WELCOME TO GUIDE THE ROCKIES
We specialize in private, low-ratio climbing adventures across the Canadian Rockies and beyond. Whether you're new to the sport or looking to tackle technical alpine routes, ACMG-certified guide Maarten van Haeren will tailor your experience to match your goals and ability.
Meet Maarten.
Maarten was born and raised in The Netherlands, allowing him to explore Europe through backpacking and bike touring. At the age of 18, he moved to Ontario with his family to enjoy Canada’s natural wonders and embark on a new adventure.
​
Since moving to the Bow Valley in 2013, Maarten started his ACMG Mountain Stream program. He is currently certified as an ACMG Alpine Guide and enjoys guiding ice and mixed climbing throughout Alberta and British Columbia in the winter. During summer time, the mountains keep calling, through rock climbing and alpine adventures.
​
Maarten lives in Exshaw, Alberta in the Bow Valley with his wife Lin and their cat Freya. He has pursued ice and mixed climbing throughout North America, and alpine climbing expeditions to Pakistan, Nepal, the Yukon Territories and Scotland, where he has established new alpine routes over the last decade. Maarten has opened 40+ multi-pitch ice, mixed, rock and alpine routes on 3 different continents. Some of his best days out are in the big mountains with a close partner, nothing but the rope, the rack and the packs on our back. Maarten's travels have taken him beyond western Canada, to India, Morocco, Egypt, Alaska, Iceland and Québec.
​
Maarten is sponsored by The North Face and Blue Ice Climbing. At The North Face, he helps promote the brand and continues to contribute to the legacy of the "Athlete Tested, Expedition Proven" formula of The North Face Summit Series.
Select Climbs
ALPINE CLIMBS
-
Shooting the Moon (ED+ WI4 M5, 3,100m), Ultar Sar (7,388m), Pakistan; First Ascent
-
Tiny Changes (TD+ AI4 M5, 1,200m), Khang Karpo (6,466m), Rolwaling Himal, Nepal; First Ascent
-
The Wild Thing (VI AI5 M7, 1,200m), Mt Chephren, Can. Rockies, (single push)
-
Infinite Patience (VI WI4 M5 5.9, 2,200m), Mt Robson, Can. Rockies,
-
Calculus (Scottish VIII, 8), Ben Nevis, Scotland; First ascent
-
Greenwood/Locke (V+ M6, 1,200m), Mt. Temple, Can. Rockies; Winter Ascent
-
Andromeda Strain (V AI5 M6, 700m), Mt. Andromeda, Can. Rockies
-
Zeitgeist (IV+ M7- WI5r, 520m), Mt. Bell, Can. Rockies
-
Bogdar (IV AI4 5.3 50°, 1,000m), Mount Logbard, St.Elias, Yukon; First Ascent
-
Basecamp Buttress (V AI3 5.8 60°, 1,000m), MacArthur Peak; First Ascent
ICE & MIXED CLIMBS
-
Ophidiophobia (WI4+ M7-, 140m), Waiperous Creek, Can. Rockies; First ascent
-
Eye of the Storm (WI5 M6, 700m), Storm Mountain, Can. Rockies; First Ascent
- La Chenille (WI6+ A0, 160m) and Hysterie Collective indirect (WI6 M6+, 55m), Hautes-Gorges, Québec ; First ascents, trad.
-
Fourchette Sternales Droite (WI5, 160m) and Âme du Nord (WI5R M6, 125m), La Riviere Nippiness, Québec; First ascents, trad.
-
The Cod Delusion (WI6 M6+, 105m) and Retour aux Sources (WI5 M6, 195m), Sault-au-Chochon, Québec; First ascents, trad.
-
A Witch’s Brew (WI4 M5+, 330m), Icefields Parkway, Can. Rockies; First ascent, trad.
-
No Use in Crying (WI5 M7, 200m, trad), Upper Weeping Wall, Can. Rockies
-
Le Mulot (WI6+r, 200m), Ste Marguerite River, Québec
Why hire an ACMG Guide?
The Canadian Rockies are an incredible place to climb and explore. but they are also complex, serious mountains where experience and sound judgement matter. Hiring an ACMG-certified guide means placing your trust in someone who has completed years of formal training, assessment, and mentorship specific to Canada’s mountain environments.
ACMG certification reflects far more than technical ability.
Certified guides are trained to:
-
Assess and manage risk in dynamic mountain terrain
-
Interpret weather, snow, ice, and rock conditions
-
Plan efficient routes and manage time effectively
-
Make conservative decisions when conditions demand it
-
Keep clients moving confidently while maintaining safety and enjoyment
Whether you’re climbing ice in mid-winter, tackling a long rock route, or travelling through glaciated alpine terrain, this depth of training translates directly into smoother, more rewarding days in the mountains.
Just as important is local knowledge. Guides who work full-time in the Bow Valley understand how routes change with the seasons, how conditions evolve hour-to-hour, and which objectives best suit your goals and abilities. At Guide the Rockies, that experience supports thoughtful, client-centered trips where learning happens naturally, decisions are deliberate, and your time in the mountains is well spent.
