. Currently residing in Golden, BC he spends winters skiing in the Selkirks and summers rock guiding in Squamish.
His passion for the outdoors has taken him all over the world; from sport climbing in Colombia, where he grew up, to alpine climbing in the Alps.
Dane has climbed all over the world, but calls the Eastern Himalayas in China his home base. He has established multi-pitch traditional routes on limestone, granite, gneiss, and sandstone, as well as hundreds of first ascents of boulder problems and sport climbs.
Dane started climbing in Squamish when he was a teenager and still considers it the best climbing area on Earth. Teaching others how to safely play in the mountains is possibly his favorite thing in the world and his enthusiasm is hard to contain. Dane has been guiding and teaching guests how to climb for over a decade and is now an ACMG Full Rock Guide.
He recently established the ground-up first ascent of one of the longest rock climbing routes in China with The Allegory of the Caves (Grade IV, 5.11c, 17 pitches) in the Hengduan mountain range of China.
Jake is an ACMG Apprentice Rock Guide and Apprentice Ski Guide whose calendar revolves around chasing the best conditions. Summertime is for climbing, so Jake is usually found in Squamish on some long trad line somewhere on The Chief. When the weather changes he might be found dodging the rain and clipping bolts in Skaha, or taking advantage of a long high pressure window in The Bugaboos.
The focus shifts in the winter when it becomes all about the snow, and Jake bases out of The Rockies to scratch his itch of ski touring and splitboarding.
He's either here, there, or somewhere in between, but wherever he is, you can be pretty sure that Jake is making the best of the forecast to play in the mountains on the rock or the snow.
Patrick is an ACMG Full Alpine Guide and Apprentice Ski Guide. He was born in Ottawa, Ontario where he experienced climbing for the first time at age 14. This introduction quickly fueled his drive for the mountains and sparked his life-long passion for climbing and skiing.
After moving to Squamish, BC, where he started his guiding career, Pat moved to Canmore to work and pursue his love of alpine climbing. Throughout his 20 years working as a guide, Pat has continuously demonstrated his dedication to excellence and guest experience.
Now back on the West Coast, Pat is excited to be guiding and living in his old stomping grounds. Regardless of your goals, experience or abilities, Pat is happy to take you on an adventure and teach you new skills.
Kurt Withers is an ACMG Apprentice Ski Guide, Canadian Ski Guide Association Level 1, an Active member of the Canadian Avalanche Association and CSIA Level 2 Ski instructor.
For more than a decade Kurt has been exploring the mountains of British Columbia seeking out remote objectives. Gaining a deep understanding of the mountains in places that few have travelled. When not skiing Kurt can be found running ultra marathons and pursuing a passion for mountain biking. He has been in the outdoor industry for over 20 years and brings a well rounded and unique perspective to the outdoors.
Kurt has been an Avalanche Skills Training Instructor since 2015 and has spent several winters guiding in the Heli Ski industry in the interior of British Columbia.
Charlie is an ACMG Top Rope Climbing Instructor. Climbing in Squamish has been the keystone of his life for more than a decade. He’s made it his goal to climb the most challenging routes in Squamish whether it’s sport, trad, or bouldering.
When Charlie is not climbing, he is a full time yoga instructor and personal trainer. He specializes in biomechanics, helping people become physically more efficient, and/or to reduce/resolve injuries and pain.
His interest in the complexities of training and progression lead him to become a route setter in Squamish for a number of years, coaching clients interested in training for their goals, and hosting Top Rope groups outdoors.
Maria grew up in the UK, learning to climb on the crags of the Lake District and spending far too long driving to the Alps once she discovered mountaineering. After a year studying in Alberta, the Canadian mountains lured her in and she now lives in Squamish.
Backcountry skiing is her winter passion, and she loves sharing her knowledge with new ski tourers whilst teaching our AST courses. Some of her favourite local trips have included the Misty Icefield traverse and Mt Garibaldi. She’s also spent over a (cumulative) year skiing and working in East Greenland.
Through the warmer months Maria instructs sea kayaking and enjoys trad and big wall aid climbing, usually escaping to the warmth of Yosemite in the shoulder seasons.
Lindsey is an AST Level 1 Instructor through the Canadian Avalanche Association, a CSIA Level 2 Ski Instructor, a CASI Level 1 Snowboard Instructor, and on Whistler Volunteer Ski Patrol.
Currently living in Whistler, she tries to spend as much of her winter in the mountains as possible - both in the resort and in the backcountry. During the summer months, Lindsey is a geotechnical engineer with an interest in mountain-related hazards and slope stability. Lindsey found her scientific background led to interest in snow science & avalanches.
During her downtime, she has a keen interest in mountain biking and dirt biking around British Columbia.
