About Ben Nevis Guides

Do you love mountains, the outdoors, and the highlands of Scotland? So do I. My name is Max Hunter, and I own and manage Ben Nevis Guides. Ben Nevis Guides is part of Hunter Mountaineering, which is a business that I founded in 2009. I own and manage Hunter Mountaineering. My wife, Lena, and I work for the company with our team of incredible freelance Mountain Leaders and Mountaineering Instructors, based here in Fort William, at the base of Ben Nevis – a beautiful place to live and work.

Lena and I hold the following Mountain Training Awards …

1. Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor Formerly called the Mountaineering Instructor Certificate, the MIC. This is the highest professional certification for Climbing & Mountaineering in Great Britain. This qualifies us to instruct, teach, coach and guide SUMMER & WINTER Climbing and Mountaineering on Ben Nevis and anywhere in Great Britain.
2. Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor Formerly called the Mountaineering Instructor Award, the MIA. This is the highest professional certification for Summer Mountaineering in Great Britain.
3. Rock Climbing Instructor (formerly called the Single Pitch Award, the SPA). This qualifies the holder to instruct climbing in Great Britain.
4. Winter Mountain Leader (MLW). Mountain Walking Leader Award, for leading groups in Winter conditions in Great Britain.
5. Mountain Leader (MLS). Mountain Walking Leader Award, for leading groups in Summer conditions in Great Britain.

Max  MCI & WMCI

I discovered the outdoors at a younger age, and I became a walker, climber, skier, caver, paddler, biker and mountaineer. I followed my true passion for the mountains in Scotland and founded Hunter Mountaineering. I now also own and manage Ben Nevis Guides. I’ve since led expeditions in Tanzania, Argentina, Peru, Greenland and the Alps, and had fun climbing in many other places. I initially just worked in Scotland for the winter seasons, but realised that I wanted to be here all year round – now I’m proud to call the Highlands my home.

Lena  MCI & WMCI

Lena’s has a true passion for climbing, mountaineering and skiing in Scotland. She prefers British Trad climbing (summer + winter) over climbing in other countries (except sunny sport climbing in Spain). Scotland has always been her favourite place to climb – especially in the winter, on Classic Scottish Ice.