Craig Van Hoy in glacier climbing equipment
Craig Van Hoy · Mountain guide

Experience in service of the person

Craig Van Hoy, owner of Northwest Mountain Shop and NW Mountain Guides, has more than 400 summits of Mount Rainier by 19 routes and was part of the first American ascent of Kangchenjunga in 1989.

Four decades of guiding, hundreds of summits, and a belief that the people met along the way matter more than the numbers.

More than the summit

The mountain is only half the story.

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40+years guiding around the world
400+Mount Rainier summits by 19 routes
50+countries traveled and climbed
AMGAcertified Alpine Guide
Three climbers celebrating together on a snowy summit

Why GoTrek stays personal

A summit is a shared experience.

Good guiding is not only route knowledge. It is reading the weather, the team, and the moment—then making sound decisions that help people travel well together.

The first step

One climb changed the direction of a life.

Craig began as an ordinary hiker. After climbing Mount St. Helens, putting on crampons, taking up an ice axe, and tying into a rope brought him into the world of mountaineering.

By the late 1970s, an invitation to climb in the Himalayas of northern India had turned that first step into a life of expedition travel and year-round guiding.

Experience in the high mountains

A record built over decades.

In 1989, Craig reached the summit of Kangchenjunga as part of the first American ascent of the world’s third-highest mountain. He later participated in three Mount Everest expeditions—two by the North Ridge and one from the South Col—reaching the summit in 2004.

Craig has completed the Seven Summits. His record includes more than 400 Mount Rainier summits by 19 routes, 53 summits of Pico de Orizaba, and more than 20 successful ascents of Aconcagua.

The guide behind GoTrek

Experience is useful when it serves the person.

Craig is an AMGA-certified Alpine Guide, fluent in Spanish, and proficient in Nepali. He has guided expeditions in Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina, Mexico, Nepal, and throughout the Pacific Northwest.

In the summer he guides in the Pacific Northwest, including Mount Shuksan in the North Cascades, while continuing to lead international climbs and treks.

The work now

Helping people choose the right next step.

Craig has traveled through more than fifty countries and climbed hundreds of summits, but more important than the summits are the people and friendships found along the way.

Today, Craig’s focus is helping people find a summit and adventure that is both rewarding and exciting. The mountains of the Pacific Northwest are a great place to begin—and from there, who knows how far the next step will lead.

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